Great color. Easy to use. Manual is online. Takes crisp photos and the zoom works well. Be sure to buy Lithium Batteries and a larger SD card. You will want to keep these pictures!
Showing posts with label waterproof digital camera digital cameras. Show all posts
Showing posts with label waterproof digital camera digital cameras. Show all posts
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm/F3.5-5.6 Lens for Panasonic
This is a wonderful addition to my Oly PL 5 camera. Attached and unopened, it is a very compact lens, which allows the camera to slip into a coat pocket, ready to take beautiful pictures in an instant.
ZyXEL 2-Bay High-Performance Digital Media Server and Network
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $147.14
Today's Bonus: 41% Off
Reviewed: Zyxel NSA325. It supports 2 x 3.5" SATA drives, has 2 USB2 ports (back) and a single USB3 (front) & has Gigabit Ethernet. 1.6GHz Marvell processor is faster than older NAS devices (faster than the 800MHz CPU in the D-LINK DNS-320 or the 1.2GHz CPU in the DNS-325) and 512MB memory allows multiple functions at same time.
DRIVE INSTALLATION:
Drive guide rails must be attached to each drive via screws. Note that the pointy end of the rails must face INWARD (i.e. on the same side as the SATA connector). The quick install sheet doesn't mention this and it's easy to overlook from the diagram. The reason for the specific orientation is that you use a tool (located behind the drive cover) to remove an installed drive from its bay and this tool clips onto the exposed end of the drive rails. Also when installing be sure to insert the drive so that the SATA connector will mate with the drive (it will not if you insert the drive the wrong way and you could cause damage). ZyXEL needs to have better instructions. The front door is a little flimsy though, be careful when removing/installing to avoid breaking the tabs that keep it in place.
Note that drives are NOT hot-swappable, do not remove/insert with the power on. Drives up to 3TB are supported with newest firmware (note if you have old firmware you will need to temporarily install a smaller drive, create a volume, then use the firmware check function in the web interface to update firmware before installing 3TB drives).
RAID:
RAID 0/1 are supported. RAID 0 uses the combined storage space of both drives but has no redundancy. RAID 1 mirrors contents on both drives so if one fails your data is still safe.
POWER MANAGEMENT/UPS:
+ You can connect a (APC brand) UPS to the NAS via one of the USB ports and it will auto-shutdown when UPS battery is low (you can adjust when the shutdown occurs based on the UPS reported capacity remaining). A nice touch and one that will help prevent data loss. I tried it with a Tripp-Lite UPS and it wasn't recognized so it looks like only an APC will work.
+ You can set the UPS to always power on after a power failure, useful if acting as networked storage.
+ You can spin down drives if no data transmission occurs in a specified time (adjustable in minutes)
+ Supports "wake-on-lan" so device can turn on and service incoming requests even if powered off.
+ NAS uses external 12V 5amp power adapter. This is better than an internal power supply as it is easily replaceable if it fails.
+ Interestingly the NAS has an internal clock (powered by a CR2032 battery) and can be set to power on/off via time schedule.
THE BAD:
There is no "network activity" LED at the front panel (the LED is on the Ethernet jack). I would have liked to see a front panel LED. This is important as use of one of the back USB ports will block the network LED on the jack.
I do not think there is a way to migrate to larger capacity drives without backing up/replacing drives/recreate RAID/restoring the array.
Download Manager feature (more on this below) cannot download files that require authentication from websites (i.e. files that require login). This is a shame as this would been much more useful.
This NAS takes LONG to boot. This may cause a problem if used as network storage as PCs may boot quicker than the NAS!
For some strange reason the CPU temp is reported incorrectly (12 deg Celsius) on the NSA status page after some time in operation. It still seems to work correctly so this may be a minor bug.
OTHER:
+ Front panel USB connector is USB3 for fast copy from/to external USB3 devices. This is just for copying data from/to an external drive, I don't think connection to a PC is supported.
+ NAS has CPU temp sensor.
