I purchase this camera as my first camera. Camera was shipped right away. I received it undamaged as it was packaged very good. The camera works awesome, has more features than I know what to do with. Great price beats all local sales even Costco. Very happy customer.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens
I wanted a nice walk around lens. I haven't used it alot since I received it, but it appears to be adequate for my purposes. It is very light weight and good for those everyday shots.
Olympus Evolt E520 10MP Digital SLR Camera with Image
I am coming from an Olympus C-8080 and a Panasonic DMC-FZ18. Both of these are decent cameras, but not quite SLR quality. Also, the Panasonic is the worst macro camera I have owned. Since I was looking for more options with macro/closeup photography, I wanted a DSLR. My old SLR was an OM2n (back in the prehistoric camera days). I considered getting the E-510 or Nikon D60. Both are decent cameras, but after seeing pictures, decided to stick with Olympus and wait for the 520. I am glad I did!
I normally have a problem with a bit of camera shake and don't use a tripod. I just shot 400 pics and not one bit of camera shake! I was surprised to find out that I didn't even have Image stablization enabled. It is very easy to hold this camera steady. The lens and the viewfinder are crystal clear. I stongly suggest that you get the fastest CF card you can to record your pictures, and at least 4GB. I should tell you though, that I am shooting in both raw and fine jpeg format. This typically takes longer to write. The xd cards are too slow when shooting raw and fine jpeg. Another thing to make yourself aware of: Liveview does not seem perfected in any camera yet. It may take some time, but it is a bit bothersome, because there is a wait between recording photos when using Liveview. If you don't mind using the viewfinder,or waiting about 2 seconds between pictures, it's not a problem. Also, my battery compartment door seems to stick a bit. May need broken in, or it's just tight.
On the plus side: I have only had this camera 36 hours and already feel totally comfortable with it. I have heard people say that it's not user-friendly. I disagree with that statement IF: you have previously owned and used Olympus cameras. This camera isn't that foreign when coming from Olympus. Yes, it takes getting used to the buttons a bit, and my thumb does accidentally hit a button, but heck, I haven't even had the camera a couple of days. I also suggest that you buy the telephoto lens. Unless you shoot all wide-angle pictures, you will not be satisfied with this lens package. Regarding the Olympus lenses ... Primo, very good quality for a zoom/package deal. Much better quality than I expected. I like my pictures to be as crisp as possible, with the lowest noise (who doesn't?), so I have experimented with shutting noise reduction off and using software to reduce noise. The results were good in my test results. The scene modes of the camera are good. I haven't used them all yet (I had to put the camera down and get some sleep sometime in the past 36 hours), but am impressed with face detection on, macro, night modes. The flash is fairly strong. I have never had a built in flash, which doesn't give some type of red eye or blue eyes in dogs, this has not happened yet with the 520. Impressive, but I would suggest if doing closeup, that you diffuse the flash, or stand back a bit and zoom on the subject. REVISION: If you use the Macro nature mode, it seems to adjust the flash a bit. Also, if you like to experiment, play withe the "Vivid mode" a bit. I'm usually not a fan of modes, but in bright sunlight, my colors came out exactly as they should be.
If you are considering buying a more expensive camera and are NOT doing professional studio work, I would say; don't waste your money. Get this camera, because you will be impressed. If you are doing studio work, I would still tell you to get this camera, but get a better lens. After all, it's not always about the camera, but it is always about the lens. Anyone who has ever bought a no-name, camera-store "pushed on you" lens, knows what I am talking about.
When my next lens arrives, I will post more information under the "40-150mm Olympus zoom lens". Highly recommend this camera!
REVISION: Today, I received the adapter to let me use my old OM-2N lenses. I bought a generic one through ebay and it works just fine. I attached my old Tamron 90mm SP macro lens and began shooting. First, be aware that everything has to be done manually. This may not be practical if you need speed when focusing, unless you have mastered, manual focusing. I find that I shake the camera more with the heavier, manual lens, but with practice, I think that can be overcome. In other words, if you own the old OM lenses and don't have the money to get a new lens, buy the adapter and be prepared to make some adjustments.
