Showing posts with label nikon cameras. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nikon cameras. Show all posts

Digital Watchdog - DW-VF8500G - 8ch Pentaplex Dvr 500gb Hdd

Digital Watchdog - DW-VF8500G - 8ch Pentaplex Dvr 500gb Hdd
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $1,028.00
Sale Price: $565.00
Today's Bonus: 45% Off
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I'm no tech but I installed this and setup my network in less then 15 min and it was easy, this unit is smaller then you would think but that's great it takes up very little space on a shelf or in a cabinet. If you want quality this is it and there is plenty of setup videos on YouTube, customer service is A++++

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Samsung Series 3 NP350V5C-T01US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Titan Silver)

Samsung Series 3 NP350V5C-T01US 15.6-Inch Laptop
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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My wife wanted a laptop that could play World of Warcraft. We normally play on desktop computers with high performance video cards, so laptops have historically been a disappointment. This year, she requested (for Christmas) a laptop that was capable of playing WoW so that when she is upstairs with the kids she has something more fun to play than solitare and more entertaining than watching Barney or Sesame Street on television.

I shopped around, but honestly knew very little about laptops. I have always custom built my own gaming PCs, but laptops were never on my radar. And gaming laptops can get very expensive.

I saw this Samsung on Amazon and was impressed by the price. The KEY feature is the included Radeon HD 7730M video card. If you want to play video games, you must have a 3d graphics card. The built-in Intel HD graphics card is great for anything else, but for playing video games good luck.

I was skeptical about Windows 8. I still am, I suppose, but I've heard such horrible reviews that I almost didn't buy this laptop. I took a chance, and honestly within about an hour or two I find myself using it just fine. I've already connected to our printer, network drive, installed World of Warcraft, etc. It was pretty painless. I'm not sure I like it better than Windows 7, but it seems to work just fine.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This laptop has two graphics cards. It took me an hour of playing around with graphics settings to figure out how to "switch on/enable" the Radeon card. This made a massive difference in performance. The Intel HD card struggled to play World of Warcraft at "Good" settings, and the laptop became very hot to the touch. When I finally figured out how to enable the Radeon card, I was able to bump the graphics to "High" and I even turned on 4x anti-aliasing. I'm getting 25 frames per second, and the laptop doesn't feel nearly as "hot." It is very important to configure this setting or you will be disappointed and you won't know why. One annoying thing about computers is that it is sometimes difficult to tell how the hardware is being used. This is the primary reason that I wanted to post this review right away (I wish I could have read this before I bought it.)

They key detail that isn't obvious: Right-Click on the desktop, select "Configure Switchable Graphics." Everything else is relatively obvious.

Here is a tip: Turning on anti-aliasing in a video game is a good way to "test" if your graphics card is working. You should get similar frame rates either way. With the Intel HD graphics adapter, anti-aliasing destroys your performance.

Bottom line: This laptop is great for the price. Windows 8 was a pleasant surprise. I don't hate it, and it seems to work just fine. It really isn't that different from Windows 7 once you get used to it. This laptop DOES have a Radeon graphics card. It seems to work just fine. It can play World of Warcraft with High settings and 4x anti-aliasing. Not bad. Plenty for what my wife wants/needs. Note: I couldn't update the driver from the web. The generic Catalyst drivers say the hardware is incompatible, "check with your hardware manufacturer." Hopefully this doesn't become a problem in the future. For now, the drivers seem to work just fine, but it is slightly troubling that I can't update them manually.

In case you are wondering how I posted this review before Christmas: I didn't want to wait until Christmas to give this to her. I didn't want to take any chances (I wanted plenty of time to find something that works -what if I needed to send it back?) Plus, with the long Thanksgiving weekend, now she can use it and have fun right away. My wife is pretty awesome, I'm glad she now has a laptop that works well.

Update June 17th, 2013:

-----------------------

My wife is still using this laptop daily. Windows 8 hasn't grown on her (she would still prefer Win 7), but she does still play WoW frequently and still likes the laptop. So far so good. The quality level seems high. It hasn't broken yet (knock on wood).

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Everio Flash Memory Camera Sil

Everio Flash Memory Camera Sil
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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This is a good camcorder for the price, I'm happy with it. If I have to describe its features :

Positive :

1) the price,

2) the zoom,

3) the resolution,

4) light, and very convenient.

