Showing posts with label daycares with video monitoring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daycares with video monitoring. Show all posts

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18.0 MP Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 55-250mm IS

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18.0 MP Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 55-250mm IS Lens + 16GB Card + Battery + Case + Filters + Tripod + Cleaning KitI am not a professional photographer but I love how this camera handles itself. I have been slowly upgrading my camera preferences over the last few years buying a new one every other year. It takes wonderful pictures & I can't wait to learn how to use all the features. I haven't used the tripod yet but the other accessories are handy. The bag is the perfect size and is holding up well. I use the camera for family outings and get-togethers. I no longer miss the cute shots of my toddlers running around or smiling only for a moment.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Digital Life High Performance VGA Monitor Cable - 16 ft. High Performance VGA cable

Digital Life High Performance VGA Monitor Cable - 16 ft. High Performance VGA cableI purchased this cable to display video from my laptop to my TV. Initially went to a major electronic store to purchase the same item for a little over 50% than Amazon's cost. Other than the great deal, the cable was easy to plug into the laptop and TV. The settings on the laptop and TV was somewhat a puzzle for me but I just pulled out the manuals for each. The quality of the cable works for me on the most part. The display image is sharp but I am not liking the size displayed on the TV. I am not sure if I can adjust the size but this has nothing to do with the performance of the cable.

I was extremely hesitant to purchase any VGA cable that was priced as low as this. All the reviews for similarly priced cables talk about how the picture is bad because of color, flicker, etc. I decided to search for a Monster VGA cable, because the name suggests high quality. I never expected to find a Monster, name brand, cable for under $20. I bought it with the hopes that it would work fine. This cable is excellent! I have an HD Laptop. This cable delivers the same HD picture to my HDTV and the cord is 16 ft long. I feel like I got a great deal.

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Bought this in May to connect my laptop to my hdtv. Around 5 months have passed and it is starting to malfunction. The tv started turning purple and flickering and I checked the connection. Wiggling the cable at the connection was confirmed to cause the problem. It is not the connector on the tv... it is where the cable goes into the connector on the cable itself.

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This cable works fine but I cant screw it into my Mac adapter. I need longer screws. The connection's not super tight so occasionally it disconnects and I have to plug it back in. I think I'm going to tape the two together since I never use it any other way. All of my other vga cable always screwed in fine. Don't know why this one doesn't.

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This cable was ordered for my office. It was exactly what we needed and exactly as described. We would order it again if necessary.

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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Panasonic HC-V720 3D Ready 1MOS HD Digital Camcorder with Wi-fi (black)

Panasonic HC-V720 3D Ready 1MOS HD Digital Camcorder with Wi-fiThe prices are slowly dropping on the Panasonic HC-V720. I believe this is the best camcorder in it's price class. I had mine in hand a few days before any serious effort to test the camera's functions and video quality. My out-of-the-box impression of the camera was that it is the best built of the camcorders in it's class that I have seen and I have been watching these for about six months. Later field use proved this to be a very sturdy, well built camcorder.

My first impression of the video quality out-of-the-box in default settings was that it was good but not great. It should be noted that I did not really shoot anything of particular interest and no attempt to better initial settings was done. After a few days, I finally had an opportunity to do some quality testing of the camera features at St. Augustine Zoological Park in St. Augustine Florida. That video can be seen on Youtube.com here; All the video footage is straight from the camera with hardly any post-production adjustment to image quality. The stills used were not from the camcorder but a couple other cameras our group had with us.

I recommend this camera highly. It is feature laden with lots of cool manual settings and adjustments you can make to refine your videos to be what you like. The Basic Owner's Manual will get you started but it doesn't begin to teach you the camera's capabilities. The provided PDF manual is extensive and very will done. It's easy to follow and understand. The touch screen menu is a snap but I am very intuitive with such things. Don't give up if you find it difficult, you can do amazing things if you learn the touch screen and it's necessary to take full advantage of the what the Panasonic HC-V720 Camcorder can do.