+ The fan is a 3-wire fan (has RPM sensor so the NAS can determine fan speed). The fan label mentions that has a hypro bearing, which supposed to be a long-lasting bearing. The fan is very quiet, practically silent.
+ Web-based interface is nice and clean, with attractive icons. The admin setup webpage is logically organized. You can check the CPU temp/CPU load/free memory from the admin page.
+ ZPilot feature allows you to drop files/folders to an "always-on-top" icon to copy to the NAS. Optionally you can have the NAS sort files into specific folders based on the file type.
+ Add-on packages really expand functionality of the NAS. For example installing the SMART package allows you to see the status (temperature, SMART status, model & serial #) of the installed drives.
+ Firmware update is totally painless, one click will check for new firmware, another click downloads & installs it. You don't need to download it from a PC then upload it to the NAS. However note that you must have drive(s) installed and a volume created to use the auto-update feature as it needs to download firmware to the volume. If no drive(s) are installed it will not work.
+ Has "Download Manager" built-in file download function & bittorrent client. By logging into the NAS and either entering the URL of a file to download OR uploading a .torrent file from your PC you can have the NAS download files unattended without having your PC on and running. A nice feature, especially for downloading large files such as Linux ISO images.
OVERALL it's a good media server for the price and I recommend it. But also check out the ZyXEL NSA320 2-bay Network Attached Storage and Media Server as it is similar but about half the price. The NSA320 uses a slightly slower 1.2GHz CPU (but has the same 512MB memory), but doesn't have dropbox features or USB3 port. You probably DON'T want the older NSA2xx series because these use a much slower CPU/less memory and transfer performance is not as good.
UPDATE: I now have multiple NSA325s and the only thing I have found problematic is the web interface. There have been times when the NSA325 is still on and working but I cannot login to its IP address (to get the web interface to display). Other times the web interface will be extremely slow to respond or even stop responding entirely. Also, the "firmware upgrade notification" message keeps appearing even though I'm on the latest firmware (which is annoying, even though I click "do not remind me"). Power resetting fixes the web interface problems but I should not have to do this. These problems have persisted even through firmware updates and I am disappointed that such basic bugs have not been dealt with.
A more expensive and larger capacity NAS alternative is the Synology DiskStation 4-Bay (Diskless) Network Attached Storage DS413j. (See my DS413j review for more).
I hope this is helpful!
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60K 16.1 MP Digital Camera with 24x
It's not a DSLR, but the next best thing that can be used easily by anyone in our office. Can be used as point-and-shoot as soon as batter is charged.
Samsung VKKF004NUS SDE-3000N 4 Channel DVR Surveillance System
cameras are nice, but the night time motion detection is not great at all, would be nice if you could turn off motion detection at night, but its not an option. Basically what happens is that the led IR lights come on and attract mosquitos to the camera, the cameras are constantly picking up that motion and recording all night long, filling up the dvr with needless motion alarms and there is no way to disable it unless you turn down the motion sensitivity which then affects the daytime motion sensitivity and will not record much of anything during the day if the sensitivity is turned all the way down.
Nintendo DSi XL Red Bundle with Mario Kart
I was very excited about this DSi ever since I heard about it, and having received it I am very happy with my purchase. I already had a DSi but I like the monstrously large screens on the XL and this special edition was a perfect excuse as I sort of collect these things too anyway. The "Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary" print and special logos on the top are very well done and are under the surface so will not scratch off, and the red is a nice sort of darker shade solid red. Glossy on the top surface and a pleasant matte finish around the sides and back which is great because you can avoid fingerprints this way.
The ONLY downside to the DSi in general, are the DSiWare games, in which once you purchase them, they are locked to that specific system. So for me who had a handful of titles downloaded on my older DSi, I could not transfer them as Nintendo won't yet allow it. More people need to complain to them about that!
Anyway, all in all, very satisfied, highly recommended. A MUST for collectors and definitely worth it for first time DS buyers or anyone who likes the screen size here and wants a great library of games available on the platform.
The ONLY downside to the DSi in general, are the DSiWare games, in which once you purchase them, they are locked to that specific system. So for me who had a handful of titles downloaded on my older DSi, I could not transfer them as Nintendo won't yet allow it. More people need to complain to them about that!
