Just learning to use it. I love it outside. I am not as pleased with it inside I usually use the 50D inside. My friend has one and she feels the same way.
Showing posts with label digital camera price review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital camera price review. Show all posts
Vanguard Skyborne 53 Digital SLR Camera & Laptop Backpack Case
List Price: $369.99
Sale Price: $289.99
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
Recent purchase of Vanguard Skyborne 53 backpack. Am amazed at how complete the unit is and how well it sits on my back. Ease of access to all items, which I also feel are very well protected. Fully waterproof and once again I believe that TIPA got it right with their award. This will now be my primary backpack and I shall have a smaller unit for shorter trips, when I do not require as much equipment. Although I have to admit that it is extraordinary to just pick and chose lenses at random, because I have them with me and they suit the situation. It has made me a more perceptive photographer and occasionally I am trying the same shot, but with different lenses to expand the potential of my Olympus E5. Incidentally another TIPA award winner. Cannot stress how wonderful it is to have my tripod with me at all times attached to my backpack. Once again it makes for a much more satisfying photographic excursion. I live on the East Coast of Vancouver Island and the photographic opportunities are endless. Thank you Vanguard for a wonderful item.
Samsung SDS-P3040N 4 Channel DVR Security System 500 GB HDD 4
List Price: $699.00
Sale Price: $449.00
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
I selected this camera setup after looking around and learning a little bit. I need 4 cameras so this fit the bill. It is easy to install as long as you don't have any complex wiring runs. I didn't use the included 60ft wires as most of my runs were longer than that so I used bulk siamese RG-59(18-2) and terminated it myself.
The cameras look nice installed and provide decent image quality. The daytime color images and IR night images serve my purpose of just wanting/needing to see what's going on while I'm away. The image clarity meets my needs.
Play back is simple although I have yet to explore most of the setup options or connect to the DVR via the internet.
The DVR runs a little warm, but has worked well so far. (1 month)
Transcend 32 GB Compact Flash Card 400X (Blue)
List Price: $91.70
Sale Price: $39.95
Today's Bonus: 56% Off
If you need a fast high capacity CF card at a reasonable price, Transcend's 32GB (Blue) card is a good choice. This 400X card has a maximum read speed of 90MB/sec, and more importantly a write speed of 60MB/sec.
Shooting photos at maximum quality (saving both JPEG and RAW files), I was looking for a faster card for my Canon 7D an 18 megapixel digital SLR. The results using this card are excellent. The 7D has a burst rate of 8 frames per second, and the camera's buffer is large enough, so that you can easily shoot a 10 or 15 shot burst, without the camera locking up. Of course it takes some time for the camera to write to the card after such a burst, so I did a quick comparison using the Transcend 400x card, a Kingston 266x card, and a Transcend 133x card. I took a 10 shot burst, and then measured the time between the last shot and when the frame counter in the display stopped blinking, roughly indicating that data had finished writing to the card. The results of this crude test were, that the 400x card took 5 seconds, the 266x card 15 seconds, and the 133x card 25 seconds. Increasing to a 15 shot burst, the results were, 7.5 seconds for the 400x card, 22 seconds for the 266x card, and 37 seconds for the 133x card.
My tests are informal, and your results may vary, but these findings may provide some rough indication of the performance the card is capable of. I have used it on a couple of shoots, and haven't experienced any delays, while the camera writes to the card.
I have heard various professional photographers recommend using smaller cards, usually 8GB, rather than 16GB or 32GB cards. The thinking is that cards will eventually fail, and they feel more comfortable having their images from a particular shoot (usually a wedding), on several cards rather than on one card. That way if a card happens to fail, they will not lose all the images from that one event. While that kind of approach may make sense to someone shooting a wedding, I like having a card with enough capacity to shoot an entire event, and not have to worry about running out of memory or changing and keeping track of cards. Using a 7D, a 32GB card is good for about 950 images, which is great for photo shoots with models, shooting on a trip, or an extended event, like a basketball tournament, or runners in a marathon.
With camera file sizes increasing, "large capacity" is a relative term. So that 8GB card that was "huge" a couple of years ago, is kind of "small" today. Someday soon, the same will probably be true of even 32GB cards. Transcend's new 64GB (Blue) compact flash card may seem excessive, but digital SLR's being capable of shooting high definition video, has raised memory requirements to a new level. And finally, while using bigger cards may be more "risky" for some, for others they are more convenient, and they are generally less expensive per GB.
Due to good performance and reliability over several years, Transcend is a brand that I have come to trust for both compact flash and SD memory cards. Transcend cards are usually less expensive than equivalent cards by SanDisk or Lexar. They have a lifetime warranty, but fortunately I haven't had a Transcend card fail yet. If you do happen to get a bad card when buying from Amazon, replacement is usually a fast and hassle free process. This 400x card is fast, and at this time is a very good deal for under $100.
Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Although I have much experience with cameras, camcorders, and digital images, I have never owned a digital camera before. My main camera has been a Nikon 6006 SLR, so I am pretty picky about quality.
After extensive research, I settled on the DSC-T1. It is exactly what I expected, and almost exactly what I wanted, but allow me to elaborate because it may not be exactly what YOU want.
I was tempted by larger digital cameras (and I will eventually get one of those too). For example, the Panasonic Lumix is few bucks cheaper and has more controls, a BIG lens, great image stabilization, and 12x optical zoom (digital zoom is meaningless). It is even possible to get a medium size 5MP digital camera with 5x optical zoom and better pictures than the dsc-t1 for much less. However, I concluded that I would rather have a good camera with me 24x7 than leave a great camera in the car or at home. I was SO right. I have already captured SO many photos I would have missed. I carry the camera at all times in one of those silk bags that come with Oakley sunglasses.
