Showing posts with label top digital camera reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label top digital camera reviews. Show all posts

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

Canon Powershot SX510 HS CMOS 12.1MP 1080p 30x Optical Zoom Digital Camera + Additional Battery + 32GB Memory Card + Camera Case + Accessory Kit
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $319.99
Sale Price: $259.95
Today's Bonus: 19% Off
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I have bought this camera for my granddaughter for a Christmas present.

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

Thank Goodness.

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

I will buy from them again!!

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DJI Phantom 2 Vision Quadcopter with Integrated FPV Camcorder

DJI Phantom 2 Vision Quadcopter with Integrated FPV Camcorder
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $1,399.00
Sale Price: $1,199.00
Today's Bonus: 14% Off
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I ordered this Quadcopter on Nov. 11 and received it...and the case I bought at the same time, on Friday, the 15th...very speedy service on these items. I had read quite a bit about the DJI Phantom Quads, and once my Vision was on the way, I tried to read all of the info I could get my hands on....I need to say that the "Tutorials" on the DJI Web Site were extremely helpful, very positive and supportive about all phases of the operation of this amazing flying machine.

I need to say here, that I had Zero experience flying any sort of model aircraft, no time using any sort of radio control or really, very little contact with anyone in the RC community...so, I was really a total novice...and fairly apprehensive about learning to "drive" one of these expensive toys....without a major hiccup...! So, why did I buy this Quad?? My main interest is in photography and the current issue of Outdoor Photography features an article on using one of these devices for aerial photos. Who has not wished they could "get a camera way up there!"....or "zoom over the steeple of that church"...or "see what this neighborhood looks like from 300 feet up".? When I read the specs of the Vision camera...14meg, stills or video, jpeg and RAW, intervalometer...a long list..I knew I'd get a lot of use out of it. Just the idea of being able to rotate the Quad while shooting multiple still images for panos was enough to make the final decision for me...!

Anyway...Fri. the boxes started to arrive and finally, I got the opportunity to see the Phantom in 'real life'.. I had watched the "unpacking" tutorial from DJI, so there were no surprises with any of this. I pulled out the main battery and the range extender and started them charging. (Main battery took about an hour...the extender was longer than that...3-4 hours..FYI) I took that time to do the few things required...spin on the props, apply the 'racing stripes', attach the range extender and the iDevice holder to the range extender, check the new carry case...and worry some more..!!

Both weekend days were extremely windy...up to 50+ MPH...well in excess of what any sane person would want to use as beginner training for this fairly complex device. Monday was a different story...temps in the 60's, and only gentle breezes..5-8MPH at most. So......the case with the Phantom and the rest of the gear went into the mini-van...and we headed for a local park. It took only a few minutes to turn on the range extender, let it establish the WiFi link, go to "Settings" on my iPhone...(4s...FYI)...open the DJI 'app', see that it had connected successfully....and head to a convenient bench nearby. There I powered up the battery in the Phantom itself, turned on the Controller power, flipped the S1 switch about 9 times to get it into Compass Configuration mode...did the required rotations with the Phantom and got the correct response from it...good to see the green LED's confirming that all was ready. I checked the iPhone app again that I had pre-loaded a week earlier...removed the lens cap..(very important!)...and Bingo...everything looked great... I placed the Phantom about 20 feet away from the bench....pulled the CSC joysticks to the "Motors On" position, watched the motors come to life...(I had done this at home a few days earlier....so I knew what to expect..!), took a deep breath....(a few spectators had gathered by this time...always good to try something totally new in front of a crowd..!!)...and waited for the Moment of Truth....fingers crossed...heart beat full on.....hoping for the best...