If you really want to get your head into your videos, this is one fine camecorder. The microphone is excellent. It records in 5 point surround or stereo modes. It has wind cancelling through the touch screen menu. The 21x optical zoom is outstanding too. If you get into the hybrid zoom (optical + digital), you'll need a pretty steady hand but the 5 point image stabilization does an amazing job up to a point. I think a monopod would resolve most issues up to it's 60x hybrid zoom. Any higher and a tripod is recommended. Colors are realistic and saturated except in low light. Low light performance is very good other than saturation of color which can be changed in post-production. The video I posted on youtube.com was produced using AVS4YOU software. A nice and reasonably priced video and audio editing suite.

Go get one and have a blast.

This is my 3rd camcorder in the past few years. The camcorder works great. Takes good video. And has a wider view than the Canon HV20 its replacing. That allows better shots imo.

Note: this unit does NOT record in MP4 format! Only AVCHD. I read the specs carefully at Panasonic site, and thought it did MP4 the way they worded it. You can "convert" the AVCHD to MP4 after you take the video, but it takes it down to a tiny resolution, and of course take a long time. I'm on a Mac, so if I want to just pull the AVCHD videos off the card to share on youtube, without using iMovie or something else, its a bit cryptic getting them due to the file structure. If they were MP4, I think it would be easier. But I'm not certain, as this is my first card based camcorder.

Now, the Wifi of this thing is horrible. The user interface and setup is torture. I've been fooling around with it for the past 4 days and still can't save to youtube. Panasonic has this thing called the Lumixclub. Its interface is completely confusing. I read the entire wifi section of the PDF manual, and it didn't help at all. When you get to the website (even FINDING the website is not easy, no lie) you will think your are in the wrong place. You use this Lumixclub to interface with Ustream and Youtube, and other social sites. In the end, I couldn't get anything but Ustream to work, and that was a struggle. I just can't believe they made this so confusing, and the wifi was the "main feature" of this camera.

What does work well is using iOS device to control the camera. There are 2 ways to do this. You can go directly from the camera to the iOS device, or from the camera, to your home router, then to your iOS device. You then have to download a free app to control the camera. This actually works really well. The app can do the same functions you can from the camcorder screen: start, stop, take snapshot, change recording resolution, zoom, etc. Basically a remote control. This is big to me, as I have this camera mounted stationary on a wall. When you are directly connected to iOS device, the lag is I'd say about 1 or 2 seconds. When you are connected through the home router, the lag is I'd say 5 to 10 seconds.

You can also playback on the iPad what you just recorded, and anything that is on the SD card. That also works pretty well.

However, to get anything OFF the SD card, you still have to have the LumixClub working. Thats where it gets a pain in the azz again, and forget about it.

I read a bunch of reviews on Canon's wifi cameras, and the wifi on them is horrible as well. That's why I went the Panasonic route. Looks like neither company can figure it out.

Editing:If you are doing traditonal editing with iMovie from the SD card, it converts it to the Apple Intermidiate Format. If you are uisng Final Cut Pro X, it uses the native AVCHD format, with no need to convert it.

I have a 3 year old Panasonic Viera tv that takes SD cards. No way could I get any video from the camear to play on the TV using the card slot. That was very disappointing to me.

In summary, the camera itself is very nice. I wish it recored to MP4 as well as AVCHD. The iOS as a remote control and viewing screen works well enough if you directly connect it. (note, this means the iOS device is not connected to the internet, just the camera. I have an old iPad I can dedicate to this task).

But anything beyond that, that uses the LumixClub, you will be pulling your hair out.