Negative:

1) the battery, doesn't hold the charge for a long time,

2) doesn't have the pause, so every time you have to stop the record and start a new one,

3) you need the software to download from the camcorder,

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Canon PowerShot G15 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide-Angle

Canon PowerShot G15 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide-Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Deluxe Bundle With With 8 GB Secure Digital High Capacity Memory Card, Digpro Compact Camera Deluxe Carrying Case
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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I thought the G15 would be good; I needed 'capability'..that is, really clear images and ability to work well in low light. Also needed a lighter camera than I had been using. I am still learning the G15 but find it easy to use and VERY capable. It is superb quality. Example of capability: watched the installation of a large stained glass window recently; finished about 10 pm. In low light conditions got a great shot of the glass (yes, lit from inside) and the brick building outside in the semi-dark. Auto mode, no flash. Great color, clear images.

Order/delivery through Amazon (Beach Camera) was quick and flawless.

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Ikelite Underwater Camera Housing for Canon Powershot SD1400 IS

Ikelite Underwater Camera Housing for Canon Powershot SD1400 IS, IXUS 130IS and IXY 400F Digital Cameras
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $260.00
Sale Price: $239.95
Today's Bonus: 8% Off
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This housing is better than the Canon version, as it does let you access all of the buttons on your camera (the Canon housing restricts your button access). However, the wide lense completely blocks off the internal camera flash, meaning that you MUST buy the external strobe that goes with this camera...and the strobe will run you at least $400. Yikes. That's more than the cost of the housing or the camera.

That being said, the housing does work very well, and is easy to handle underwater (even with 7mm mitten gloves). I would reccomend it, but make sure you get the strobe at the same time.

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Olympus Stylus SH-50 iHS Digital Camera (Black) with 32GB Card

Olympus Stylus SH-50 iHS Digital Camera with 32GB Card + Case + Battery & Charger + Tripod + HDMI Cable + Accessory Kit
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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I got all I needed with this purchase. The camera was easy to put together and use. I still haven' t used all the features. But I have been satisfied with my pictures so far.

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Zmodo PKD-DK8001-1TB Packaged 8-Channel DVR Kit H.264-3G Mobile

Zmodo PKD-DK8001-1TB Packaged 8-Channel DVR Kit H.264-3G Mobile with 1TB Hard Drive
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $524.17
Sale Price: $383.15
Today's Bonus: 27% Off
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This was a better system when compared to the all in one system offered by zmodo. Two video outputs are great. Cameras were of better quality than expected and better than the cameras in the all in one package. Camera build was solid as well. System has been running for about two months now and no problems yet. Camera cables were thin and most likely nkt suitable for business ( i had no choice but to install them). All in all I would recommend this product.

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Canon EOS M 18.0 MP Compact Systems Mirrorless Camera

Canon EOS M 18.0 MP Compact Systems Mirrorless Camera with EF-M18-55mm IS STM Lens and Speedlite 90EX Flash
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $799.99
Sale Price: $399.00
Today's Bonus: 50% Off
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Awesome Camera Similar to a DSLR way better than a point and shoot I would recommend to a friend i know alot of people talk about the auto focus but it is fine for what is use it for. video is awesome and low light is not bad. if you want a small camera to carry around instead of your 7d, 6d, this is a fun camera to have

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Olympus Evolt E410 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 14-42mm

Olympus Evolt E410 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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I am very impressed with this digital SLR. For years I used Olympus OM series film cameras with satsfaction. As digital camera image quality improved, I decided to go digital and have tried Nikon, Canon and Fuji SLRs. All were bulky and heavy, showing their heritage as modified designs for 35mm film adapted for use with smaller digital sensors.

Having design their E-series as digital from the outset, Olympus seem to me to have far superior handling qualities. Carrying an E-410 all day is far preferrable to any of the rival makers models I bought. I first used an E-400, and agreed with the reviews which found images taken at high ISO "filmspeed" settings somewhat noisy. This problem is resolved in the E-410 which uses a different sensor. Another improvement is in the autofucussing which is again, much improved.