If you have a flash/lighting system and a tripod, those adjustments will be lessened. I don't think I would do this for the life of the camera, but I would use the old OM lens (especially if you have a high quality one), until I could afford a new digital lens. I also have the 40-150mm digital lens (the one they give in the package deals), and am very impressed with the quality. I have posted some pictures, so you can get an idea of what this camera can do. If you scroll over the pictures, you will see the pictures I shot with the old OM-2N lens. I didn't make any revisions, so that you can get an idea of how the pictures come out of the camera (no photoshop).
I normally have a problem with a bit of camera shake and don't use a tripod. I just shot 400 pics and not one bit of camera shake! I was surprised to find out that I didn't even have Image stablization enabled. It is very easy to hold this camera steady. The lens and the viewfinder are crystal clear. I stongly suggest that you get the fastest CF card you can to record your pictures, and at least 4GB. I should tell you though, that I am shooting in both raw and fine jpeg format. This typically takes longer to write. The xd cards are too slow when shooting raw and fine jpeg. Another thing to make yourself aware of: Liveview does not seem perfected in any camera yet. It may take some time, but it is a bit bothersome, because there is a wait between recording photos when using Liveview. If you don't mind using the viewfinder,or waiting about 2 seconds between pictures, it's not a problem. Also, my battery compartment door seems to stick a bit. May need broken in, or it's just tight.
On the plus side: I have only had this camera 36 hours and already feel totally comfortable with it. I have heard people say that it's not user-friendly. I disagree with that statement IF: you have previously owned and used Olympus cameras. This camera isn't that foreign when coming from Olympus. Yes, it takes getting used to the buttons a bit, and my thumb does accidentally hit a button, but heck, I haven't even had the camera a couple of days. I also suggest that you buy the telephoto lens. Unless you shoot all wide-angle pictures, you will not be satisfied with this lens package. Regarding the Olympus lenses ... Primo, very good quality for a zoom/package deal. Much better quality than I expected. I like my pictures to be as crisp as possible, with the lowest noise (who doesn't?), so I have experimented with shutting noise reduction off and using software to reduce noise. The results were good in my test results. The scene modes of the camera are good. I haven't used them all yet (I had to put the camera down and get some sleep sometime in the past 36 hours), but am impressed with face detection on, macro, night modes. The flash is fairly strong. I have never had a built in flash, which doesn't give some type of red eye or blue eyes in dogs, this has not happened yet with the 520. Impressive, but I would suggest if doing closeup, that you diffuse the flash, or stand back a bit and zoom on the subject. REVISION: If you use the Macro nature mode, it seems to adjust the flash a bit. Also, if you like to experiment, play withe the "Vivid mode" a bit. I'm usually not a fan of modes, but in bright sunlight, my colors came out exactly as they should be.
If you are considering buying a more expensive camera and are NOT doing professional studio work, I would say; don't waste your money. Get this camera, because you will be impressed. If you are doing studio work, I would still tell you to get this camera, but get a better lens. After all, it's not always about the camera, but it is always about the lens. Anyone who has ever bought a no-name, camera-store "pushed on you" lens, knows what I am talking about.
When my next lens arrives, I will post more information under the "40-150mm Olympus zoom lens". Highly recommend this camera!
REVISION: Today, I received the adapter to let me use my old OM-2N lenses. I bought a generic one through ebay and it works just fine. I attached my old Tamron 90mm SP macro lens and began shooting. First, be aware that everything has to be done manually. This may not be practical if you need speed when focusing, unless you have mastered, manual focusing. I find that I shake the camera more with the heavier, manual lens, but with practice, I think that can be overcome. In other words, if you own the old OM lenses and don't have the money to get a new lens, buy the adapter and be prepared to make some adjustments.
If you have a flash/lighting system and a tripod, those adjustments will be lessened. I don't think I would do this for the life of the camera, but I would use the old OM lens (especially if you have a high quality one), until I could afford a new digital lens. I also have the 40-150mm digital lens (the one they give in the package deals), and am very impressed with the quality. I have posted some pictures, so you can get an idea of what this camera can do. If you scroll over the pictures, you will see the pictures I shot with the old OM-2N lens. I didn't make any revisions, so that you can get an idea of how the pictures come out of the camera (no photoshop).
Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR with 18-140mm
List Price: $1,799.95
Sale Price: $1,396.95
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
While I'm hoping Nikon will release a D400, I couldn't resist trying out the new D7100. As a working pro who uses both FX and DX format cameras, my first impressions of the D7100 are very positive.
My simple summary is that this camera is a bargain and that those already inclined to own the best the DX camera Nikon sells should get one.
Having worked for years with the D300 and the D7000 bodies, my perspective on this one is influenced by what I think is good about those two popular cameras. I hoped that the D7100 would really improve in the areas of autofocus, shadow noise, and overall resolution/acuity. This camera has not disappointed me, and has even a few minor improvements I wasn't expecting.
Of first importance, shooters of the D7000 will appreciate the big improvements in AF (you probably know how sketchy that camera is to focus, especially compared to the 51-point standard set by most older/current pro bodies). It's fast, accurate, and doesn't get fooled into moving if you recompose. On single focus mode, it simply acquires and holds where you want. And the tracking AF is on par with Nikon's pro standard. This is huge for me, since I love the quality of images the D7000 gives but hate the unreliability of its AF. Acquiring focus in low light seems a bit snappier and more accurate than even the D300.
The resolving power of this sensor is unlike any DX camera before it. Because the D7100 doesn't have an anti-aliasing/low-pass filter on its 24 megapixel sensor, I knew it would be able to show a perceptible increase in resolving detail over the older D7000, and again I am glad to report it does IF you use good glass, stopped down a bit, and process from the RAW files. My test shots captured with the Tokina 11-16 and Nikon 70-200 have blown me away. The acuity when zoomed in is night/day compared to the D7000. However, if you use mediocre glass then the only differences you'll notice are larger files and slightly better dynamic range.
In DX images, shadow noise has generally appeared too stippled even at lower ISO values, rendering a texture that the FX sensors don't have at the same ISO's. The D7100 has definitely improved this. The texture gradient is more uniform and it reminds me of the D600 in this way. Although I haven't done tests above ISO 1600, the shadow textures are more uniform and pleasant (natural?) on skin than the previous DX cameras.
Shooters familiar with Nikon's pro camera ergonomics will appreciate that the D7100 has added the quick magnification/zoom feature to the `OK' button on the rear thumbpad. It's great for snappy, quick inspections at defined zoom ratios to check for focus accuracy. This feature is nonexistent on the D7000 and the D600. I find it very handy and preferable to the +/buttons.
Speaking of the +/buttons to the left of the LCD, I have no idea why Nikon reversed their positions on this camera. It's a small thing but still annoying.
I'm still getting used to the new viewfinder display, so the jury is out.
The two-shot HDR feature isn't what it should be since it doesn't align the images. I'd use the bracketing feature on a tripod and be done with it.
I like that there's finally a lock button in the center of the program mode dial to avoid accidental switching, which happens too often on the D7000.
The rear LDC screen is slightly larger and also a bit crisper to my eyes.
The overall fit/finish is solid and secure. I have big hands so I only wish it was the same form factor as the D800 (hey Nikon, give us a D400 already), but at this price I'm not complaining.
I wish Nikon could squeeze out better battery performance from their cameras, frankly, and the D7100 hasn't improved upon what has become normal for the past couple years.
Sorry, but I don't mess with video so I cannot speak to this.
As a still image camera (in the DX format) the D7100 has really set a new standard. Even though I'd buy a D400 if it came out tomorrow, there's nothing stopping me from enjoying the D7100 today as the best you can get. I feel that the price is low for what it is and can create. Highly recommended...
Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR 16MP Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD
List Price: $379.95
Sale Price: $292.81
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
I was looking for a pocketable camera that took decent pictures, had decent low light performance, and had a long reach. This is the newest of the offerings that I found that met the criteria (on paper).
I'm familiar with how well the smaller Fuji cameras do with their low light prowess, but that's due to a combination of the sensor and the glass they use. Since I am adding the requirement of a log reach lens, I am decreasing the quality of the optics and making it require more light during a shot (zoom lenses on cameras generally are lesser quality unless you're talking lenses in the $1000's).