I advanced the left joy stick slowly.....I heard and saw the motors speed up....a bit more stick...and then...smoothly...almost as if I actually knew what I was doing....the Phantom rose into the air...about 6-7 feet at that point...WOW!!....did I say WOW?...!! It worked...just as advertised...so easy, not a single bobble...nothing but the comforting sound of the motors and the sight of the Phantom just hovering in the air....stable...the red and green LEDs under the arms flashing...a picture on my iPhone from the on-board camera....and a host of approving....and amazed comments from the peanut gallery..! The phrase, "That is SO cool!" was heard more than once...! Flushed with my new success, I advanced the left joy stick again...and the Phantom responded by rising another 8-10 feet into the air...it really had such and 'other-worldly' look to it...just floating in the air...steady...only the prop noise giving any hint that it was there... Since the camera was pointed away from us, I moved the left stick to the side and watched the Phantom rotate and at the same time I could see the display on my iPhone show the view from 15 feet up....turning...90 degrees, more....then...our small bunch of observers came into view...more use of the "Cool" word...!

Since things were going so well, I started moving the right hand joy stick...the Phantom mirrored each command...forward...then back...to the left...then back to the right... Quite frankly, I was totally amazed by how easy this had all gone...My confidence level had gone from merely hoping I could get this off the ground and not embarrass myself...to feeling pretty totally in control of this device and the attached camera....which was confirming each and every action of the Phantom itself..Wheeeeeee...!! Since I knew the main battery was good for about 25+ minutes, I flew the Phantom Vision up higher...rotated it....went a few hundred yards away, turned back...lower...this is getting addictive...! When I got it closer, I handed the Controller to my wife...and she had no trouble with the basic controls either...I'd like think that it was my skilled take-off that was the basis for her ability to maneuver the craft...but I know better..!! The next 20 minutes were spent in flying around the general area...flexing my aviation muscles, so to speak....I always kept it in view...although having the visual confirmation on the iPhone screen will allow operation that would be out of sight of the operator...another time maybe...! Pushing the left joy stick forward...caused the Phantom to begin to climb...at about a hundred feet up, it became a tiny dot in the sky....another hundred and it was nearly invisible...the lights of the LED's could not be seen then due to the sunny skies...but...we knew it was there...! It was a strange, but satisfying, feeling to be in control of this "eye in the sky"....close to euphoria...!!

Now I HAVE been around many aircraft....both full size...and models, enough to know that the number of landings should exactly equal the number of take-offs....so this would be my final challenge...although I really had no fear about this going wrong after the 20+ minutes of experience (Old Hand..!)...I had in the air. Bringing the Quad back to the take-off point, I settled it to a point about 5 feet above the grass, pulled back on the left hand joy stick...the Phantom moved down....touched the ground....a second later, I could hear the motors spin down...(I had kept the left joy stick in the full rear...or Power Off..position)...and...accepted the accolades of the crowd....OK...the 4 or 5 people who were there..!!

Final view of all of this?? Incredible to see this machine hover at any place you want...just remove your fingers from the sticks and it STOPS...the few times I was unsure of the orientation of the Panther, I did just that...figured out what I wanted to do next...and then continued. This is unlike an airplane...which continues flying while the pilot searches for his (MY..!!)...next move.. EASY TO FLY?? Yes....very...a super solid, comfortable, controlling experience. I can't wait to put this to photographic uses...having a mobile camera platform that can basically be placed within about a quarter of a mile and up to 400 feet in the air...(more if out of range of an airport...)...and the ability to switch from stills to video...to aim the camera up or down...0 degrees to 60 degrees of motion, able even to format the micro SD card in flight..!! Rotating this Phantom as I trigger the camera for some panos should be amazing....stay tuned...!!

If interested in following this tale...I have just started a Group on Flickr...

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Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Digital Camera (Black) 32GB Package

Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Digital Camera 32GB Package
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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This is a great point and shoot camera. The 20X optical zoom is very effective because the Image Stabilization kicks in and keeps the zoomed in shots very steady. The CMOS sensor is great in low lighting. Also, the kit comes with a 32GB SD card, which has lots of memory to hold high res pictures and 1080P video. It's very convenient to finally have great video and still picture capability all in one unit which slips into your pocket. I can highly recommend this camera.