As well as the conventional SLR viewfinder, the E-410 gives one the option of composing shots in the LCD screen on the camera back as a "live preview". It would be great if this worked as quickly as on a pocket digital camera, but there is in fact quite a delay between pressing the shutter release and the image being focussed and captured. Notwishtanding this, I have found the live preview invaluable for macro work and I would hate to be without it now.

Another good feature of the recent E-series models is the "supersonic wave filter for dust reduction". Unlike film SLR cameras, digital ones can be ruined by dust on the sensor introduced when lenses are changed. Nikon offers sofware which maps and then cancels out the specks sounds like a rubbish "solution"! Olympus and Canon offer sonic systems which shake the sensor at start up to keep dust away. I'm ultra cautious when changing lenses, but I'm greatly reassured by reviews which suggest that the Olympus system really can be effective.

Finally Olympus seem to be developing a truly comprehensive system with a great (if expensive) selection of lenses and flash units. For clinical medical and dental photography they have an excellent 50mm (equivalent to 100mm in a 35mm format camera) macro lens which can also capture potraits or full body views. This can be coupled to a ring flash or twin macro flash with TTL metering and capable of taking perfectly exposed images straight out of the box. The only weak part of the system is the flash ring FR-1 needed to couple the flash head to the lens. I have bought three of these, and all three have broken in normal use!

The problem with the FR-1 is that the front element of it is held on to the main body by three TINY screws which just aren't up to the job. As I needed to keep working in three different centres I didn't return the units (what would be the point in exchanging one badly designed bit of kit for an identical one anyway). My solution is to permanently glue the front to the main body with Araldite. I hope that this shockingly poor piece of design isn't indicative of other problems elsewhere in the range.

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Nikon COOLPIX S6500 Wi-Fi Digital Camera with 12x Zoom (Black)

Nikon COOLPIX S6500 Wi-Fi Digital Camera with 12x Zoom
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $219.95
Sale Price: $154.00
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
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I recently got the camera at a local store; although, it was cheaper at Amazon, I needed it right away.

After going through all the cameras in my price range; I found that this camera has features found on much more expensive cameras that I was looking at.

Its compact size makes it easy to carry around. The ability to take good quality pictures as well as Full HD video eliminates the need to also carry a video camera.

The camera has several shooting modes to select from such as Portrait, Panorama, etc... Pictures look realistic, they are sharp and the colors are vivid and natural. The image stabilization helps take sharp photos; I found this especially useful when using the zoom for long distance.

As they claim, the pictures at low-light are very good, much better than I expected. At my daughters dance show, they allowed the audience to take photograph without flash. The pictures and videos came out real good considering the distance that I had to zoom and the low light.

The built in HD video camera (CMOS) recording quality is very good. There is a separate button to record videos. You can also pause the video recording so you don't end up with a bunch of short clips.

The camera has editing features to do things like lighten skin tones, whiten teeth, whiten eyes, reduce dark circles beneath the eyes, and apply a blush-like effect to cheeks.

With the built-in wireless you can quickly send your pictures and video to your smart phone, tablet, etc... to email them to your friends and family, or post them online. This beats having to take your memory card out of the camera or plug the camera to a computer to share your pictures. You are also supposed to be able to control the camera with your smart phone; however, I haven't tried that yet.

Options for Image size: 16MP 4608 x 3456, 8MP 3264 x 2448, 4MP 2272 x 1704, 2MP 1600 x 1200, VGA 640 x 480, 16:9 (12MP) 4608 x 2592

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Nikon D5300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with Built-in Wi-Fi

Nikon D5300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS Body Only
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $799.95
Sale Price: $796.95
Today's Bonus: $3.00 Off
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The primary reason for me to upgrade from Nikon's D5100 to D5300 was new GPS location recording function. A secondary reason was hoping a sharper image without the low pass filter. With limited use so far, I would not say D5300 is a must have upgrade from D5100.

Pro:

* It is slightly lighter than D5100. I like it but others may not.

* LCD screen is bigger than D5100.

* There is an added single/continues/self-timer selection button. Although the button position could be better, but it is still better than D5100 has go through quick menu to change it.

* The image may be marginally sharper using Nikon 18-200 zoom lens, but because the sensor has different pixel counts, it is hard to say for sure without spend some effort look into it. But then again, if one needs to look so hard to find the difference. it shows the differences are really small.