I just got back from Cabo with the camera, and it did admirabley on both long shots. It has a great reach, but you need something more stable than your hands and the camera's stabilization to get good shots at 20x zoom..
I shot mostly in Aperture mode, but tried the "low light", "high contrast", and "portrait" auto modes, and looking at the shots on a big monitor, they all came out great. Sure there is some noise in the dark scenes, but it was far less than expected, and I could easily print a 8"x10" without it looking like a pixelated mess. I never used the flash beyond testing it out. I'm not a fan of the images any/most flashes produce.
I tried some video, and it looked good enough. I wish there also were a 1080p 30fps mode, as it only does 60fps when in 1080p mode. It would save some file space. I also wish there were no limitations on the length of video you can shoot, but inexplicably, on some of the slow motion modes, you are limited to 60 seconds maximum recording.
Overall, I am a fan of the newer sensor that the F900EXR has over the model it is replacing. I would definitely recommend it to friends.
Logitech Wireless Presenter R400
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $34.99
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Anyone looking for a solid, easy to use wireless presenter will be more than pleased with the R400.
From an ergonomics perspective I think it is, as Goldilocks would say. "just right". Some of the smaller presenters often require a lot of fidgeting. At the same time, you do not want to be holding a brick in your hand when standing in front of an audience. This unit is large enough to be easy to use, small enough to be discrete. The rubberized surface helps ensure it will not go flying due to an over-zealous hand gesture.
Set up is very easy, plug the dongle into a laptop and you are ready to go. I have used this on a variety of laptops and it has always worked flawlessly.
If you are a facilitator or do a lot of presentations, you should consider the upgrade to the R800. Once you adopt the practice of using a vibrating timer, you will never want to be without this feature. Likewise, the more powerful laser on the R800 makes a big difference in large or bright rooms. The R400 is a good choice for 75% of presenters, but at least look at the 800 before making your final choice. You can not go wrong with either.
Sony Xperia P LT22i-RD Unlocked Phone with 8 MP Camera, Android
List Price: $469.99
Sale Price: $300.00
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
I'm a person who wants a few things from a phone.
1. Does the basics well (call, receive, messaging)
2. The equipment is quality (display, camera, speaker, gps, browser)
3. Relatively modern without the expensive price. (I could care less about the latest edge in smartphones, anything that is outdated before its warranty ends should not be a heavy investment.)
This phone fulfilled these challenges rather nicely.
Description:
This phone has a 4" display, finished with a rounded aluminum backing in matte black. The bar that contains the android's back, home, and menu keys is transparent. The top of the phone has the 3.5mm jack. The bottom piece is a removable plastic cap. Removing it will expose a label that shows the serial/manufacturer info. The speakerphone is on the right side of the phone, below that is the power/unlock screen button, below that button is the volume adjustment, and ends with a 2-stage dedicated camera button. There is a front facing camera for skype and a rear facing 8mp camera (6mp when used in 16:9 widescreen) equipped with a bright LED flash. On the left side of the phone there is the micro-usb charging port, the micro hdmi ouput, the slot for microsim. The micro usb and hdmi ports are uncovered whereas the microsim port is covered. Comes with in-ear headphones w/ microphone as linked here Sony MH750 Stereo Headset with Microphone and Answer/End Button for Cell Phones Black (Bulk Packaging) Factory unlocked with 1 year manufacturer warranty.
The good:
-Screen quality and brightness. Big and bright with 960x540 resolution. The indoor/outdoor visibility of the screen is just phenomenal. All the displayed text is legible and all the colors are only minimally washed out even in the southern California sunlight. At times, I use this phone in the dark and the backlight adjustment is just perfect. My eyes aren't strained at all when I do my 10-20 minute web browsing/Angry Birds session before I sleep. The screen is bright enough to be used outdoors and sensitive enough to be used indoors. As an added touch it comes with a screen protector applied by the factory.
-The camera. It is quick to focus, flash, and take a picture. The camera key can be used to activate the camera when the phone is in sleep (have to really press down on it for .5s), and it can be set to whether the phone will take a picture directly or just focused. This camera wake-up option (called Quick Launch by Sony) can be disabled altogether.
-Speaker phone quality. It's not tinny and sharp and its loud enough.