I considered other small cameras like the Casio Elixim Z4, but it does not have video in US versions. The Canon S400 is very good, but it is slower and thicker with a much smaller LCD, and a newer version is coming out April 30th. No ultra compact that is clearly better than the DSC-T1 is on the horizon.
In addition to ultra compact size, I wanted at least 4MP, at least 3x optical zoom, quality video ability, speed, ease of use, and flexible shooting modes. This camera has 5MP, 3x optical zoom, excellent 640x480 video mode, speed, ease of use, and shooting modes flexible enough to accommodate everything from action to night images.
Video is in MPG files, which can be played back on the free Real Player. It is not possible to zoom while shooting video, but it is possible to zoom before recording begins or when recording has been paused.
I haven't tried the software that comes with it yet. I run Windows XP, and I just place the dsc-t1 in the cradle, turn it on, and it appears as another disk drive in Windows Explorer. I can copy files from it and paste them onto a hard drive. I can then delete the image files from the camera to free up the space on the memory stick just as if I were deleting files from any Windows folder.
Apparently slowness is a problem with all digital cameras except for a few of the most recent ones, and the DSC-T1 seems fast to me. This may be the result of the newer and faster Duo Pro Memory Stick technology. Get the 256MB Duo Pro Memory Stick. The 512MB stick costs three times as much. Don't bother with a spare battery. They are too expensive, and the battery life is OK. You don't want to be frequently opening the delicate little battery/memory doors on digital cameras anyway.
Don't worry about having no optical view finder. They just make cameras bigger. The 2.5 inch LCD is bigger than any other digital camera and is quite sufficient.
Such a small camera is a little tricky to hold SECURELY without getting in the way of the lens, so if you tend to drop things, then you WILL eventually drop this unless you use the wrist strap at all times, which partially defeats the convenience aspect. I still haven't attached the wrist strap because I am extra careful, but someone could still bump into me while shooting. On the other hand, I don't want to overstate this problem because the camera is quite durable/graspable when the lens cover is closed.
Almost every indoor picture with the kids has at least a hint of red eye. I consider about 60% of them to have too much, but I still get more quality shots than I have time to email, so I really can't complain. BTW, 5MP jpeg files are about 2MB each, which makes email a challenge. Less than one out of ten indoor pictures seems grainy. It is actually possible to take decent pictures in total darkness when using the flash because the auto focus works in the dark, which is not true for every camera.
It is possible to use one of the modes that forces the camera to 100 speed to guarantee maximum resolution (0% graininess), but you may have to brace the camera well for the slow shutter speeds that result. In fact I took some good pictures from my front porch at NIGHT by bracing the camera, but this will take more practice. Note that such pictures did not use a flash because a flash is useless beyond a few yards away, and only works WELL up to 6 feet away.
One pleasant surprise was the excellent sound quality. I carried a digital voice recorder 24x7, which would fill up until I had time to manually transpose my notes and delete them forever to free up memory on the recorder again. Before that I used the very expensive little Pearlcorder L400. It was less convenient to transpose from a tape, but at least I could keep the tapes forever. Sound quality on all of them was poor. Whereas, with the DSC-T1, I discovered I could take hours of VIDEO notes in 160x160 mode with perfect sound quality and then just copy these files onto my hard drive to keep forever. This is when I knew I was keeping the DSC-T1.
After extensive research, I settled on the DSC-T1. It is exactly what I expected, and almost exactly what I wanted, but allow me to elaborate because it may not be exactly what YOU want.
I was tempted by larger digital cameras (and I will eventually get one of those too). For example, the Panasonic Lumix is few bucks cheaper and has more controls, a BIG lens, great image stabilization, and 12x optical zoom (digital zoom is meaningless). It is even possible to get a medium size 5MP digital camera with 5x optical zoom and better pictures than the dsc-t1 for much less. However, I concluded that I would rather have a good camera with me 24x7 than leave a great camera in the car or at home. I was SO right. I have already captured SO many photos I would have missed. I carry the camera at all times in one of those silk bags that come with Oakley sunglasses.
I considered other small cameras like the Casio Elixim Z4, but it does not have video in US versions. The Canon S400 is very good, but it is slower and thicker with a much smaller LCD, and a newer version is coming out April 30th. No ultra compact that is clearly better than the DSC-T1 is on the horizon.
In addition to ultra compact size, I wanted at least 4MP, at least 3x optical zoom, quality video ability, speed, ease of use, and flexible shooting modes. This camera has 5MP, 3x optical zoom, excellent 640x480 video mode, speed, ease of use, and shooting modes flexible enough to accommodate everything from action to night images.
Video is in MPG files, which can be played back on the free Real Player. It is not possible to zoom while shooting video, but it is possible to zoom before recording begins or when recording has been paused.
I haven't tried the software that comes with it yet. I run Windows XP, and I just place the dsc-t1 in the cradle, turn it on, and it appears as another disk drive in Windows Explorer. I can copy files from it and paste them onto a hard drive. I can then delete the image files from the camera to free up the space on the memory stick just as if I were deleting files from any Windows folder.
Apparently slowness is a problem with all digital cameras except for a few of the most recent ones, and the DSC-T1 seems fast to me. This may be the result of the newer and faster Duo Pro Memory Stick technology. Get the 256MB Duo Pro Memory Stick. The 512MB stick costs three times as much. Don't bother with a spare battery. They are too expensive, and the battery life is OK. You don't want to be frequently opening the delicate little battery/memory doors on digital cameras anyway.