* LiveView although still sluggish, at least it is much improved over D5100.

* It uses the same EN-EL 14 battery as the D5100. This means I can keep my spare batteries.

* Wi-Fi function was not important to me but with Nikon's Wireless Mobility Utility I can sync the camera's clock with my phone. This is important for using the phone as GPS logger. The utility also functions as remote with ability to turn Live View on/off.

Con:

* When I first got the D5300 three days after it was released, the GPS's performance is just awful! Then there was talk about update the camera's GPS file. With the update, the GPS function improved somewhat but there is catch that we the owner need to download and applied new updates every two weeks! I just came back from a week long trip to Germany and I found out even with the update, it is still near useless in the field! First, even with the update it still take time to lock on satellite signal! To make matter worse is even with the GPS logging function on, the camera will not maintain the lock once it goes to standby mode and upon wake up, it needs to rescan and lock! Further more, even after it locks, any movement can cause it to loose the lock even by just walking a few steps! I even have many shoots just seconds apart without moving and yet the camera still could not maintain the lock! I would say the outdoor shoots managed to get GPS data is only about 50% and one can forget any hope the GPS can track indoor or inside cars.

* As the GPS not able to lock quickly not bad enough, it is also not very accurate!! While some pictures that I shoot so far are accurate, most of them are at least 50ft-100ft off and many are even more than 1,000ft off!!

* Not only the GPS is close to useless, it also drain battery much quicker! With the GPS on, the battery can be drained with as little as 200-300 shoots! When changing battery with GPS "on", sometimes the GPS came back resumed to "on", but other times it came back as "off"! I found it very frustrating as most of time I need to change battery in a hurry and do not have time to check all the status.

* D5300 has an AF assist lamp as the D5100 and it has the same problem. While this lampmay be good for some cases, it is inappropriate for others. The way Nikon implements it is not very flexible. The default setting is have the lamp on all the time for Auto and PASM mode with some pre-programmed scene modes will disable it. The only way for user to turn it on/off for PASM is to go through custom setting menu and it applied to all modes. One cannot program PASM differently that made this function less useful or even annoying.

* Wi-Fi function was not important to me but it seems I have to use it for some functions only the wireless utility offers, it matters now and I was surprised to find out it can only be connected to smart devices with either Android or iOS AND with Nikon's Wireless Mobility Utility running. It does not connect to PC or router. It is a two stages job. First to connect the two with Wi-Fi and then start the utility on the smart device. For some Android devices that supports WPS, the connection is secure. Otherwise by using SSID to connect, it is unsecured with SSID broadcast wide open that some one else can possible to connect to the camera.

* The wireless utility has a function to use smart device's GPS tag which is very good. But, my test so far seems it will only embedded the tag as picture been transferred from the camera to the device not directly to the SD card in the camera. Although I can understand the logic in view of possible unsecured link, it is another two stages job first to transfer the image to device and then to PC or somewhere else. It also made this function not very practical to use when travelling as the smart devices' memory are much smaller than the SD card and the prolong use of Wi-Fi seems draining the battery quickly.

I will update this review after I have time to take a closer look at the pictures taken so far.

Edit 11/20/2013:

* Because of the AF assist lamp setting was so inflexible, I turned it off when I first got the D5100 and did not even remember it also has the lamp until I am comparing it with the D5300. Too bad Nikon has not done any improvement on the settings.

* Tried the GPS on another open space, it was even worse than before! It seems this GPS function is worthless as is. If GPS function is an important buying factor, I would rate the D5300 THREE STARS or less. If you are like me already have the D5100 or D5200 thinking about upgrading to D5300 for the GPS, you probably should stay with what you have.

* Added comments about Wi-Fi

Edit 11/22/2013

S. Fox mentioned SSID for Wi-Fi. Although I have seen it before, never thought I will use it because it is unsecure. But since Fox mentioned, I gave it a try and that is when I found out it can not even connect directly to PC or router!

Edit 11/23/2013

* Mercury Coach mentioned updating A-GPS data might help. Well, it did! Although the GPS is still inconsistent that took from 10s to 1 min. to lock on at same location, it is at least far more usable now. The problem is it seem we have to update this GPS file every two weeks to keep it happy.

* Tried Wi-Fi and the Wireless Mobility Utility a bit with mixed feeling.