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This camcorder takes great quality video but was released without the availability of optional spare batteries (3 week backorder). The battery lasts about 1 hour and there is no way to charge it without an outlet. I was on the phone with Panasonic technical support for more than an hour to find another charging solution when electrical outlets are not available and there are no options. So if you are planning on recording anything that lasts much more than an hour in April 2013 and you can't keep the camcorder plugged in, then this is probably not the camcorder for you. Disappointing that Panasonic would release a camcorder without the optional batteries being available. Lastly, if you are a Mac user and want to upload into iMovie and still be HD, you will find the process very frustrating and even with 3rd party conversion software, it is a big hassle. We returned our Panasonic and got a camcorder that works seamlessly with Macs and had spare batteries available.

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I have had this camera for about a month and it is awesome, the picture stability feature is great. I use it for hunting vids and got a 2x zoom lens for it and it works phenomenal. The ability to set it to a manual settings or auto video set up with a touch screen is too easy. The picture quality in my opinion cant be beat!

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Built-in wide angle lens is a big plus with this camera, and appreciate the ease of attaching AC power. The only cons would be the short battery life (remedied by buying an after-market high capacity battery) and the need to drill down a few layers of commands to get to some functions. Overall, very happy with the purchase though.

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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

HP Photosmart M517 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

HP Photosmart M517 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical ZoomI previously owned a Canon Powershot A100, and I am so much happier with the HP Photosmart M517! This camera is ideal for novice photographers and experts alike! The user's manual is very easy to follow and understand, and the camera functions are extremely simple to use. I am very pleased with the picture quality, and had gorgeous pictures even on the very lowest image quality settings! This camera is worth every penny I paid for it, and I'd highly recommend it! It's definitely a superb quality camera!

I am a Grandma and not very adept at figuring out new fangled cameras expecially with printers. The printer is VERY easy to use and it's been nice when grandkids and friends come to our vacation house-we take many pictures and can send relatives and friends home with as many photos as they want. No going to the store to get them developed! A wonderful advantage to this camera/printer set! The printer has an included electric cord, or you can purchase a battery to run the printer without electricity. This camera takes several different quality photos depending what you set the "MPs" at. Even I learned how to set the MPs! The greater the "MPs," the clearer resolution of your photo. This model M517 goes from 3MPs to 5.2MPs, but I found that the lower MPs take VERY acceptable quality pictures. The higher the MPs, the less pictures your camera memory will hold before you'll need to delete some if you want to take more photos. So I purchased a 1GB memory card that can store several HUNDRED photos even on the clearest resolution. This is wonderful for vacations, weddings, etc.! It is very easy to delete "red eyes" in your photos before printing them and you can also "crop" the photos if you want a closer-up photo. The only "con" I have is that the rechargeable batteries do not last long-a few days depending on how often you have the camera on. The camera batteries are recharged when you "dock" (set the)the camera on the printer. I purchased a 4 pack of NiMH rechargeable batteries so I could always have spares on hand. The recharger charges the camera batteries in ONE HOUR. Charging batteries when the camera is docked on the printer takes several hours to do. The whole package has what you need to start taking pictures immediately-even ink and photo paper. Cables to connect to a computer and to a TV to view photos are all included. All in all, this Grandma is VERY satisfied with my new Photo Studio!

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I got this camera a few days ago and I must say that I am very, very satisfied. The price is great for a 5 megapixel, it is easy to use, very user-friendly. Its size is perfect: very small. The 2" screen is wonderful and the pictures this camera takes are surprisingly good. It comes with an internal 32 Mb memory, but I got a 1 Gb SD memory card. This memory card can store 618 pictures(5 megapixel) and more than 300 pictures at 5 megapixel best mode. It also comes with a rechargeable NiMH battery and an AC adapter to recharge it. I think HP should also include in the whole package a case for the camera, once there is none in the box. Finally, I am not sorry at all for having bought it...

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Easy to use and takes great pictures. You can edit on the printer or use a PC and the included HP Image Zone software for more advanced editing. Camera has all the features a casual user would need plus a few I'll probably never use. Printer produces excellent quality 4 x 6 prints. Printer is small enough to take on trips so you can have prints immediately. Can also show pictures and videos on a TV.