Don't worry about having no optical view finder. They just make cameras bigger. The 2.5 inch LCD is bigger than any other digital camera and is quite sufficient.
Such a small camera is a little tricky to hold SECURELY without getting in the way of the lens, so if you tend to drop things, then you WILL eventually drop this unless you use the wrist strap at all times, which partially defeats the convenience aspect. I still haven't attached the wrist strap because I am extra careful, but someone could still bump into me while shooting. On the other hand, I don't want to overstate this problem because the camera is quite durable/graspable when the lens cover is closed.
Almost every indoor picture with the kids has at least a hint of red eye. I consider about 60% of them to have too much, but I still get more quality shots than I have time to email, so I really can't complain. BTW, 5MP jpeg files are about 2MB each, which makes email a challenge. Less than one out of ten indoor pictures seems grainy. It is actually possible to take decent pictures in total darkness when using the flash because the auto focus works in the dark, which is not true for every camera.
It is possible to use one of the modes that forces the camera to 100 speed to guarantee maximum resolution (0% graininess), but you may have to brace the camera well for the slow shutter speeds that result. In fact I took some good pictures from my front porch at NIGHT by bracing the camera, but this will take more practice. Note that such pictures did not use a flash because a flash is useless beyond a few yards away, and only works WELL up to 6 feet away.
One pleasant surprise was the excellent sound quality. I carried a digital voice recorder 24x7, which would fill up until I had time to manually transpose my notes and delete them forever to free up memory on the recorder again. Before that I used the very expensive little Pearlcorder L400. It was less convenient to transpose from a tape, but at least I could keep the tapes forever. Sound quality on all of them was poor. Whereas, with the DSC-T1, I discovered I could take hours of VIDEO notes in 160x160 mode with perfect sound quality and then just copy these files onto my hard drive to keep forever. This is when I knew I was keeping the DSC-T1.
Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB Direct-Drive Professional Turntable
List Price: $299.95
Sale Price: $213.99
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
So, what do you do when you want to get current with a new turntable
and you find the field swollen with overpriced gear and on the other
side, cheap Junk??
You shoot for a Technics SL1200....at least that's what I thought..
Sorry, but at $7+ bills-for a guy who never
spent over $170 for a turntable back in the day they were King, not going
for that. So what we have here with the Audio Technica AT LP120 USB
to be realistic, is a chinese knockoff of theFamous Technics Table.
So I bought one!
The bad first: On my unit, the finish on the top
of the turntable at three spots shows signs of the 'finish paint' not being
properly sprayed. In another words, it looks like someone took a pencil
eraser and went back and forth a few hundred times over the top finish
and wore out the finish coating. Ok,not good but something I could live
with cause it's not that bad, but, it doesnt make it look splendidly new either!
Do I want to take the time to send it back, no. I'm 51 and I still love my wife.....so
who cares????
Now the good: Ok, after reading many many Amazon customer reviews and others
on the Internet, and knowing a little bit about this thing I unpacked it, which, speaking
of packaging was good and bad. Everything was packaged very well but the styrofoam
they use broke in like 6 places, but the good news is that the turntable itself was not
damaged, nor were the parts like the counterweight and such.
Put it together and I will say, definitely, it IS a very good looking turntable!! Different in
composition than the Technics: whereas the platter on the Technics is a Part of the motor,
the AT is not. The motor is mounted well to the top plate of the TT and the Platter itself
is kinda not heavy, but is much beefier than 90% of the USB turntables out there, and at
a $200 priceline, is MUCH more than expected!! And it is brushed Aluminum and therefore
looks like the real deal, just a few oz lighter than my older Pioneer PL550's MASSIVELY
heavy platter. But that was 1976 and this is 2010, times have indeed changed.....
Now, many others have talked about the stock cartridge in the AT120. For DJ'ing
it's ok. But for TLC of vinyl for Audiophile purposes it's out of the question. I got the
Shure 97 on j&r for $59 and two 78rpm stylus's on Amazon for $22 each.(!) The stylus
is interchangable, so if you want to play 78's, just get the stylus for it and plug it into
the 97's body, re-adjust the stylus pressure and go for it!! At least that's what i've read
on the internet so we'll see if it actually happens. Worst case I'll have to pop for the 78
cartridge and have two spares, not bad actually either way.
I then ran the turntable for 13 hours at the 78 speed forward and backward to see if
the motor would fail, it Didn't. Turned it off, went to work, came home, turned it back
on, 33/45/78 all nailed-no drift, no slowdown or speed up. So Ok, the Motor seems
heavy duty, should hold up to years of use.
The tone arm is very well made and calibrated. Going down to 1 gram of stylus weight
just to see, the balance and bearings were very fluid, which tells me that if they didn't
know what they were doing, the tone arm would choke under a slight weight balancing
test-it didn't. The arm slowly went up and down with my changing oh so slightly of the
counterweight with no points of friction. Good Bearings and initial calibration at the
factory!!!
Tone arm lift is gentle going down and very firm going up, with how fast your finger
is telling it to go.
Platter is as stated solid. When going to 78 the mis alignment in the dots does rear
it's ugly head, but then again, at 33 or 45 you hardly notice it, no big deal.....
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A STREET PRICED $200 UNIT COMPARING IT TO A $700+ UNIT!!!!!
Very favorable imho. To get this kind of quality at a $200 realistic price point, is
very impressive. And the Technics does NOT play at a 78rpm speed. For me, this was
a major issue. I did not want two turntables to deal with!!! (Oh yeah, I'll impress people
with my $29 bsr poc next to my Mirage Speakers!!) NOT!!