* Although the GPS is faster now , it also seems less accurate. Those pictures taken before the update were very accurate but those taken after the update were at least 200ft off. I will test some more to see if indeed the update traded accuracy for speed.

Edit 12/1/2013

Just came back from a trip. I am very disappointed with the GPS even with the update! Most of the time it could not lock on or maintain lock to signal when we walk around a handful of cities in Germany. Not only it is useless for the trip, it also drain the battery much faster than I like or expect! I will give more details later.

Edit 12/3/2013

Added more details about the GPS.

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ASUS N56VJ-DH71 15.6-Inch Full-HD 1080P Laptop

ASUS N56VJ-DH71 15.6-Inch Full-HD 1080P Laptop
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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Build:

First of all, the build quality on this machine is EXCELLENT. Having never owned any asus product, I'm seriously impressed at the build quality on this thing. Even though I only paid $899, this feels like a $1500+ machine. The aluminum finish is fantastic and feels really good. I will say it's a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but that's nothing a quick wipe with a cloth won't fix. Also, since Amazon doesn't disclose this, the ASUS logo on the front lid is BACKLIT. Some reviewers have knocked on the weight a bit, but for everything you're getting, it's a non issue. Unless you weigh about 30lbs, I don't see how you could knock on the weight.

Keyboard:

The keyboard is great. I very much enjoy the feel of the keys and the response is excellent. Even for someone with big hands like me, I have no trouble typing at full speed. Also, this keyboard is BACKLIT for those of you not sure, and it looks great in the dark. You can also adjust the level of brightness as you see fit.

Touchpad:

Wasn't too happy with this at first but I've grown to like it. I'm a big fan of the pinch to zoom and all the other features it comes with. Yes, sometimes you might not get the exact response you want or you'll accidentally zoom in on something, but the touchpad is great. No regrets and no serious complaints.

Performance:

Initial boot up takes a bit, but even with all of the bloatware ASUS puts on this thing, it's pretty fast. The i7 along with the 6GB of RAM really makes navigating through all programs a breeze and I've no freeze ups or noticeable lag. I plan on installing an SSD sometime in the near future and doing a clean install but for the average user, there shouldn't be any performance issues.

Graphics:

As some reviewers have previously mentioned, you are using dual cards for graphics. The laptop uses the Intel 4000 for non extensive actions and the NVIDIA for heavy graphic tasks such as gaming. I don't really plan on gaming at all so this is perfect for me. But from what I've read, gaming shouldn't be an issue.

Display & Sound:

The display is AMAZING. Videos, websites, programs......everything looks excellent. Hands down the best display I've used on a Windows machine. I would highly recommend pushing for 1080p if possible. The sound quality for a laptop is amazing. It's loud and clear. I've just started doing insanity workouts and using this and the sound and look of everything is amazing. No complaints at all. I haven't used the included speaker, but I'll get around to it. Webcam is also nice and clear and video chatting is no issue. Other party can hear me loud and clear with no echo.

Overall, I am completely satisfied with my purchase.

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Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Red) with 18-55mm

Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR NIKKOR Zoom Lens + Automatic TTL Flash + Telephoto & Wide Angle Lenses + 10pc Bundle 32GB Deluxe Accessory Kit
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $949.99
Sale Price: $599.95
Today's Bonus: 37% Off
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I just bought this bundle, seeing as it was much cheaper than buying the camera and accessories seperately. Received it within 2 days with my Prime account, just set up everything up and turned on for first time. Everything that it states is in the package is, plus the battery/charger which it technically doesnt mention. Everything came well packaged, in great condition. Its easy to set up, even without reading the directions thoroughly. The camera itself looks awesome, definitely a stand out product. This is my first camera, based on suggestions from friends who are in photography, and im positive im going to love it!

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Konova Radial Dolly for Dslr Camera Circular Motion Table

Konova Radial Dolly for Dslr Camera Circular Motion Table Shooting
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Let me start off by saying I've been skeptical of tabletop and floor dollys before which is why I hadn't purchased one. My experience came from using a friend's Pico Dolly and finding that I didn't enjoy the quality of it or the precision required to use it. It always felt like it required a lot of setup for a shot that could be replicated very well using a simple slider. To sum it up, I was wrong, and the rest of this review will tell you why. If you've been in the market for a tabletop/floor style camera dolly then I would highly recommend reading my review and considering purchasing the Konova Radial Dolly yourself.