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Cable Matters 2 Pack, Gold Plated Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Type A

Cable Matters 2 Pack, Gold Plated Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Type A to Micro-B Cable 6 Feet
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $7.49
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
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These are very high quality cables. Much thicker than your typical USB cable. I got the 15' 2-pack and use them for my Dualshock 4 controllers, for both charging and playing from my PC (for more than two weeks) and my new Playstation 4 (which I just had the pleasure of using most of the day yesterday). I've used them to charge my Galaxy Nexus and transfer data as well and they work flawlessly.

I was even contacted after my purchase by Cable Matters to confirm that I was absolutely satisfied. No other company or seller has done that for me on Amazon before. That's good service.

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Rode VideoMic Pro VMP Shotgun Microphone

Rode VideoMic Pro VMP Shotgun Microphone
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $329.00
Sale Price: $229.00
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
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I've been a Canon user and Canon fan for many years, but Canon video cameras always seem to have some sort of sound problem. In the case of Canon DSLRs with video capability, the problem is the loud and annoying hiss that occurs when you use an external microphone in a quiet setting. The first time I used my new Canon 60D to make a video, I quickly realized that the onboard microphone, while adequate for perfect circumstances, was not a good fit for outdoor use or pro-style interviews. I decided to buy an inexpensive $45 shotgun mic big mistake which produced the loudest ambient hiss I've ever heard on a recording. After a bit of research, I found that the 60D and other Canon DSLR cameras (and no doubt other brands as well) almost always produce a notable degree of "quiet room hiss" when used with most external microphones--and of course it's usually worse with a cheap mic. Further research led to further frustration, with all the "experts" suggesting that quality in-camera recording is just not feasible on DSLRs and you should buy an expensive independent recording system and then "sync" the sound to the video in post. What?!?!? I don't work for Sony Pictures, I just want to do some good quality commercial work for Internet posting. Then I ran across a YouTube video of a guy testing Rode microphones. He said that, after posting his video of a test with a Canon DSLR, Rode contacted him and told him that by setting the Rode Videomic Pro's dB switch to +20 and adjusting the manual sound level setting on the camera to about 20%, he could achieve a virtually hiss-free recording. Thus I ordered this mic from Amazon. It arrived on-time and in perfect shape, I ran a series of tests under various conditions, and I couldn't be more happy with my purchase. Interestingly, the suggested DSLR setting is right there in the Rode manual--perhaps they added it after the YouTube video was made. Bottom line, if you're shooting video with a DSLR and you want simple, high-quality sound for a reasonable price, this is your mic. Buy anything less, and in my opinion you will be unhappy with the results.

One small caveat: This is a professional mic with a 10 year warranty, but it's not for people who don't take care of their equipment. The mini-jack cable is thin and could easily catch on something and break or be ripped from the mic if you aren't careful. The "rubber band" shock mounting system--while clever and effective--is easily pulled from its mountings and could be easily lost. (One extra set of replacement bands comes with the unit.) In other words, be prepared to handle with care, and you'll no doubt get years of use from this excellent pro microphone.

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Pentax WG-3 Shock & Waterproof GPS Digital Camera (Green)

Pentax WG-3 Shock & Waterproof GPS Digital Camera with 16GB Card + Battery + Case + Tripods + Float Strap + HDMI Cable + Accessory Kit
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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The few times that I've used this camera it had surprised me and everyone around me as to how well built it is. Aside from the ruggedness the resolution of the pictures, even in the Camera's LCD, is unlike I've ever seen on any compact digital camera. I took it to an Afrojack concert and the video quality of it in low light was remarkable. My friend's iPhone nor my android came close to that video quality. The pictures also didn't need any flash for things in the picture to be visible, from the light show, to the big screen flashing, to the crowd of people.

The floating wrist strap made me comfortable when I took it with me while surfing. And the rest is good to have laying around for when you need it. A little pricy but completely worth it.