And I must admit, AT did their homework. Again, not in the same OVERKILL QUALITY
league as the Technics 1200, but in all honesty, almost Overkill at a $200 price point.
Lastly, I opened the sucker to see if any screws were loose, which has been a factor
with EVERY piece of Electronics I've bought in the last 5 years that was made in china.
A B+ grade on this. Some screws needed very little tightening and the motor screws
were dead on snug! The construction inside was around 7 years behind the times
but clean. Compared to modern day factory construction of electronic gear, it wouldn't
win any prizes, but then looking at the guts of the Pioneer 550, judging it in this present
day, it wouldn't either. So there you go. For me, it fits the Bill perfectly, it's like the girl
you really think is hot except for her slightly crooked nose, you sort of accept it, but
you wish it was perfect, but you know it's not going to be. This Turntable is exactly
that. You'll probably fall for it and wish it was a Technics, but day after day, you'll
look at it and say, 'Damn, what a cool looking Turntable', and when you install that
Shure 97 and put on your old Mobile Fidelity copy of Steely Dan's AJA, you'll smile
all the way to the bank. Hell, you might even buy an extra one if Amazon ever
decides to make it a 'Deal of the Day' for a cool $100!!!! I would!!!!
I could go on for ever, but then I would bore myself to death........
Enjoy this Turntable and the Music.
MasterG
July 2010 Update:
The AT continues to rock my world. On 78's with the Shure 78 stylus, it operates flawlessly. And there have been No incidences of tonearm meandering or anything like that. This is a very good turntable and at $200 it's an absolute steal!!
December 2010 Update:
This thing is STILL Rocking! In the last two months I've purchased four Jimi Hendrix Vinyl Box sets, (West Coast Seattle Boy being one for $64!! on Amazon!!!!) and SunDazed Records 10Lp MONO Vinyl Bob Dylan set for $149!!!! (And yes, you get TWO more lp's than the Columbia box for alot less, the remastering is exquisite!!!) and more Hendrix vinyl from other retailers to pass on to my kids when I croak. And except for finding a good turntable mat, (this one comes with a felt mat, which is fine, but i'm a real nit picky type of schmuck so I search and I search for the holy grail without ever finding it...go figure.) it still is not giving me ANY problems. So, overall, after a year or so, It's still soooooooo worth the money I paid for it.
I wish you ALL a VERY MERRY Christmas!!!
Gerry
January 2011 update:
Have gotten alot of questions about hookup, obviously there are alot of people not familiar with the old fashioned record player so here it is as simple as I can put it,
This Record Player/Turntable is a Stereo 'Component', which means that you HAVE to connect it to some kind of Amplifier or Stereo/Home /Theater Receiver in order to hear your records being played. It's NOT like an iPod, which has an internal amplifier and you pop your headbuds on and your in business.
So, you can't just pop a record on this and really hear anything, you have to connect it to some kind of amplifier in order for it to work properly.
Now go and hunt down those cool records you've been dying to here!!
Gerard
Canon XL-H1A 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder
The XL H1 is a great camera, used with outstanding results by videographers around the world. If you have the budget and need the professional features not found on the XH A1, this camera is a great choice.
Just in response to the review below, this camcorder records conventional HDV 60i, the identical format to that found on any Sony, JVC, or Panasonic camcorder. This footage can be played on any camera or deck supporting HDV.
The reviewer refers to 24F and 30F, which are ADDITIONAL formats Canon has developed for their XL and XH series camcorders. 24F in particular is an amazing format, allowing Canon to provide a true 24p framerate at a fraction of the cost of other codecs.
If you wanted to use the 24F or 30F formats, and needed to shoot on more than one camera, the other camera could shoot on conventional 24p and be edited in the same timeline within Final Cut. But you may as well stick with Canon, as I do and as does Patrick Moreau of Still Motion. Highly recommended.
Just in response to the review below, this camcorder records conventional HDV 60i, the identical format to that found on any Sony, JVC, or Panasonic camcorder. This footage can be played on any camera or deck supporting HDV.
The reviewer refers to 24F and 30F, which are ADDITIONAL formats Canon has developed for their XL and XH series camcorders. 24F in particular is an amazing format, allowing Canon to provide a true 24p framerate at a fraction of the cost of other codecs.
If you wanted to use the 24F or 30F formats, and needed to shoot on more than one camera, the other camera could shoot on conventional 24p and be edited in the same timeline within Final Cut. But you may as well stick with Canon, as I do and as does Patrick Moreau of Still Motion. Highly recommended.
Nikon D3200 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens
I had spent a lot of time studying my next Nikon purchase. I was desperately in need of an upgrade from my D100 but unsure of my next step. The camera world is changing so rapidly and one has to really be an informed shopper. The D3200 meets most of my current needs. The lens package is great. I had thought to rely on my old lens but I would have sacrificed some workability. Unless, you are a professional or shooting in a lot of low light or need an uber fast camera, the D3200 will more than satisfy.
1080P HD USB HDMI SD/MMC Multi TV Media Player RMVB MKV
i have a patriot media player. This one is 1/3 the cost and i thought that I would try it. The media player arrive 11 days from China to my house.
This thing plays everything a patriot media player plays and more. There was one file that I test that does not play on my patriot media player but it plays on this one. But, Unlike the patriot, this one is made out of very light plastic case and looks flimsy. But it's not a big deal as long as it works. The good thing is that this one has buttons on top of the media player. I tested it and I was able to browse and navigate thru the files without the remote YEAH!!!. The patriot and the asus media player basically becomes useless without the remote. This one still works without the remote. A big plus.