The Radial Dolly itself comes in a nice padded case similar to the K3B2 camera slider. In it comes the dolly itself and a small keychain laser with magnetized mount (I love lasers!). The Konova Radial Dolly has the same 3/8 inch tripod screw mount as the K3B2 so I can swap my Manfrotto 701 tripod head easily between the two pieces of equipment. In the future I plan to purchase another 701 head to speed up time when on shoots.

The Radial Dolly itself is incredibly well built with the entire base machined from one solid block of aluminum. The wheels are of the high quality type you would find on a set of roller blades, with very nice ball bearings making it roll smoothly. Be warned, if your dolly is on even a slight incline it will begin rolling if you don't have the brake set. And yes, the dolly has a brake! It's a little pad that is lowered by a set of screws making it easy to keep the dolly stable while you are mounting a camera to it, making adjustments etc.

Speaking of adjustments, the dolly makes it easy to replicate shots by having all three wheels rotate and lock in independent directions. Like the tick marks on the K3B2 slider, each wheel has 360 degree markings so you can set it for consistent rotation. This is incredibly helpful when on a video shoot and you need to repeat a shot in different locations, each time you can set the wheels to the same settings. The entire base plate is also adjustable so you can set it to the proper level if the ground is uneven.

By far the coolest thing about this dolly is the laser and mount that come with it though. The mount can be magnetically set to 6 different areas on the dolly, depending on the direction the dolly is facing. Once set, the mount can hold the pocket laser in the on position so it can target whatever you are rotating around to ensure it stays on target the whole time. This is incredibly useful for ring shots etc. when you need to keep it in the same spot in the frame the whole rotation.

With all these pros, the Konova Radial Dolly still comes with a con that is present in all tabletop dollys and others that do not use an actual floor track. The dolly shot itself will be as smooth as the floor. This means you should follow one of the cardinal rules of cinema and make sure you do your location scouting beforehand. Will the location have a smooth floor or table you can use? In my month of using the dolly, with proper scouting I was always able to find a good place to use it. I'm even considering bringing a board or other flat material to shoots so I have a guaranteed way of using the dolly.

In the review video, you can watch how I used this dolly in many real world scenarios. I wanted creative shots of dance floors, reveals at wedding receptions, and a creative ring shot with candles in the background. All of these shots weren't possible if I didn't have the dolly.

The Konova Radial Dolly is very useful when you need a specific shot that isn't possible with other camera equipment. I'm very happy to have it in my arsenal and you can expect to see more shots used with it in my future films.

PROS

-Heavy duty aluminum construction

-Super smooth wheels

-Laser targeting system

CONS

-Like all tabletop/floor dolly's you need a very smooth surface to get smooth motion.

5 STARS

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Nokia Lumia 928, White (Verizon Wireless)

Nokia Lumia 928, White
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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I had been waiting for this phone for 6 months, as ATT had an exclusivity contract with Nokia for the 920, and I must say that it was well worth the wait. This phone is fantastic all around. I can't tell you how many android and apple users have stopped me to comment on my phone, picked it up to play with, and sighed with regrets that they just renewed their contracts picking up a new Galaxy or iPhone.

A brief breakdown by area:

Hardware: Nice size and weight, not bulky or heavy despite some biased reviews out there, and is certainly lighter than the iPhone once its been "Otterboxed." Smooth and curved on the back for ease of holding, squared off on front. Easy to reach the whole screen with my thumb despite having small hands for a man. Wireless charging with the basic charging pad is quick and simple. Very satisfied to not have to struggle with micro-usbs anymore. Can't comment on durability because I haven't dropped it yet.

Interace: Sleek, smooth, feels very high end and hi-tech, making the iPhone and Galaxy feel dated.

Screen quality: Beautiful. Slightly dimmer than the iPhone at top brightness. Good visibility outside in sun.

Battery Life: Pretty good, with heavy use you will likely need to recharge at least once daily.