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Nikon D90 SLR Digital Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens and 55-200mm

Nikon D90 SLR Digital Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens and 55-200mm VR Lens + Huge Battery, Lens & Tripod Complete Accessories Package
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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I received my order a couple weeks ago and was happy at the time because it came in only 11 days from the time I ordered it instead of the estimated month to a month and a half. I then gave a 5 star review regarding my order and as requested by your company in order to receive a free gift. I am very happy with the camera and the two Nikon lenses but the rest of it leaves much to be desired. Upon closer inspection of my order afterwords I came to realize that it was missing an item that was supposed to be part of the package, to be specific, the mono pod did not come with the delivery. Also, I was not aware as it was not made clear that the Huge Accessories Package consisted of all Zeicos products which I have found to be very cheap and of very poor quality. The camera bag began falling apart two days after I got it and felt very cheap to begin with. I hadn't even taken it anywhere yet, all I had done was put the camera and lenses in it. I have since ordered a much better and higher quality bag from another company. The 2X Telephoto is worthless because it distorts any pictures so badly. The tripod is very flimsy and is very dificult to set the camera in whatever position desired. The tabletop tripod is so small I wouldn't even trust my small point and shoot camera on it. Perhaps in order to prevent some customer dissattisfaction in the future you should specify in your product descriptions what brand the items are so that your customers and make informed decissions about their purchases. You may also want to include better quality products in your packages instead of products that are so poorly made that they are useless to begin with or fall apart in a couple of days. Had I known at the time I gave my review I would have given a 2 star and only that high because I love the camera and Nikon lenses. I will most likely not be doing business with Sunset Electronics again and I will recomend the same to my friends and family and anyone else who asks as well. Putting trash products in your packages to make it look like a great deal is no way to do business and is certainly no way to keep your customers happy and purchasing from you instead of someone else. FYI, I still haven't received the promised free gift for my 5 star review that I gave at least 3 weeks ago. I don't really care if I get it because I am sure it is probably another peice of cheaply made trash. I hope you actually read this and change how you conduct your business so that others don't get screwed the way you screwed me.

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Swarovski Spotting Scope HD ATS-65 High Definition Glass

Swarovski Spotting Scope HD ATS-65 High Definition Glass
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $2,043.33
Sale Price: $1,649.00
Today's Bonus: 19% Off
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This listing is only for the "front half" of the scope that contains the objective lens. You must also purchase for an additional $500-600 the the eyepiece. The photo shows a complete scope, and the one (1) review is for a complete scope. A complete scope will cost you $2,200!!!

Don't bother shopping for lower prices EVERYBODY has the same selling price. I thought the government ended "Fair Trade" pricing 40 years ago. Apparently not.

Sorry, Amazon, but you do not provide a "Contact Us" option so that I could point out the problem with this listing directly; at least not one my searching found.

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SanDisk® microSDHCTM 8GB Memory Card

SanDisk® microSDHCTM 8GB Memory Card
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $7.59
Today's Bonus: 92% Off
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I tested the possibility of using my BlackBerry 8310 Curve as my primary mp3 player with an inexpensive Kingston 2GB microSD card. I ran into several issues in the process, but learned how to overcome them.

The Curve limits the file size transfers when they are sent to the phone's storage. This protects the phone from running out of memory. The trick is ensuring you are transferring files to the card instead. If you map drives on your computer, the first available drive is automatically used for the Curve's memory card. At home this is my F drive while at work it is K. If any other device is mapped to that drive, the Curve's memory card will not be recognized.

Additionally, there are settings that may need to be changed to allow music file transfers. Go to "Settings", then "Options" to click on "Media Card." Set "Mass Storage Mode Support" to ON. Also set the "Auto Enable Mass Storage Mode When Connected" to YES or PROMPT.

Initially to save music, I needed to remove the card from my Curve and transfer files directly from my computer. This is where the adapter, which converts the microSD card to full-sized SD card, comes in handy. After removing the Curve's battery, I simply popped the microSD card into the adapter and used my computer's SD drive. Do not format the card in the Curve, as it will only recognize half the storage space. If you must format, do so on your computer instead. Now that I have everything set up properly, this card does the job without worries.