Wrist strap was missing from the box but HP had one delivered 3 days after I called Customer Support. I'd give this 5 stars were it not for battery problems. The rechargeable NiMH 'AA' batteries included will not hold a charge. They're rated for 150 shots but discharge within a day. I'm going to replace them with non-rechargeable lithium batteries, which are rated for 300 shots.

Overall an excellent camera and printer. I recommended it for anyone wanting a digital "point & shoot" camera.

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I purchased this camera-printer set for my husband about a year ago. It's performed very nicely over the last 8 months. The only thing is that taking close-ups can be a little bit tricky and the battery life seems very short between charges. Otherwise, I would buy it again.

Monday, February 17, 2014

SVAT CV0204DVR Web-Ready DVR Security System with 4 High-Resolution Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Su

SVAT CV0204DVR Web-Ready DVR Security System  with 4 High-Resolution Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Surveillance CamerasI recently bought this system and spent yesterday installing and tinkering with it. I am quite happy with it! Here are my thoughts: Everything that came in the box was as expected, save that the DVR didn't have an S-video output as I had seen it with before (I believe I bought an "upgraded" one which didn't have the output). I was initially disappointed, but later found that the regular video-only composite output worked fine for me. That was my only disappointment with the system, and it has turned out to be a non-issue. One of the big things I was looking for was ensuring that each camera didn't require a local power source, as I didn't relish the idea of running receptacles to each camera location. This one has a single cable with an S-video connector that runs to each camera and carries both power AND video signal, so that worked out great. Installation was a breeze (despite spending a day in my attic) and the components worked together the first time I put the system together. Bringing the picture up through the web was also a snap as well the instructions in the user guide are quite good for what you need to do. One of the biggest complaints about this system (and really all others in the sub-$1000 price range) that I had read before buying it is the lack of night vision clarity. I don't know what people are talking about with this particular system because I was impressed with the picture I got from the night vision from the cameras out to about 20 feet away from the camera in a completely dark inside room and with some lights (like indirect lighting through windows) my outdoor cameras were able to have a complete field of view. As far as installation, I am not a techie, but installing it was very straightforward and made sense. It went together quickly and though it took me a day to install, the majority of that time was spent running cables through walls and through ceilings to have all of the cables hidden from view. Data recording is a snap, and changing menu items is easy as well. The only thing I wish I had known before I installed the cameras is their field of view, which I had expected to be zoomed out a bit more than they actually are. Had I known what I was going to see, I would have probably mounted the cameras back a little further from the areas they are recording in order to get a better overall view. My suggestion would be to lay the system out BEFORE installing it to ensure that you are happy with the view that you have before you start drilling holes and running cable. Overall, I am very happy with the system and I have already recommended this system to a family member who is planning on buying it as well. I would highly recommend this to anyone!

My company bought this system to monitor an industrial robot. They work great and the picture quality is decent. It interfaced with our network easy enough. It is a great resource to be able to review the video history and even save screenshots and .avi videos to our pc's.

Only cons that kept this from getting 5 stars:

1. The camera mounts are terrible. They are poorly designed and have to be readjusted often. We fixed this by globbing silicone caulk around the base so they wouldn't move.

2. There is a well known hdd problem with these units. Apparently if you are recording and lose power, the hdd can get corrupted. This happened to us a few months after installing it. Luckily, all I had to do was use the reformat option in the menu and the hdd worked again even though we lost the data.

3. If you lose power you can lose all of your settings (camera setups and IP addresses) It can be a pain to fix but not that big of a deal.

4. When reviewing video history, the dvr makes chapters every 45-60mins. You pick one of these chapters and then have to ffw to the part you want to see. The ffw can be pretty slow and it takes awhile to get towards the end of the chapter.

Other than listed above we have been very happy with this system. At six hundred bucks you just can't beat it. We just ordered another and I'm sure it won't be the last.

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We recently purchased and installed the SVAT web ready DVR system at our place of business after being hit by thieves and vandals. The night vision cameras were unbelievably bright in a dimly lit area. Some of the features I like about this unit is of course the night vision cameras, the ability to view the cameras over the internet, the ability to record continuously or as motion sensors.