The remote has all the buttons that i needs like ff, rev, play, pause, stop, zoom, etc.... it is a full function remote.
The manual is practically useless. I cannot understand a darn thing out of that manual. It looks as if it was originally written in chinese and then ran thru a free on-line english translator. Bad grammar that one could not understand.
This thing plays everything a patriot media player plays and more. There was one file that I test that does not play on my patriot media player but it plays on this one. But, Unlike the patriot, this one is made out of very light plastic case and looks flimsy. But it's not a big deal as long as it works. The good thing is that this one has buttons on top of the media player. I tested it and I was able to browse and navigate thru the files without the remote YEAH!!!. The patriot and the asus media player basically becomes useless without the remote. This one still works without the remote. A big plus.
The remote has all the buttons that i needs like ff, rev, play, pause, stop, zoom, etc.... it is a full function remote.
The manual is practically useless. I cannot understand a darn thing out of that manual. It looks as if it was originally written in chinese and then ran thru a free on-line english translator. Bad grammar that one could not understand.
Canon XL-H1 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom
List Price: $11,000.00
Sale Price: $5,675.09
Today's Bonus: 48% Off
The Canon XL-H1 is king of DV and live video productions!
The low light quality is unmatched on any camera in it's class.
The ergonomics are spectacular, making the camera excellent for smooth handheld shots.
The buttons are accessible in awkward positions and are easy to use, plus there are programmable buttons that can be personalized.
This is a serious camera for any serious job.
------This is outdated due to the fact that a Canon 60D with a Tamron ATX Lens, Real SanDisk Cards, and Tamron ATX lenses is cheaper and so much better. TRUST THAT COMBINATION!!! Don't use Canon Lenses for video!
Samsung TL210 DualView 12.4 MP Digital Camera with 5X Optical
If you're considering this camera, you've most likely heard of Samsung's dual LCD feature which is probably the single best reason to purchase this particular camera model. I brought this camera along on a recent trip to Disneyland and having the LCD on the front of the camera took all the guesswork out of framing portrait shots of me and my girlfriend.
To start off, I'll address the dual LCD feature a little more in detail. Samsung made this camera very user-friendly by putting a "Front LCD" button next to the power button push the Front LCD button and you're ready to take self-portrait shots of yourself or with one other person (I found it difficult to frame 3 people in the same shot using the Front LCD). This model (as well as the Samsung Dual View 12.2MP Digital Camera Silver (TL205) can shoot video while the Front LCD is activated, which is a nice touch.
I found the camera's rear LCD bright and clear enough to rival Canon cameras within the same price range. Thankfully Samsung removed the touchscreen feature touchscreen is really more a gimmick than anything else. There is a standard "wheel" where you can scroll through the various camera modes (video, night shots, auto mode, etc). When you scroll through each mode, the camera will display a short blurb about what each mode is designed for. There is an interesting "Beauty Shot" mode that claims to remove blemishes automatically however the pictures taken in this mode were not extraordinarily different than those taken in Auto mode. There is also a dual image stabilization mode which apparently uses both digital and optical image stabilization I found these pictures to be a bit grainy and softer than pictures taken in Auto mode.
The weakest part of this camera is the picture quality. Yes, this camera produces 12.4 megapixels however a side-by-side comparison of pictures taken by the much older Canon PowerShot SD700 IS 6MP Digital Elph Camera with 4x Image Stabilized Zoom yields much better picture quality by the Canon camera (and the Canon is only 6 megapixels!). Pictures taken by this Samsung camera are not horrible but you will find that unless you take pictures in broad daylight with plenty of lighting, your pictures will come out grainy and soft (seems like too much automatic noise reduction by the Samsung). In low lighting situations (such as taking a picture with NO flash during the queue line for Space Mountain, this camera will produce pictures no better than the iPhone 3GS 2-megapixel camera).
Video quality is high-def 720p and is excellent. My only gripe is that whenever you zoom in or out, the audio will disappear until you stop zooming in/out. If you like to take wildlife videos and plan on doing a slow zoom, you'll end up with a silent movie :)
I had no problems with battery life the Samsung lasted 4 days on a single charge for me with some power still left. I think I took about 200 photos and about 15 video clips in total. Note that you will need a Micro-SD card instead of the regular-sized SD card.
The outer housing of the camera is cheap glossy plastic and as one other reviewer mentioned, the camera IS NOT red but has a red stripe on one side. The glossy housing is a great way to see your own fingerprints. Although I appreciate how Samsung made this camera as light as a feather, it also feels like a camera that costs $50.
Pros: The Dual LCD feature is great (other manufacturers need to get on this), video quality (at highest setting) is excellent, camera is lightweight, rechargeable battery lasts a decent amount of time.
Cons: Grainy and soft images, especially at night (definitely not what you would expect from a 12.4 megapixel camera). Camera has a short but noticeable lag when taking pictures especially after using the flash. The plastic housing feels cheap and will probably break after one drop. Fingerprint magnet.
For a starter camera, this is definitely a good choice. I'd say $129 is a more appropriate price for this camera given the image quality. I uploaded 3 photos taken in Disneyland into the Amazon product photo gallery at the top of the page in case anyone is interested to see the camera in action.
To start off, I'll address the dual LCD feature a little more in detail. Samsung made this camera very user-friendly by putting a "Front LCD" button next to the power button push the Front LCD button and you're ready to take self-portrait shots of yourself or with one other person (I found it difficult to frame 3 people in the same shot using the Front LCD). This model (as well as the Samsung Dual View 12.2MP Digital Camera Silver (TL205) can shoot video while the Front LCD is activated, which is a nice touch.