PROS:

Good price

Reliable card

CONS:

None

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AmScope 40X-2000X Full-Size Professional Research Grade

AmScope 40X-2000X Full-Size Professional Research Grade Biological Compound Microscope with Siedentopf Trinocular Head, Two-layer Mechanical Stage, Dome Bulb Halogen Illumination and 9.1 MP USB Digital Camera
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $3,050.00
Sale Price: $552.98
Today's Bonus: 82% Off
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This microscope is a very excellent piece of equipment all the controls are professional and very accurate. The magnification varies between 40 power 2000 power it depends on the lenses. I bought this for a hobby and I couldn't be more thrilled it is very clear and I don't believe I could buy a better microscope for the price anywhere amscope is an excellent company and they build very good equipment.

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Canon C100 Cinema EOS Camera (Body Only)

Canon C100 Cinema EOS Camera
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $7,999.00
Sale Price: $5,449.00
Today's Bonus: 32% Off
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There's a lot of talk around the net about how it's missing/has crippled features from its bigger brother the c300. But it can't be denied that you're getting the same sensor as the cameras costing many times this little guy, and the low light ability of it is arguably unrivaled.

When looking at the competitors, there's really nothing that's similar. You have the FS700 which is a nonstarter for me due to its ungainly form factor. DSLRs work great, but lack basic things that professional video cameras such as this have, namely XLRs, proper monitoring, and built in ND filters.

I do have my nitpicks, so i'll rattle them off:

-The LCD is in the wrong place, should be farther forward, and cannot turn to face forward.

-The EVF is not very good at all, but i'll take a mediocre EVF over no EVF at all. I use it frequently, and a large eyecup helps a lot.

-No true 1080 slow motion, the 60i isn't terrible by any means, but if you want good slow motion, it's just not quite there.

-The darn thing is just a half an inch too large in all directions to work with nearly any of the great photography cases out there.

-LCD screen reflective, not great in sunlight. Sony's lcds for the longest time have had amazingly visible lcds in sunlight, what's wrong canon?

I could go on, but it's really nitpicking. The plusses far outweigh the minuses:

-Unrivaled low light up to 20,000 ISO. And yes it's USABLE up to 20K, not that you should, but you can if really needed.

-Small formfactor, with all the expected video necessities. Can handhold it all day long no problem

-Practically zero artifacting. No Moire, no alaising, true 1080 sharpness.

-Battery life that makes RED shooters weep. Nothing against red, it's just Canon gave us a small, 4 hour battery.

-The AVCHD codec is NOT weak. It holds up great, the only exception being high motion scenes such as water or leaves in the wind.

-Uses any Canon or Nikon lens(with adapter)

again, i could go on, but it's just a lot to list out. If your in the market for a camera in this price range and this form factor, you'll be thrilled with using this little chap, i have zero regrets from nearly a year of use.

if i were to have one wish, it would be for canon to take a damn hint from sony and make a powered, constant aperture zoom lens.

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Gossen Mavolux 5032C Digital Footcandle and Lux Meter

Gossen Mavolux 5032C Digital Footcandle and Lux Meter
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $945.00
Sale Price: $878.32
Today's Bonus: 7% Off
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This product was used to test lighting systems in a university's chemistry/teaching labs. The meter's capabilities are amazing, which is very deceiving to its simple appearance. The testing software is what makes this so essential to the work we are doing. The graphs it created were indispensible.

Comes in a hard case complete with everything you need. Have found no cons in the past few months of using.

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

Apple iPod nano 8 GB Silver
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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Woke up a few weeks back and got my new Ipod Nano 6th gen to start my morning jog. However, to my surprize afer a full nights charge it wouldnt turn on! "Okay, no problem, I'll just call the tech support"...

After spending over 2 hours with them on the phone, and trying everything we could, they advised me to take my Ipod into a store where they would see what could be done... After all, I still had 8 months of my warranty! To cut a long story short, as soon as they looked at my Ipod I was asked the following question: "Sir, has the device been in contact with liquid?" "No" I said... "What about sweat?"... Man, once I heard that question, I just couldn't believe my ears!!! Of course there is going to be some contact with sweat! I bought the device to go jogging with it! One would imagine that the all mighty Apple would have that one covered right!!! NOPE... Apparently we cannot sweat if we exercise with an Ipod 6th Gen. Or at least that was what was informed to me at the store.