This unit was well worth the money. We have not been burglarized or vandalized since installing these. The presence is an excellent deterent. HOWEVER, If they come back -We are ready!

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SVAT CV0204DVR Web Ready DVR Security System w/4 High Resolution Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Surveillance Cameras I recently purchased this item after going through the past couple of years with some moderate vandilism and criminal mischief around our house (ie. taking our decorative hay bails and lining them up across the road, stealing our decorative garden light, and breaking into our backyard to let our dogs out ultimately with one getting struck by a vehicle.) Anyway, these events led me on the hunt for a way to secure the place my family lives. I researched many types of camera systems and even consulted some experts and with my security background I came to the conclusion I need something simple and easy to install. When I came across this product, I knew I found what I was looking for. Well priced, good coverage, connects to the tv in the living room or any tv in the house for that matter, and I can see it from anywhere in the world! One point here, if you work for the government or somewhere with major firewalls, don't plan on being able to access this system from their network, I already tried and it doesn't work. Anyway, the installation was easy, I did spend most of the day in the attic running cables, but it was worth it. As far as the night vision goes, it works fine for me, although it's so windy here I do have to keep the lenses clean of the dust that blows around. The pictures day and night are perfect for my needs and it's in full color during the day. I did have some trouble with my internet service provider at first when I was attempting to access the system over the internet. But, a couple of phone calls to the SVAT support desk and I was up and running without any problems except the whole government computer issue. I now have full coverage around the house and my worries are minimized.

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I recently bought this system it arrived on time and well packed. This being my first system that was not so complicated to set up. I really liked the power supply / cable connection set up SVAT has with this model. I get only B & W picture on my LCD TV not a big issue maybe needs adjustments and color off my computer.Day time camera pictures are very good and clear to 50 ft Night 25 ft and clear maybe more with outside lights. The best thing is to check the operation of the system prior to running the cables.Do a dry run with the cameras and check your angles set up was quick and simple after that.Up and running a week without any issues well worth the price so far. If not this model I recommend a security video system no matter what the perp says the tapes don't lie busted is busted Better security software & Remote would be a nice upgrade all in all I'm pleased

Monday, January 20, 2014

New Kamerar Tank TK-2 cage with rods support

New Kamerar Tank TK-2 cage with rods supportThis was my first camera cage. I run a small video production business as a hobby-gone-horribly-wrong, so take this all into consideration.

PROS:

* Affordable...This is the best cage I could find for the money.

* As the name "Tank" implies, it is very tough and sturdy. Nothing feels cheap or flimsy.

* The fit and finish is very nice and I noticed no scratches or overly sharp edges. The packaging was decent and it was really easy to figure out how to set it all up.

* The Tank will fit a T2i/T3i/T4i with battery grip or camera-only on a quick-plate. I hear it will fit a BMCC although mine is still on back-order so I was not able to confirm it.

* This beast has so many attachment spots that you will never outgrow it.

* The rods and tripod assembly are great quality just like the Tank. The rods are threaded on both sides so you can attach longer rods or use them in conjunction with other 15mm rigs.

* The Tank is very versatile and configurable. I was able to flip sections, subtract rods and configure it to my specifications quickly and easily. You may need to get a little creative to make it perfect for your camera.

Cons:

* The red twist knobs are not ratchets, they are static and may stick out depending on how much you need to twist them. Ratcheting twist knobs would be awesome, but you can always upgrade them later.

* This may not be the best rig for a Canon T2i/T3i/T4i (although it's what I use it for and will keep using it) for a few reasons. The battery cut-out on the bottom plate does not line up with the battery door on the camera (not sure what DSLR will work, maybe 5d/7d?), the Swiss rods interfere with the HDMI cable placement when using an external monitor,and the Swiss rods do not allow enough room to open the SD card slot. I was able to make all this usable by mounting the camera backwards on the Tank and removing one of the Swiss rods from the SD card slot side to fix all these issues. The Tank is still very stable with only three Swiss rods holding it together. The only problem I have not figured out yet is changing the battery while keeping the camera in the rig, I think an external battery option may be the best solution.