-Cellphone reception. It's been good for me even on T-mobile even without 3G and the other bands as seen in the chart Amazon as provided. WiFi strength is reasonably strong.
-Texting. 3 choices in keyboard layout, traditional T9 and 2 versions of QWERTY. There is a gesture function (dragging your finger across the letters of a word will automatically type the word), texting too quickly will activate this function so I turned it off. Auto-correct can be fully tamed. The voice-to-text works really well for me, I tried the tongue twister "She sells sea shells by the sea shore" and it worked for the most part. The only mistake that it made was instead of sea it inputted see. There are options of different language keyboards as well, English, Chinese, and Japanese.
-Optimization of Android OS by Sony. Very quick to jump from menu to menu, app to app. Applies updates independently with just a WiFi source. Facebook integration works, Skype works depending on bandwith strength.
-Overall quality and feel. Thin and well weighted. The touchscreen is very responsive asides from the trouble I have swiping across screens with 1 hand. The transparent bar's keys are very responsive. It is incredibly distinct with its design, unlike those other just rectangular bars with a big screen.
-No software required to connect the Xperia P to a PC. It opens up the ~12gb of usable space like a flash drive, transfers files drag and drop style. There's an optional Xperia companion software, but I prefer the simplicity of dragging and dropping files.
-Language options. The Xperia P comes loaded with 50+ languages including multiple dialects of English, Spanish, and Chinese. As a cruel joke someone can set the language to Basa Sunda, Galego, Shqipe, or Srpski.
-The included in-ear headphones aren't the best but it's better than the cheap earbuds normally packaged with phones. The headphone's wire lacks a slider because it's the behind the neck style wire where the left bud's wire is 1/2 to 1/3 the length of the right bud.
The bad:
-Subpar battery life unless all battery saving apps are on. Leaving WiFi connected alone drained the battery in half over night. Turning on extended battery saving mode and energy saver mode on the display will double the battery life to about 2 days of moderate usage. I've managed to average 25% of battery usage daily by just sending/receiving texts with minimal WiFi usage.
-Non-removable backplate and battery. Battery life estimations are exaggerated to say the least.
-Battery gauge was finicky at first. I charged it at 20% and the battery gauge would stay at 20% even though I charged it for a full night. Restarting the phone would show 100%. This glitch is now gone after a week of usage.
-No SD card expansion.
-Auto-rotate isn't sensitive enough, I have to swing the phone around a bit if I'm laying down and texting.
-Camera key is a little stiff. Focusing with the camera is easy, taking a snapshot takes quite a bit more effort.
Update: 12/08/12
-Be mindful of the proximity sensor on the phone or you'll end up hanging on whoever you're talking to. When your face is close enough to the phone, the screen will automatically lock however I'm used to using my shoulder to hold the phone against my face. The phone will go out of place and I'll end up hitting the End Call button really easily. Sony, if you're reading this, make the range on the proximity sensor go farther on future phones.
-Restart the phone every couple of days because the apps will drain the phone's battery life even after closing them. I've forgotten to restart my phone after a busy week and I find the battery life being drained down to 65% overnight.
-After a few months of usage, the phone isn't showing any signs of slowing down. I still love using this phone.
Update: 4/26/13
-Sony has finally delivered a 4.1 Jelly Bean update to the Xperia P. However this may have caused my phone to brick itself momentarily. One day, the OS just stopped being responsive so I restarted the phone, only to have to fail to initialize and get to the homepage. So I used sony's update software to hopefully just patch and update from ICS to Jellybean. This didn't work either so I had to reformat. I consequently lost all my contacts and apps installed but still kept everything in the storage part of the phone (music, photos, etc). Since this problem was an easy fix and accidents do happen I still recommend this phone. I am not sure if this is Android's fault or Sony's fault and if this proves to be persistent than I will assume it's Sony's fault and will update this review.
-On the plus side, 4.1 Jelly Bean adds Google Now and has updated the overall look of the phone ie screen lock, icons, menu layout, color themes etc. There is now a 'Stamina Mode' which replaced 'Extended Battery Mode' to increase battery life, it now provides an estimate of the stand-by time remaining. Sony Walkman has also been updated to have an equalizer and xClarity which is an automatic equalizer.