Apps: This is the big gripe point with WindowsPhones in general. There are fewer of thost "must-have" Apps, most notably instagram, dropbox, and personally for me HBOGO, however, these are the only Apps I find myself missing. There are decent 3rd party apps that can do the same. Lomogram for instagram, SkyDrive for dropbox. No 3rd party HBOGO app, but Netflix and Hulu are available. Pandora and Nokia music should keep you happy on the music end. Built in email interface is far more robust and streamlined than the android version...as a Gmail user I was very surprised by how much better Microsoft was able to manage Gmail than google based android. Facebook App is more than adequate. The App situation should improve substantially, particularly in light of the 928 now available on Verizon, and T-mobile getting their own flagship 925.

Camera: Best available in the market. I have not picked up my Nikon DSLR because the shots I get off my 928 are comparable if not superior, particularly in low light. I took a photo this AM with family in pitch-black closet, and the quality is phenomenal with the xenon flash. Low light shots without flash are quite good as well. Very cool photo apps like SmartShot(takes rapid burst of pics and you pick the best one), panorama, and an animated-GIF app.

Video: 1080P, better than real life quality. Can't do much better than this.

Sound: On full volume(30/30), the sound can fill the room, although can be tinny at highest volumes).

I can confidently say that if you take a chance and pick up this phone you will not regret it.

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VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet

VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $94.99
Today's Bonus: 5% Off
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program HOW ARE INNOTAB 2 AND INNOTAB 2S THE SAME?

If you're already familiar with InnoTab 2 you're basically looking at the same tablet. The design stays the same, with all of the keys in the same place. The only addition is the WiFi key, which tells you if the tablet is connected to the internet, and how strong your connection is (a four bar display).

Included Apps are the same.

VTech still decided not to include the rope for the stylus. In the manual they call it a "Wrist Strap Fastener" (Note: not included). But it's clearly not a wrist strap fastener, because the stylus has a rope loop hole in it, and the tablet has a hole in it right beside the stylus. The website even states it has a "stylus with hole for string." My husband thinks VTech doesn't want the liability of a child wrapping their neck in the rope, and put the responsibility on the parent to get the strap themselves; it certainly seems that way.

HOW ARE INNOTAB 2 AND INNOTAB 2S DIFFERENT?

Some people like to creatively take the tablets out of the box for setup before handing to a child as a gift. InnoTab 2 is a bit of a challenge; just use sharp scissors to break the tape and foldout the box carefully. InnoTab 2S, I am happy to report, is the easiest of them all! The tablet just slides out the top in a plastic covering; no tape, or attachments cut into the box. You simply pop the tablet out of the molded plastic, and there you have it! I feel like someone at VTech heard parent's frustration and decided to fix this... thank you!

The big difference with InnoTab 2S is the new wireless capability, but don't imagine browser capability. The WiFi is simply used for downloading apps from VTech's website. Your child can make wish lists with the Wish List app on their tablet; my son is only 3, so he's not using that feature . . . yet. Downloading apps is easy, but you don't purchase them off the tablet itself (that's good new, otherwise imagine all the apps your child might "accidently" buy). You purchase them off your computer, tablet, or phone (I haven't used that feature yet).

The look of InnoTab 2S is basically the same, but I enjoy the bold black inlay over the previous grey and pink choices. I think this way it looks more like quality hardware and less of a toy (that's just my preference, my son doesn't care). Oddly, this one is considered blue because of the color of the back, not the front, which is white. Even the rubber sides are grey, unlike the pink one which actually has more pink on it. I think the "blue" is less gender specific because the back looks more dark purple; something to think about for parents who need to share this tablet between genders.

Finger swiping on the InnoTab 2, my son was having problems with the tablet thinking he was selecting an app, which would cause it to load. With InnoTab 2S the opposite has occurred; now the tablet wants to swipe to the next page and not open the app. At 3, my son prefers using his finger, but the InnoTab 2S works best with a stylus and opens apps perfectly that way. This is a bit of a downer, but workable.

OVERALL REVIEW?

It pains me, because I really want to like the InnoTab 2S, but it has one big flaw that hasn't been fixed it's *still* s-l-o-w. InnoTab 2S takes 43 seconds to reach the app home screen. The InnoTab 2 took 37 seconds; we shouldn't be regressing here (I should mention, the LeapPad2 takes 21 seconds!). It takes InnoTab 2S a solid 8 seconds to open an app. I said it before, and I'll say it again, there's a lot of "loading" (read: waiting) going on with the InnoTab 2S, and it makes a difference to me.