I found the camera's rear LCD bright and clear enough to rival Canon cameras within the same price range. Thankfully Samsung removed the touchscreen feature touchscreen is really more a gimmick than anything else. There is a standard "wheel" where you can scroll through the various camera modes (video, night shots, auto mode, etc). When you scroll through each mode, the camera will display a short blurb about what each mode is designed for. There is an interesting "Beauty Shot" mode that claims to remove blemishes automatically however the pictures taken in this mode were not extraordinarily different than those taken in Auto mode. There is also a dual image stabilization mode which apparently uses both digital and optical image stabilization I found these pictures to be a bit grainy and softer than pictures taken in Auto mode.
The weakest part of this camera is the picture quality. Yes, this camera produces 12.4 megapixels however a side-by-side comparison of pictures taken by the much older Canon PowerShot SD700 IS 6MP Digital Elph Camera with 4x Image Stabilized Zoom yields much better picture quality by the Canon camera (and the Canon is only 6 megapixels!). Pictures taken by this Samsung camera are not horrible but you will find that unless you take pictures in broad daylight with plenty of lighting, your pictures will come out grainy and soft (seems like too much automatic noise reduction by the Samsung). In low lighting situations (such as taking a picture with NO flash during the queue line for Space Mountain, this camera will produce pictures no better than the iPhone 3GS 2-megapixel camera).
Video quality is high-def 720p and is excellent. My only gripe is that whenever you zoom in or out, the audio will disappear until you stop zooming in/out. If you like to take wildlife videos and plan on doing a slow zoom, you'll end up with a silent movie :)
I had no problems with battery life the Samsung lasted 4 days on a single charge for me with some power still left. I think I took about 200 photos and about 15 video clips in total. Note that you will need a Micro-SD card instead of the regular-sized SD card.
The outer housing of the camera is cheap glossy plastic and as one other reviewer mentioned, the camera IS NOT red but has a red stripe on one side. The glossy housing is a great way to see your own fingerprints. Although I appreciate how Samsung made this camera as light as a feather, it also feels like a camera that costs $50.
Pros: The Dual LCD feature is great (other manufacturers need to get on this), video quality (at highest setting) is excellent, camera is lightweight, rechargeable battery lasts a decent amount of time.
Cons: Grainy and soft images, especially at night (definitely not what you would expect from a 12.4 megapixel camera). Camera has a short but noticeable lag when taking pictures especially after using the flash. The plastic housing feels cheap and will probably break after one drop. Fingerprint magnet.
For a starter camera, this is definitely a good choice. I'd say $129 is a more appropriate price for this camera given the image quality. I uploaded 3 photos taken in Disneyland into the Amazon product photo gallery at the top of the page in case anyone is interested to see the camera in action.
LG Esteem 4G Prepaid Android Phone (MetroPCS)
This is the best Metro PCS phone out there. It has a very large Amoled screen, colors are so vibrant it totally blew my mind. It has fast download at 4G speed at locations that provide 4G speed (at my office no less). Touch is very responsive, although sometimes a bit too sensitive which caused me to text to wrong person lol. The camera quality is very good; even the front cam, with 3x zoom and flash. I don't bring my pocket camera out anymore after I have this baby. The battery life after I installed battery saver app it lasted longer and as expected with all smart phones. This is the best prepaid android phone out there and I am still in love with it after 3 months of usage.
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Zoom Digital Lens + UV Filter
I am a remodeling contractor. I bought this lens because I wanted to be able to take pictures of my kitchen & especially bath remodels. They can often be tight spaces that require a wide angle to capture the entire effect. It's done all of that and more.
Actiontec My Wireless TV WiFi / HDMI Multi-Room Wireless HD
List Price: $229.99
Sale Price: $185.85
Today's Bonus: 19% Off
This is what I have been looking for for years! Almost. We bought 3.
-THE GOOD --
At our office we got over 75 feet and through two insulated metal studded walls, and the picture was perfect! Really incredible! Light years better than other HDMI wireless technologies (vizio had to essentially be line of sight) and baluns we have tried.
The interface to the receiver is very useful, most of these transmitter/receiver/baluns gadgets only work or don't, the dont tell you if the transmitter is on/off or if there is a source signal, this unit does that, and it has a drop down so you can choose a transmitter unit to pull from (the limit is 4 (after the Dec 2011 firmware update)).
The image quality is great, didn't notice any kind of compression or signal degradation.
-THE BAD --
The issues we have with the units are all regarding the slight delay between the source and the output. *(See Update)
Actiontec Support emailed me this:
"There really is no way to prevent this since the signal is going over wireless and there will always be some delay. You could try changing the channel in the Rx unit settings, but some audio delay is going to happen, its unavoidable."
This becomes an issue where you have two tvs in the same room and they both need to have some audio output. For instance, I have a basement where we want to watch the game on one side of the room and play pool / darts on the other side of the basement while watching the game on another TV, in this case both sides would need their own audio, when we tried this the echo caused by the delay was pretty irritating. Also I want to point out, it is just not an audio lag, the picture lags too...which is fine considering that most people will use this in another room entirely.
Also, if you are going to use the MYWirelessTV to hook up a projector (or a TV) and use the sound from your AV receiver that is hooked into the source then your audio and your picture will not be synced, which means you will notice some lip syncing issues. I am not sure everyone will notice, but we did. Some AV receivers have the ability to tweak audio delay, so you might have a work around there. I estimate that the video/audio was about 200ms off.