Anyway, all in all, very satisfied, highly recommended. A MUST for collectors and definitely worth it for first time DS buyers or anyone who likes the screen size here and wants a great library of games available on the platform.
Dolica AX620B100 62-Inch Proline Tripod and Ball Head
List Price: $65.99
Sale Price: $43.39
Today's Bonus: 34% Off
It is made out of aluminum. Light enough to carry around the whole day yet still very sturdy. The aluminum ball head actually performs well. Once you've got the desired angle and lock it in place, the camera will stay on that angle until you release the lock unlike my 20 usd tripod. Im using a d80 with 18-270mm lens attached. That's about 1.2kg weight. The tripod is rated by the manufacturer to handle up to 13 lbs of equipment. Other features are a quick release plate, 2 bubble levels ( one on the head and the other on the legs), user replaceable aluminum tripod head, a threaded weight hook and spiked feet. The tripod can also converted so you can take macro shots. The legs can be locked in position independent of one another. With all these features plus great performance, this tripod is a steal!
One minor hiccup, the plastic on the leg clamps, while not cheap, isnt top of the line. But they get the job done so it a no issue for me
Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone - Silver Edition
List Price: $149.00
Sale Price: $95.89
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
NOTE: I used the Blue Yeti Microphone to record this Video Review
Blue Yeti Review Summary
The Blue Yeti is an excellent plug and record USB microphone that has dramatically increased the quality of my voice recordings. It has a solid & sleek build, is easy to use, and most importantly clearly records my voice.
Introduction Who I am and how do I use this product
My name is Antonio and I own and operate ATailoredSuit.com; I have been using the Blue Yeti since February to speak with clients on Skype and to record podcasts and videos about men's style and custom clothing. Prior to owning the Blue Yeti I used the Blue Snowflake for one year; before that I used the built in microphone on my computer and headsets. For the last 6 months I have been looking at purchasing the Blue Snowball; when this microphone came out I decided to make this purchase instead.
Pros Things I Love
1. Sound Recording Quality The most important quality in a microphone; from my limited 30 day use and when compared to the past types of microphones I am used to (Blue Snowflake, Logitech Webcam 9000 Microphone, Various Headset microphones, Built in Computer Microphones) this Microphone beat them all.
2. Plug and Play I have seamlessly used this microphone on 3 separate computers, one running XP, the other Vista, and on a Windows 7 machine. In each case it was immediately recognized and clearly marked as the Blue Yeti
3. Simple Knobs and Design Mute, Mode, Headphone Volume and MIC Gain Control. Stand can be tightened and microphone removed.
4. Solid Build Overall, Solid (One small complaint below). The 10 foot USB cord was a nice touch.
5. Playful Approach Blue has decided to present the Yeti in a playful manner. They appeal to the creative and make the manual much more approachable for those of us not technically inclined.
Cons Things I am not happy with
1. Size It weight 3.5 pounds and stands 1 foot high I am used to this now, but be prepared for a big footprint!
2. Looseness of Volume & Gain Controls A small complaint, but for an overall solid device these feel like they will be the first things to break.
Final Recommendation
The Blue Yeti is an amazing microphone that was well worth the investment. It has already dramatically increased the quality of my voice recordings and I recommend it to any podcaster. I give this product 9 out of 10 stars (5 out of 5 for Amazon!), my only knock that the price maybe too high for some.
Rokinon Cine CV35-S 35mm T1.5 Aspherical Wide Angle Cine Lens
List Price: $649.00
Sale Price: $514.34
Today's Bonus: 21% Off
I recently bought the Rokinon 85mm Cine lens to use on a Sony a99 camera, mostly for video. I found that I liked that particular lens so much that I started using it for still photography as well. In fact, I like the sharp look of those files so much that I started to look for more Rokinon lenses to put on my camera. I'd been researching this 35mm 1.5 Cine lens of Sony Alpha cameras for a couple of weeks when I noticed one of those mysterious Amazon price drops. It seemed like too much of a bargain to pass up so I went ahead a bought one. I'm very happy I did.