Now, Im about $180,00 short (after you add all the accessories I bought for it!Silly me!!!!) and with Apple slamming the door on my face! As they were totally relunctant to give me further assistance or even collect the device to have it inspected!!!

I live in a humid place, but only used the Ipod at the gym (which is air conditioned), so I would really like to get a position from Apple about this, as I feel utterly cheated by them...

Well fokes, that's my tip... If u sweat when exercising, make sure to buy another MP3 player as I wouldn't want someone else going through what I just did.

My next MP3 player will be an inexpensive chinese one. As if it stops working after 3 months due to sweat, I'll still be on the win...

I demand that Apple at least takes the device in and have a look at it as to give me a position of what has happened! I seen Nokias be dropped in the toilet and work the next day, how can a bit of sweat destroy an Ipod which is designed for joggers?!?!?!?!

Cheers!

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Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom ZS 20- FREE 2 PACK FIBER CLOTH
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $339.95
Today's Bonus: 15% Off
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I have never believed that i can actually use a point and shoot camera to shoot weddings etc!,but let me tell you, if you are looking for the perfect camera that gives you everything you need to relive your Memories in an unbelievable crystel clear way ,then you better get the Panasonic Dmc Zs20!!!

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Canon VIXIA HF R21 Full HD Camcorder with 32GB Internal Flash

Canon VIXIA HF R21 Full HD Camcorder with 32GB Internal Flash Memory
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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I spent a fair amount of time (four hours) reading reviews and comparing features of Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and Canon videocams. I also read all the reviews on Amazon regarding all the Canon videocams in the consumer line. Overall the Amazon had a slightly negative undertone, but I decided to go with Canon because of good experience with a point and shoot camera I had bought several years ago. But once I got the Vixia HFR21, I had a difficult time loading some test videos I had shot.

I remembered an Amazon review that said the .mts video format and the software used to upload Canon video was questionable. That's when I was a minute away from packing it back up and returning it. I am an above average computer guy, and I am an expert on Photoshop; a good user on Adobe Illustrator; above average on Microsoft products; and generally can do what I need to do to make things work via a pc. The mistake I made was following the directions included with the videocam that said if I don't have Windows 7, don't use the "VideoBrowser" software--it said to use the "utility" software. Wrong!!!!!!!!!! The VideoBrowser worked just fine with Windows XP.

After I discovered that, I pulled back from the brink of returning it. And now I've spent more time with HFR21, I am impressed. It's easy to upload video to your PC; it's even easy to watch a video you just shot on your flat screen TV. Also, of critical importance to me, is that .mts videos that Canon shoots, is readily useable by Adobe Premiere Elements 9. I'm updating my software (haven't yet) and any video I shoot must be compatible with Adobe. And it is.

All that is the backstory (but what good is video if you can't quickly upload it or view it????).

About the HFR21: the video is sharp; shoots GREAT video right before sunset, when the dusk makes it difficult for a person to see really, really clearly. Video I shot last night at dusk looks as if the sun was shining; it wasn't, but you couldn't tell by watching the footage. Unbelievable really!

The battery is good; the size of videocam is SMALL and I LOVE IT! I want to be able to put the cam in a pocket and take a walk on the beach. I would never argue it's too small as some have on this website. The smaller the better.

The touch screen is good, average sensitivity. The size of the screen and the size of the icons is good. I have Polish-sausage sized fingers and the icons on the screen work fine.

I highly recommend the HFR21, especially at $449!

One other thing: this is not a fake review written by a competitor to Canon or by an employee of Canon. I'm telling like it is.

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Samsung I9000 8 GB Galaxy S Unlocked GSM Smartphone with 5 MP

Samsung I9000 8 GB Galaxy S Unlocked GSM Smartphone with 5 MP Camera, Android OS, Touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No U.S. Warranty
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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This is my first smartphone, and I admit I was having mixed feelings after my bad experience with my "old" Nokia N82. However I was positively surprised by some aspects of the device, specially the responsiveness and the usability. It is really easy to use, I gave it to my mom (she's 60 and always has problems to use tech stuff) and she just started to use it! Now after 2 weeks I think I have some contribution...