Actiontec mentioned that you can use this for games, I doubt you could use this for twitch games...it would just introduce too much lag (but i haven't tried it yet...when i do, and my mind changes, I will update this review). For music games like Rockband, they come with a calibration tool, so you might be able to use that to get around sound syncing/control issues??? * (See update)
*(Updated below) This is all wrong ----> My last issue is it doesn't appear that you can pair/link the transmitter and receiver to not allow another unit to pick up the signal. This might be fine for most households, but in condos and apartment buildings you might not want to tell your neighbors to go out and get this awesome new tech since they could pull in your signal, so if 2 of your neighbors have 2 each, then I am not sure how you would fit in another set? Again I will update this review if there is solution for that. *(see update..i was totally wrong)
-CONCLUSION --
Bottom line, the MYWirlessTV is awesome..and it has solved a ton of issues and wiring for our office around our video feeds, but I found it less useful in a couple specific scenarios at my home due to the slight delay caused by the transmission.
If you are just adding a TV to another room, (or yard!) we found the MYWirelessTV a near perfect implementation.
*2/24/2012 UPDATE.*
It is better! We received a couple more of these.
Also there is a pairing feature, which I should have known because there is a "Pairing" button on the front, this allows the user to pair up different kits, but also prevents other people from inadvertently picking up your signal.
Regarding the Sync issues, as mentioned in the comment section (thanks!) there is a whole different mode for gaming found in the menu. I wish I would have read the manual and I wish the support guy would have mentioned it. After testing the Gaming Latency mode, we found that the new firmware performed much better than the previous firmware, so that solves problems for us here at the office, but I haven't tested the image quality at home with real tv content
Also. Actiontec support is sending out new USB adapters because some are having problems with connections to some usb flash drives (mine included) I cannot get my transmitters to update because of this.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro 4/3 Digital Camera & 12-50mm Lens
I recently purchased this for myself for Christmas and boy I'm glad I did. I've upgraded from a sony cyber-shot. I've only used the camera for less than a day but I can't seem to put it down. I've used mostly the auto settings so far and they've been absolutely fantastic pics. I've sent a bunch of pics out to my friends and most have asked what kind of camera I purchased because they couldn't get over the clarity. I look forward to really exploring what this camera can do. I'm a kid in the candy store again with this new gadget. Worth every penny. I'm also glad I purchased the bundle of goodies to go along with the camera. The case is excellent but if you need more than one lens your going to have a space issue. Other than that its great for what I need it for. The tripod is nice and light but built with good quality. It folds down to 16" and extends to 50" which is more than enough for me thus far, since I'm a novice for the time being. I hope this helps someone purchase this amazing camera. I cant say enough about it considering I just received it in the mail last night. You won't regret your purchase. Time to get clicking!!!!!
Pentax K-30 lens kit white w DA 18-55WR Weather-Sealed 16 MP
List Price: $799.95
Sale Price: $750.09
Today's Bonus: 6% Off
This camera is mostly for those photographers who wish to make high quality stills (as opposed th video) and have an awesome arsenal of operating modes and the availability of a vast selection of fine optics.
Weak spots: Video imaging does not measure up to comparable Nikon and Canon models. It is very sensitive to the brand of SDHC memory cards chosen; class 10 Sony cards are not recognized. I have had good luck with Kingston cards and Pentax forum members suggest staying with Sandisk.
All Pentax 35mm film camera lenses from screwmount Takumar with bayonet adapters to the present will work in at least one or more modes. Love the idea of non-obsolesence.
Great handling and intuitive controls. An adapter is available for using four AA batteries in place of the rechargable lithium.
The dirt and moisture sealing makes shooting in those tough situations really free of stress.
A replacement model with a higher price has already been introduced with the capacity to wirelessly send images to another device ( I don't need that feature).
I am very pleased with the performance. Working with RAW images mad eon this camers gives the serious shooter an qualitative advantage over images made with competing Brands.
I can live with the fact that the body is polycaronate and not pro-level magnesium alloy.
Get one of these while you still can!
Canon PIXMA MP490 Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer (3745B002)
This is the third Canon Pixma printer we have owned. The first two were blown out by power surges (we have extraordinarily unreliable and variable power in the islands).
The first Pixma printer we bought is something of a legend for it's inexpensive cartridges which could be purchased retail (OEM) for less than $10 apiece. When we bought that, we already had several other printers in the house, at least 1 unused. The issue we had with each of the others (a Dell, an HP and an Epson) was that the printer cartridges cost as much as, or more than, the printer itself. If you already have a printer, you know that the manufacturers are using the Gillette razor model; pricing the printers low, and gauging on the ink. The cost for a replacement cartridge for my HP laser was around $200, the Epson, around $100, and the Dell (which came free with the computer) cost over $100. Since this is a home printer we cared less about print quality, and more aboiut reasonable operating cost. i have not yet printed any photos and so can not comment on print quality in that regard, though Canon claims it is a high point.
I will say that the print quality on our first 2 Pixmas was somewhat less than ideal. I was able to remedy that by printing on high (photo quality). On our new printer, the MP 490, the print quality is better, BUT, unfortunately the cartridges cost more. They still cost at least 1/3 less than those for comparable printers, but are not as reasonable as on prior models. This is what took a star off in my rating.
In terms of features and ease of use:
this printer fixes an annoying issue we had with the other 2 pixmas. the cartridges are easier to change. You no longer have to hold the door up or have it hover at an awkward angle.