Another thing I had a bit of an issue with is videos. The InnoTab 2S comes with the same memory as the InnoTab 2 (2GB). You can add an SD card to expand up to 32GB; that's a big plus, but I've never needed it with my son. This time I wanted to upload videos for him to watch. So I put a 16MB SD Card, that came with an old camera we purchased, into the tablet. Putting the SD Card in was easy. The slot is in the battery compartment; you'll need to remove the batteries. This is a nice touch, in a way, because my son can't get to it and loose it. But can I just say that getting the SD Card out is a pain!!!! Horrible design. My son can probably get it out easier than I can. My husband? No chance. It doesn't have the push-eject feature, so you have to extract it out with small fingers, or tweezers! VTech if you're reading this, please fix this.

Afterwards I plugged in the InnoTab using the USB cord to my PC, and pulled up an LLL file on the card. In that file you transfer your converted video, photos, music (supports JPEG formatted photos, and MJPEG/H.264 videos (avi)). Sadly, there wasn't much I could put on a 16 MB disk. BUT, it was really easy to transfer everything and find them on the tablet. The video was of decent quality with playback options. Unfortunately, I'm not willing (read: lack the time) to convert movies for use on the InnoTab when I already have them converted for the iPad. But, if this is a feature you like and want to use, you'll enjoy it! Also, as an MP3 player the sound quality is decent, not a lot of distortion.

So which do I recommend?

Either. The WiFi is a nice touch, but not necessary. And there are no big changes between the two, except the InnoTab 2S appears slower, and the color change.

In case you don't want to go looking for the reviews on the VTech InnoTab 2 Learning App Tablet White, which is the same, here are some things you might find helpful:

Screen size (2 ½" x 4 ½"), or 5" if you're measuring diagonally.

Require 4 AA batteries (not included).

Uses a stylus (comes with two).

Has a cartridge port for additional games and uses purchased apps.

3-9 year age requirement.

Swivel camera.

Can buy additional accessories like screen guard, cases, rechargeable batteries, ac adapters, and headphones.

Personalize for up to 4 players, plus 1 guest.

Has an eReader, MP3 Players, art studio, calculator, calendar, notes, clock, and most of your basic themed books and games.

Has a mic and volume control.

Parent tracker that allows parents to track their child's progress and success playing a game.

Rubber corners to help protect it from a fall.

Battery compartment is easily accessible, just slide a switch and it opens the compartment. This is where the SD Card slot is found.

2GB of memory, but can add an additional 32GB of memory with SD Card (not included). I've found 2GB is more than enough for our needs.

Can be played right away (just add batteries, not included). Need to spend less than 5 minutes setting up the tablet date, time, and personalization.

InnoTab has a tilt sensor like an iPad or iPhone and will tilt the screen if held horizontal or vertical.

Has buttons for brightening or dimming the screen, but don't expect much, there's only four bars and it doesn't make a lot of difference.

Has a "?" button that allows you to hear instructions again, or find out more information about an app (nice touch!). The InnoTab itself tends to repeat things all the time (it's a bit annoying). The tablet doesn't ever sit quietly when turned on and not touched, it constantly wants to talk to you; you'll need to turn the volume off.

Comes with manual.

Internal "kickstand" for standing the tablet up vertically or horizontal.

Plays converted videos. Quality isn't like an iPad or iPhone, but little kids won't mind.

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Canon PowerShot S110 12 MP Camera (Black) + 50-Inch Tripod

Canon PowerShot S110 12 MP Camera + 50-Inch Tripod + 32GB Card + Kit
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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My Canon PowerShot S110 Digital Camera is great. I have used my new camera for a couple of weeks now and it is awesome, although I have a lot to learn about the many, many functions that it possesses. The touch screen is my favorite feature so far, but I look forward to learning more about this compact camera and all that it can do. The size is a big plus since it fits in my pocket and is so easy to use. It does take excellent low-light photos as well. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to take superb photos with a compact camera for a reasonable price. This is my fourth Canon digital camera and I have loved all of them. (My other three work perfectly--I gave them to my kids so that I could get my PowerShot S110.)

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