What I liked:

The touchscreen works very well, with some inaccuracy, only perceived in rare occasions when I need to click a link without zooming in the screen

The speed: usually it is very fast to switch from an app to another.

Live Wallpaper: very impressive (although I suspect it eats the battery).

"Modem" feature: in 30 seconds my laptop was connected to the Internet using the phone's 3G network, and without any cable!

Camera: comes with all those candies the modern cameras have. I liked the Panorama.

Display: amazing colors and cristal clear, can be used even at direct sunlight.

Unlock Pattern: Sounds like a silly thing, but I liked it!

Power profile: it shows how much of the battery is being consumed and by application, and then you may have a chance to improve battery life. In my case the display is by far the most battery eater, so there's not too much I can do, except do not use it.

What worked

Web browser. It was able to render every page I've visited, it is fast and easy to use.

Multi screen. It is nice to have more than one screen. I know it should be very useful, I just don't know for what.

Swype: surprisingly easy to use, just needs some improvement on word prediction.

Maps and traffic information.

What could be improved

Software shop definitely needs to be improved, for example: I want the possibility to sort out search results, I want more filter options, and, of course, more software available. Also, some kind of security review/karma would be useful. Some form of accreditation of the suppliers also could help. I'm not saying I want the Apple dictatorial system, but I think some basic security indication/checking/verification would be good.

Wifi: It works OK most of the time, but sometimes it does not connect automatically and then I have to go to the list of networks and click on the "Connect" button.

3G: it took me some time to understand how to configure the network. I still not 100% sure I could do it again if I lost the configuration...

Applications: too many applications, poorly organized. I'd like to have a way to group them in a logical way or inside a folder, specially those rarely used (may be there is a way and I just need to learn how to use it).

Language: The default language is Korean or Chinese (I'm ignorant and I don't know the difference between the ideograms). It should come in English!

Language Support: definitely need to have Portuguese support.

Speech recognition (Vlingo): That's a bad joke. I say SECTOR, it understands SEX STORE. Hmmm, is it reading my mind? :)

Battery Life: It lasts for one day, in a good day. Much less if you are a heavy user.

Access device's storage: That's tricky! I spent a whole day trying to find a way to use the device's media on Linux... And then I found the problem: the SD card need to be unmounted first! (settings/SD card/Unmount SD card). Once I did that it worked.

GPS: The initial lock takes much longer than Nokia N82.

3G usage: I don't know how much data is being transmitted/received, let's see the next phone bill. That "background transfer" "feature" is my concern. Also, it could have some sort of carrier/network type selection, it is always using the network even when the only network available is Edge. OK, maybe it already has this control and I just don't know where it is.

Lateral buttons: I'm always mistakenly pressing the buttons.

Glitches: It hanged a couple of times. One of the times I had to remove the battery to get it back. Sad.

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Duracell Rechargeable AA Batteries 4 Count (Packaging May Vary)

Duracell Rechargeable AA Batteries 4 Count
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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Rechargeable batteries have gotten a bad rap in the past, with older nicad technology that was more trouble to use with their memory effect and low amperage. They just didn't last as long, or were not easy to use.

Now with NiMH rechargeables and more sophisticated chargers, it's a no brainer to convert over to this newer technology. High drain devices like digital cameras are a great example of where NiMH really shine. I take picture after picture with flash and review photos on the built in LCD and I don't worry about these duracells running out. 1,800 milliamps will last a long time.

For trips/outings where I'll be taking hundreds of shots, I just get an extra set that I can charge and have ready. No more wasting money on disposable batteries! Some travel chargers are really small, and you don't have to wait for it to charge overnight anymore, they charge in a few hours now.

For other devices that use AAA's like FRS radios, the smaller version of these duracells will take a beating and you will save lots of money compared to buying disposable batteries.

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