My kids like the digital read out, and, I will note for those new to the line; Canon printers keep track of ink use. The software logs cartridge changes and lets you know when you are running low on either (black or multi-color) ink. Often this is a bit off. that is, you can get a few more prints after it tells you it is out. This is a nice feature. I have had the experience of running out of ink while printing a 100 page document on my HP, only finding out that half the pages came up blank after the entire document ran.
On wimdows machines, set up is very easy: plug & play. It will work without loading extra printer drivers. I can not comment on this with regard to macs, since w do not have one.
You can switch to scan or print with the touch of a button. Both of these functions work flawlessly.
The other feature this machine offers over our old pixmas is a card reader. You can take a card out of your camera and print direct from the machine without going through a computer. (Most of the newer printers offer this feature, so this will set it apart in comparison to last gen. printers, rather than other brands).
It also has a very small footprint; not much larger than is required for a letter size scanner. It is not as small as a portable, but very compact for a desk top printer.
All in all it is a VERY nice printer for the money. We got it for an insanely low price during Amazon's 'black friday week" sale. Even at full retail it costs roughly the same or less than comparable printers. The primary reason we bought this was for the lower price ink cartridges. In that regard, the saving are not quite what they were on older models of the Pixma, but are still less costly than for other brands. We have owned Pixma printers for more than 10 years now and have been very happy with them overall, or I would not have purchased a third.
Update:
After 6 months of usi9ng this printer I needed to replace the ink. (note: this printer is attached to my childrens' machine and hence does not get as much use as mu own). i am now substantially less happy with the printer and probably would not buy another. If I were writing the review now, I'd give it 3 instead of 4 stars. Why?
1) Replacing the ink cost more than the printer.
2) When the black ink ran out we were unable to use the printer evewn though there was still ink in the color cartridge.
While the ink may cost less than some it should not cost as much as the printer!
Canon has been advertising that they were the solution to overpriced ink. Instead, it seems, they've decided that this is a pretty good way to make money.
This is Way far from the perfect printer.
I'm now shopping for another OLD Canon for my kids. My old Canon is still running on $10 cartridges (less if I use generic!)
I do not want to buy ink which costs as much as a new printer every 6 months! I hope Canon hears this. they have just lost a heretofore loyal customer.
The first Pixma printer we bought is something of a legend for it's inexpensive cartridges which could be purchased retail (OEM) for less than $10 apiece. When we bought that, we already had several other printers in the house, at least 1 unused. The issue we had with each of the others (a Dell, an HP and an Epson) was that the printer cartridges cost as much as, or more than, the printer itself. If you already have a printer, you know that the manufacturers are using the Gillette razor model; pricing the printers low, and gauging on the ink. The cost for a replacement cartridge for my HP laser was around $200, the Epson, around $100, and the Dell (which came free with the computer) cost over $100. Since this is a home printer we cared less about print quality, and more aboiut reasonable operating cost. i have not yet printed any photos and so can not comment on print quality in that regard, though Canon claims it is a high point.
I will say that the print quality on our first 2 Pixmas was somewhat less than ideal. I was able to remedy that by printing on high (photo quality). On our new printer, the MP 490, the print quality is better, BUT, unfortunately the cartridges cost more. They still cost at least 1/3 less than those for comparable printers, but are not as reasonable as on prior models. This is what took a star off in my rating.
In terms of features and ease of use:
this printer fixes an annoying issue we had with the other 2 pixmas. the cartridges are easier to change. You no longer have to hold the door up or have it hover at an awkward angle.
My kids like the digital read out, and, I will note for those new to the line; Canon printers keep track of ink use. The software logs cartridge changes and lets you know when you are running low on either (black or multi-color) ink. Often this is a bit off. that is, you can get a few more prints after it tells you it is out. This is a nice feature. I have had the experience of running out of ink while printing a 100 page document on my HP, only finding out that half the pages came up blank after the entire document ran.
On wimdows machines, set up is very easy: plug & play. It will work without loading extra printer drivers. I can not comment on this with regard to macs, since w do not have one.
You can switch to scan or print with the touch of a button. Both of these functions work flawlessly.
The other feature this machine offers over our old pixmas is a card reader. You can take a card out of your camera and print direct from the machine without going through a computer. (Most of the newer printers offer this feature, so this will set it apart in comparison to last gen. printers, rather than other brands).
It also has a very small footprint; not much larger than is required for a letter size scanner. It is not as small as a portable, but very compact for a desk top printer.
All in all it is a VERY nice printer for the money. We got it for an insanely low price during Amazon's 'black friday week" sale. Even at full retail it costs roughly the same or less than comparable printers. The primary reason we bought this was for the lower price ink cartridges. In that regard, the saving are not quite what they were on older models of the Pixma, but are still less costly than for other brands. We have owned Pixma printers for more than 10 years now and have been very happy with them overall, or I would not have purchased a third.
Update:
After 6 months of usi9ng this printer I needed to replace the ink. (note: this printer is attached to my childrens' machine and hence does not get as much use as mu own). i am now substantially less happy with the printer and probably would not buy another. If I were writing the review now, I'd give it 3 instead of 4 stars. Why?
1) Replacing the ink cost more than the printer.
2) When the black ink ran out we were unable to use the printer evewn though there was still ink in the color cartridge.
While the ink may cost less than some it should not cost as much as the printer!
Canon has been advertising that they were the solution to overpriced ink. Instead, it seems, they've decided that this is a pretty good way to make money.
This is Way far from the perfect printer.
I'm now shopping for another OLD Canon for my kids. My old Canon is still running on $10 cartridges (less if I use generic!)
I do not want to buy ink which costs as much as a new printer every 6 months! I hope Canon hears this. they have just lost a heretofore loyal customer.