Stuff to get out of the way right up front: This (the 35mm Rokinon Cine lens) is absolutely a manual focus lens. There is no electronic interface between the lens and the camera. It does not focus for you. If you can't tolerate focusing the lens yourself then this is very much not a lens for you. No autofocus. But not having autofocus is part of the design and part of the appeal for me. It means that there's so much less stuff to go wrong with on this product. And most people who are seriously into making films and commercials on video use manual focus lenses because it gives them maximum control over the look of their images. If you are lucky enough to shoot with the new Sony SLT cameras you'll find manual focusing is made simple with the cameras' built in focus peaking. If you are shooting with more prehistoric Nikon and Canon bodies you'll probably want to use the lens on a tripod so you can depend on Live View and magnification to get sharp focus.
Stuff to get out of the way, part 2: Since there are no electronic linkages between camera and lens there is no automation beyond what the cameras naturally give you with aperture priority control. Again, fine by me since I'm using an EVF and real time Live View I can always "pre-chimp" and see exactly what I'm getting while I'm shooting. That means I can compensate and change settings in a heartbeat if the scene in my finder looks too light or too dark. Finally, since the camera has no idea what lens is on front or what the heck the lens is doing there's no way it can give you complete exif data. You'll just have to get over that. The lens is also enormous. Not too heavy but large in size.
So, the lens seems primitive by modern standards. What does it have going for it? Well, my quick tests show me that the lens is sharp wide open in the center and just keeps getting sharper as I stop down. By f5.6 it's as sharp as any lens I've played with in the last 20 years. According to photozone.de it's a sharper lens than the $1400+ Canon 35mm 1.4L and the $1800+ Nikon 35mm 1.4 lenses. And that's both wide open and stopped down. Pretty amazing for a lens that's so inexpensive.
My work is generally slow and thoughtful. I work to a client's comprehensive layout or I shoot foot or I shoot portraits. I'm not a sports shooter. In the realm within which I work there's no bonus for super speedy handling. For me the lens works very, very well. I want a handful of things from a lens: I want high sharpness, I want good resolution, I want good contrast, I want good bokeh and I want the lens to be well built and able to take professional use for years to come.
The Rok 35mm 1.5 delivers all that.
Bonus: If you shoot video you'll find it's nice to have clickless apertures and a geared focusing ring. The clickless apertures mean you can make very subtle exposure or focus changes while filming instead of having to endure half stop jumps in exposure while the camera is running. The geared focusing ring means the lens can be used with follow focus units already on the market with no sweat. If you don't shoot video and have churlishly decided that you never will you should consider the non-Cine, f1.4 version of this lens. The optics are the same (great) but the aperture is click stopped and the focus ring is just a conventional focus ring. The bonus is that you'll save between $75 and $100 dollars.
I feel like the 35mm and 85mm Rokinons (Cine f1.5) are the two lenses I could take anywhere and do compelling work with. I rarely go wider but I do go longer. If I were starting my career from scratch I would certainly consider the 35m, the 85 and an a99 body as the core of my systems. Add some lights and a tripod and I can make stills and great short films.
When you compare this to the major brand offerings from Sony, Canon and Nikon it's clear that, if you are willing to learn manual technique, you'll end up with as good or better image quality at a fraction of the price. I'd buy it again. In fact, I like it so much I might buy a second one as a back-up.
One more thought: This would make a wickedly sharp 50mm equivalent on a cropped frame (APS-C) camera body.
AmScope 3.5X-180X Manufacturing 144-LED Zoom Stereo Microscope
List Price: $2,700.00
Sale Price: $679.98
Today's Bonus: 75% Off
I got much more than I anticipated when I purchased this microscope. It is amazing. I bought it to grade coins, but, I have been looking at a lot of things with it. Things like bugs, serial numbers, items that I can't see clearly (or not at all).