Overall the Tank is an awesome affordable cage to build upon. The rods are very usable and allow for a follow-focus and matte box in the front and you will need another set of rods with an adapter for the rear if you want to turn it into a shoulder rig. I have a 7 inch monitor on a magic arm, a zoom recorder, matte-box, follow-focus, and there is still plenty of room to spare. The possibilities are endless. The pros outweigh the cons. I am certain this rig will outlive my camera.

I hope this review helps you.

This cage is quite solid and large enough to fit my d800 with the zacuto zfinder pro guerrilla plate.

Made in the USA, at china prices. What else can I say?

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Yep it's true. Very solid aluminum construction and works great. Nice finish. You can attach almost anything you want and then some! Would be kool if it could accomodate a battery pack for my DSLR not tall enough. It is very solid and works with just the camera and has a spot to change the battery. 5 Stars for a taller one.

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This is going to add some weight to your rig, so make sure your tripod head can handle it. It is now too heavy to counterbalance on my 701HDV.

It gives me a ton of options for mounting mics, lights, monitors, etc. I had to remove a swiss rod to use the screen on my 60D, but it still works great.

The thumbscrews on the cage are not ratcheting. I had a problem with the one on the right rod blocking the battery door. I had to put some washers under it so that it would snug down out of the way.

I wish that some of the holes were either unthreaded 1/4" or more threaded 3/8" so I can bolt cold shoe adapters on without having them face the wrong way.

Overall the quality is very good. I would recommend this to anyone looking to add a support system without breaking the bank.

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I read several reviews before purchasing this cage, and I am glad I did. I love the build quality. Perfect for my needs.

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Saturday, January 18, 2014

JVC Everio GZHD7 3CCD 60GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabili

JVC Everio GZHD7 3CCD 60GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized ZoomIf you are more than a casual video user or if you have bought a video camera more than twice in the last 10 years I would say that you probably need a high end HD camera to satisfy you. For me, someone who has only owned 1 other video camera in the last 10 years I find this camera to be amazing. I do not shoot professionally and if i did there are many great HD solutions in the 3-6 grand range. Since this is not my business and I do not have money to burn this was the camera that satisfied all my needs. Those needs were: no tapes, large hard drive, HD quality or something far, far better than my old mini DV camera. I also needed to be able to archive the files on my mac which is a dual 800mhz G4 and possibly edit on the mac in imovie. This camera does all of that, and quite easily I might add.

I had no problems installing the codec that came with the camera for quicktime. Once I opened a clip in quicktime it did not play properly, however once I imported it into imovie it worked fine. I edited simple edits, added new audio and was satisfied for what I need. After all, all I will be doing with this is shooting the wife and kids.

JVC recommends A 1.25 Gigahertz G4 or higher, so do not complain about the camera not working smoothly on your mac unless you meet those requirements. They are stated on the GZHD7 box. I suggest the newest mac with 2 gigs of ram at least. In my experience, more RAM makes all the difference in the world. Eventually I plan to get a new mac to be able to handle the footage.

I have a 1080i sony plasma TV. The picture looked great. There was some banding of subtle gradients I shot. It was acceptable to me. Also the banding was not apparent on my mac in imovie. I think because my TV is already 2 years old it is not up to the same standards as the GZHD7 camera and my mac. Bottom line is the camera was producing better images on my mac than on my TV. Now all this is nonsense because I will be using this to mostly shoot video of my family and friends for recreational use. Compared to what my dad shot of us when we were kids and then the sandy grainy video we used in the 90s this camera is AMAZING. The quality is good enough for me and I would also add that any film student on a zero budget could easily get by with this. Like I said earlier, if you have the means and require perfect HD video, spend the few extra grand and go for the gold.