Sony Xperia TX LT29I Unlocked Android Phone--U.S. Warranty
List Price: $609.99
Sale Price: $504.98
Today's Bonus: 17% Off
I purchased this as a pseudo inexpensive replacement for a broken Nexus 4. Frankly, I wasn't really expecting much but I actually prefer this over the fragile (screen) Nexus 4. Yes, it is a two core vs four core processor but in normal use, I don't really experience much difference. All of these phones have gotten so powerful that at this point, anything from the past year or so has more than enough speed/ power for most users imo.
Anyway, a few things I really like on this phone over the Nexus 4 are:
1) Much more ergonomic in use as far as comfort when handling and holding. The curved, textured back of the Xperia TX is the main reason. The Nexus 4, like so many other newer phones, is a flat slab and, because of it's rear glass surface, is also very slippery to handle
2) Much better built in camera with a dedicated physical shutter button on the side of the phone.
3) Removable back with removable battery (for easy replacement) and a micro SD card slot. I currently have a 64GB card in mine. I really despise this current trend of disposable phones with non removable batteries and full reliance on data/ info from the cloud. It's nice to have additional on board storage for music, movies, maps, photos and so forth.
4) Sony's skin/ interface. My wife owns a Samsung Galaxy S3 and even though I'm really knowledgeable about all things Android, I'm absolutely lost when she hands me her phone. The interface on Samsung's is really busy and non intuitive imo. She loves it so perhaps it's just something one gets used to. The Sony interface does not stray too far from basic android and where it does, I find it an improvement. Very intuitive. In fact, I often root every phone I have owned in order to run a better, more featured custom rom but the Sony rom is so nice, I really did not find it as necessary. Nova Launcher is all it really needs for me to be happy.
5) Fairly simple to root out of the box. I did end up rooting but really the only thing I did this for was to be able to install Titanium Backup. There is also a very good sound mod (Acid sound mod) which dramatically improves sound (adds Beats audio and so on) and also a Cyber-shot mod app that adds quality and features to the built in camera. These are not really essential imo but do add to the user experience.
In my research on this phone, I came across a few points I will mention here. First, battery life. I don't find it terrible but it's not great either. I think one can probably easily expect a days use out of the phone. Second, screen quality. There were apparently two screens offered at one time. I have the later one which is supposedly worse than the first. Anyway, I find it great myself. It does suffer from a narrow viewing angle/ washes out at extreme angles (it's not an IPS panel) but viewed normally from the front, it looks terrific.
So, if you are on T-Mobile and are looking for a very nice phone at a decent price, look no further!
LG G2, Black (Sprint)
I received my G2 yesterday, and all I can say is Amazon hooked me up! The price w/2-year upgrade was just $20, which beats the pants off of the advertised price from Sprint and elsewhere. I honestly can't believe that they're "giving" such a powerful, fast, sexy smartphone for that. If you are due for an upgrade, look no further.
I originally was between the S4 and HTC One, and went into the Sprint store to play around to finalize my decision before ordering online. I had messed around with my friend's S4, and wasn't too keen on it, but I did fall in love with the svelte looks of the HTC One and similar performance. Mind made up, I was on my way out the door, and the G2 caught my eye. I picked it up, and while not as aesthetically pleasing as the HTC One, the performance and specs on it blew me away. I got home, reasearched pricing, and with a $150 difference in price, the decision to go for the G2 was a no-brainer...
Much has been penned about the rear volume/power buttons, and I was pretty worried about breaking my side-bezel muscle memory in that regard. After messing with the phone for 1 hour, it was already 2nd nature. The ONLY drawback I see with the location is the propensity to touch the camera lens while toggling volume/power, but it's really a minor inconvenience as I'm not snapping photos with my phone every few minutes. I love the slim profile, HUGE screen, and oh yeah the RECEPTION. This thing absolutely blows my Motorola Photon out of the water on ability to get calls/data!!! With my old phone, I couldn't get calls/data within .5 miles of my workplace parking lot; today with my G2 I can now surf (3G), text, and call all from inside the building! I don't know what magic LG put into these phones to make them so prone to pulling in good signal, but it worked.
Other than the camera lens touching issue, the only "cons" about this phone are the plastic body (albeit a very GOOD LOOKING plastic body) and slight static on some calls (may be a geography issue?).
Lastly, my wife is now on the G2 also after having an iPhone for years (I've always been Android). She is FLOORED and has asked me repeatedly why I ever let her get an iPhone in the first place. After playing with the iPhone 5s, I can say with absolute certainty that the G2 with it's 4.2.2 Android eats its lunch. Hard.
I originally was between the S4 and HTC One, and went into the Sprint store to play around to finalize my decision before ordering online. I had messed around with my friend's S4, and wasn't too keen on it, but I did fall in love with the svelte looks of the HTC One and similar performance. Mind made up, I was on my way out the door, and the G2 caught my eye. I picked it up, and while not as aesthetically pleasing as the HTC One, the performance and specs on it blew me away. I got home, reasearched pricing, and with a $150 difference in price, the decision to go for the G2 was a no-brainer...
Much has been penned about the rear volume/power buttons, and I was pretty worried about breaking my side-bezel muscle memory in that regard. After messing with the phone for 1 hour, it was already 2nd nature. The ONLY drawback I see with the location is the propensity to touch the camera lens while toggling volume/power, but it's really a minor inconvenience as I'm not snapping photos with my phone every few minutes. I love the slim profile, HUGE screen, and oh yeah the RECEPTION. This thing absolutely blows my Motorola Photon out of the water on ability to get calls/data!!! With my old phone, I couldn't get calls/data within .5 miles of my workplace parking lot; today with my G2 I can now surf (3G), text, and call all from inside the building! I don't know what magic LG put into these phones to make them so prone to pulling in good signal, but it worked.
Other than the camera lens touching issue, the only "cons" about this phone are the plastic body (albeit a very GOOD LOOKING plastic body) and slight static on some calls (may be a geography issue?).
Lastly, my wife is now on the G2 also after having an iPhone for years (I've always been Android). She is FLOORED and has asked me repeatedly why I ever let her get an iPhone in the first place. After playing with the iPhone 5s, I can say with absolute certainty that the G2 with it's 4.2.2 Android eats its lunch. Hard.
Fujifilm X10 Digital Camera Kit Includes: Fujifilm X-10 Camera
Ok so you see the name fuji and no other brand names in the article for sale and I think its fair to assume the items contained in the package will be that brand-at least thats my way of thinking. If other brands of items are to be included then that should be indicted in the listing.
Camera is excellentI love it. There was no manual in English inclosed and the cd rom would not work. There were manuals in French and Germanso ok you can download a manual from Fuji direct of course but I have since been told and of course I stand to be corrected that if a camera has been issued to a country such as France or Germany should an issue arise then Fuji in the US would not service this item and it would need to be sent to the country from where it originated. This information I was told in my local photography store and only have their word to go onbut maybe someone wishing to purchase a camera should inquire which country the camera was issued for.
In hindsight would I have purchased this kit with the knowledge I have today? probably not and returning the kit was not an option as I needed the camera for my photography degree and I do not have the funds to purchase another and wait for a refund.
Camera is excellentI love it. There was no manual in English inclosed and the cd rom would not work. There were manuals in French and Germanso ok you can download a manual from Fuji direct of course but I have since been told and of course I stand to be corrected that if a camera has been issued to a country such as France or Germany should an issue arise then Fuji in the US would not service this item and it would need to be sent to the country from where it originated. This information I was told in my local photography store and only have their word to go onbut maybe someone wishing to purchase a camera should inquire which country the camera was issued for.
In hindsight would I have purchased this kit with the knowledge I have today? probably not and returning the kit was not an option as I needed the camera for my photography degree and I do not have the funds to purchase another and wait for a refund.
Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $339.95
Today's Bonus: 15% Off
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!!!
Olympus Evolt E500 8MP Digital SLR with Zuiko 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6
There has already been a lot said on this camera so far so I'll only add a few things. I have never owned an SLR type camera so this was a new experience for me in fact, after owning the camera now for a month, I am finally just figuring out how to use it to its full potential and its potential is very high.
First, let me say that this camera is an excellent value 8 megapixels and packed with features, including the wonderful super sonic wave filter (which removes dust from the digital sensor). The Olympus line of Digital Zuiko lenses are fantastic, including one of the kit lenses (40-150).
A word to those folks like me (new to the SLR world) to clear up some confusion: a few of the reviewers have mentioned "bad low light performance." This is not a camera issue, it is more a function of the lens that is attached (or, the speed of the "film" (AKA sensor) that you have the camera set too). Without getting into too much detail, kit lenses included with all of these entry-level DSLR's are not exactly the best in low light situations they are referred to in the photographic world as "slow" lenses meaning that the aperture values they have at the low end are really only good in sunny conditions at least without setting the camera to a much faster ISO (or film speed setting). So, in other words, the guy that said he is returning his Olympus to go get the canon kit is going to be just as unhappy with the performance of that camera in these situations as he was with the Olympus (from what I've read on the professional reviews of the canon, the kit lens is possibly the worst of all the major manufacturers). Blurry pictures are NOT the camera's fault they are the user set the ISO higher to get a higher shutter speed or buy a lens with a "faster" aperture. This is the same with all cameras.
So where does this leave one who is interested in purchasing this camera, well there are two options (at least in my opinion):
1. Buy the 14-45 and 40-150 kit. This really is an excellent value, and while the 14-45 lens isn't bad (it's very good outdoors), the 40-150 lens is fantastic. Search any major review especially those folks that are enthusiasts about olympus and they'll tell you the same this lens is remarkable for the price. However, if you do buy this kit (like I did), and you're planning on taking a lot of pics indoors or in low light situations, do yourself a favor and upgrade to the 14-54 f/2.8-3.5 Digital zuiko lens. This is the kit lens for the professional Olympus DSLR the E-1. I purchased this recently and the difference is night and day compared to the kit 14-45 f3.5-5.6. The camera has no issues in low light situations, and the "speed" of the lens is fantastic. (BTW, I bought this off of ebay for $400 I think amazon has it for about $430 with free shipping so it's probably a toss up. (this price BTW is much cheaper than upgrading to comparable lenses of competitors like canon and Nikon remember, you're going to have to do it no matter which camera you buy if you want good indoor/low light performance).
2. If I had to do it over again, I may have just bought the body. Save yourself $200 and just buy the e-500 body. Then take that $200 and apply it to the price of the 14-54 f2.8-3.5 lens this would put the total purchase around $1000 and you'll have a fantastic lens to really learn how the camera works in all situations. So how do you get the great 40-150 lens? I noticed that there are probably 10 on sale on ebay at any given time (from people that are upgrading to the absolutely wonderful 50-200 digial zuiko zoom) for around $100-125.
Whichever option you choose, you really can't go wrong this is a wonderful camera for a beginner or serious amateur in SLR photography.
Good luck and welcome to the olympus family!
First, let me say that this camera is an excellent value 8 megapixels and packed with features, including the wonderful super sonic wave filter (which removes dust from the digital sensor). The Olympus line of Digital Zuiko lenses are fantastic, including one of the kit lenses (40-150).
A word to those folks like me (new to the SLR world) to clear up some confusion: a few of the reviewers have mentioned "bad low light performance." This is not a camera issue, it is more a function of the lens that is attached (or, the speed of the "film" (AKA sensor) that you have the camera set too). Without getting into too much detail, kit lenses included with all of these entry-level DSLR's are not exactly the best in low light situations they are referred to in the photographic world as "slow" lenses meaning that the aperture values they have at the low end are really only good in sunny conditions at least without setting the camera to a much faster ISO (or film speed setting). So, in other words, the guy that said he is returning his Olympus to go get the canon kit is going to be just as unhappy with the performance of that camera in these situations as he was with the Olympus (from what I've read on the professional reviews of the canon, the kit lens is possibly the worst of all the major manufacturers). Blurry pictures are NOT the camera's fault they are the user set the ISO higher to get a higher shutter speed or buy a lens with a "faster" aperture. This is the same with all cameras.
So where does this leave one who is interested in purchasing this camera, well there are two options (at least in my opinion):
1. Buy the 14-45 and 40-150 kit. This really is an excellent value, and while the 14-45 lens isn't bad (it's very good outdoors), the 40-150 lens is fantastic. Search any major review especially those folks that are enthusiasts about olympus and they'll tell you the same this lens is remarkable for the price. However, if you do buy this kit (like I did), and you're planning on taking a lot of pics indoors or in low light situations, do yourself a favor and upgrade to the 14-54 f/2.8-3.5 Digital zuiko lens. This is the kit lens for the professional Olympus DSLR the E-1. I purchased this recently and the difference is night and day compared to the kit 14-45 f3.5-5.6. The camera has no issues in low light situations, and the "speed" of the lens is fantastic. (BTW, I bought this off of ebay for $400 I think amazon has it for about $430 with free shipping so it's probably a toss up. (this price BTW is much cheaper than upgrading to comparable lenses of competitors like canon and Nikon remember, you're going to have to do it no matter which camera you buy if you want good indoor/low light performance).
2. If I had to do it over again, I may have just bought the body. Save yourself $200 and just buy the e-500 body. Then take that $200 and apply it to the price of the 14-54 f2.8-3.5 lens this would put the total purchase around $1000 and you'll have a fantastic lens to really learn how the camera works in all situations. So how do you get the great 40-150 lens? I noticed that there are probably 10 on sale on ebay at any given time (from people that are upgrading to the absolutely wonderful 50-200 digial zuiko zoom) for around $100-125.
Whichever option you choose, you really can't go wrong this is a wonderful camera for a beginner or serious amateur in SLR photography.
Good luck and welcome to the olympus family!
Wieldy Pro 1-7.5kg Carbon Fiber Steadicam Steadycam Stabilizer
List Price: $599.00
Sale Price: $289.00
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
Very nice product. Less expensive than the GlideCam.... at least a pound less weight than GlideCam, but with one issue.... it was defective when delivered.
The glue that was supposed to hold the carbon fiber tube into the adjustment lock didn't set. This results in the length of the rod changing, even though the fastener is tightened.
I submitted a complaint to Queenshiny, who sells this product, and I'm waiting for them to respond. Hopefully they will replace it immediately.
I'll report back regarding how easy getting the defective unit replaced was.....See below in the comments regarding the fixing of my product. I am happy again :-)
Canon EF35mm f/2 IS USM
List Price: $599.00
Sale Price: $549.00
Today's Bonus: 8% Off
I want to contribute a review because nowhere have I found detailed comments on the usability of the focus ring for shooting video. I could have done with a review like this before taking the plunge.
The focus ring is very smooth and a little tighter than other Canon focus rings. In real world use, the tightness doesn't hamper smooth focus pulls because the diameter of the focus ring is large enough to achieve very smooth movement with a gentle start and finish. There is no play in the focus ring at all. It's very well put together. In comparison with the EF 24-105 f4 IS L lens the 35mm f2 IS is smoother, a little tighter but therefore with no play what-so-ever.
The smoothest focus rings I've ever used are made by Olympus on their m4/3 prime lenses. The Canon EF 35mm f2 IS is equally smooth but with a little more resistance and therefore not as fluid.
The image stabilisation for video is good. I would rate it at 3.5 out of 5. In comparison, I would rate the EF 24-105mm f4 IS L lens image stabilisation as 4.5 out of 5. The EF 24-105mm f4 IS L lens is much more effective in comparison. I can hold a very steady shot even at 105mm. It really is incredible for hand held video use. Simply throw away the silly frankenrigs.
The 35mm f2 IS has far quieter IS than the 24-105mm f4 IS L. The zoom lens is pretty quiet and very usable but I can only hear the IS on the 35mm if I put it up to my ear.
If you're looking for a 35mm lens for handheld video this is it! There simply isn't anything else.
For stills. It's razor sharp, very fast, accurate and quiet to auto focus. Worth every penny.