I have had this camcorder for about three weeks and have some useful information for the user and prospective buyer. I would also like to offer my opinions. Firstly, I bought this camera because I often need manual controls for focus etc. This camcorder fits the bill. I also didn't want a touch screen. I don't know why users want to plan on having to scratch and grunge up their display by having to touch it. I hate a screen that has been damaged and/or is dirty. This is what you ask for when you have a touch screen. This model uses, instead, a small joy stick which will help keep your screen nice and clear.

I was puzzled by the placement of the mounting hole on the bottom which is not centered as it should be. The professional lens is very nice and yields a quality picture. I have ordered two additional lenses to expand the 10X zoom range which is not enough for wildlife photography, my main use for this camcorder. The optional GL-V1846U Tele Conversion Lens is heavy. Perhaps it weighs as much as the camcorder. This makes the whole assembly front-heavy but not excessive. Using this lens, you will get a tunnel effect at 1X on the zoom. This will disappear at 2X and beyond. I have not yet received the GL-V0746U Wide Conversion Lens but expect that it will also be heavy. Together, these lenses will expand the total potential range from 0.7X to 18X (a span of over 25X).

A number of users on forums have had questions about how to use the TOD files that this camcorder produces. My platform is Windows XP. The camcorder comes with a Cyberlink software package that includes three programs: PowerCinema, PowerDirector and PowerProducer. PowerCinema allows you to browse and save video clips to your PC using a USB interface. You can play these TOD files from your PC's hard disk or directly from the camcorder. Few software packages know what to do with TOD files (even Cyberlink's). PowerDirector is an NLE video editor and when you go to import the TOD files, it converts them to MPG files in the process. What I do is to import them just for the side effect of getting the MPG files. PowerProducer seems to be a DVD authoring package. Now for the bad part. Many people have complained about the OIS not working very well. I can live with that because, with the higher resolution, you need to get used to using a tripod (or some other mechanical stablizer) anyway.

Users have reported that Pinnacle can use TODs directly but I have stopped using that package because it has some really bad behavior (including corrupting your project file when it crashes often). As it stands the MPG files are unusable for anything but static or nearly static scenes.

The pixel-shifting technique used in this camcorder allows its half-resolution triplet of CCD's (960 X 540) to stretch the images to full 1920 X 1080i so the image quality is probably below theoretical 1080i (but still better than 540i). Imagine what JVC could do with true 1920 X 1080 CCD's. This technique could produce a camcorder that rivals the Big Red One professional cinematic camcorder at a small fraction of the cost. At 3840 X 2160, its images could approach the 4K resolution of some very expensive equipment. My hat goes off to JVC.

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First of all let me deny all the idiotic reviews that keep copying one another that this camera produces inferior video. This is 3ccd baby produces unmatched quality footage with perfect color separation, great sharpness and smooth operations. Technically speaking this camcorder is way over the category it was placed in. HD7 has a Fujinon PRO lens with 3(!!!) AS EL elements and it has consistent 1,8-1.9 aperture all across the range while Canon and Sony are 3 on the tele end.

I also deny any credibility to "reports" that claim its weak low light performance. I own vx2100 that is THE BEST low light camera for any price below $5000 and this hd7 is very near.

The optical image stabilization works very well, it is not supposed to suppress all shaking but for what it is billed it produces! I have absolutely no problems with it. In fact the image stabilization in this JVC keeps up MUCH BETTER than Sony VX2100! I linked two cams and shot the same footage with both. JVC wins easily and unequivocally.

I edit with FinalCut and using the free utility I downloaded from Internet all the footage is ready for edit in two minutes. The 60Gb of the drive makes a superb storage. To mention this camera has all the belts and whistles of full scale pro or near pro camcorder and if you know what you are looking for it is a steal for the money. Not to mention that it is pleasure to hold camera, quality made and convenient to operate.

Well, this camera awarded "Best expert camcorder of the year 2007" by META(!!!), so if you you are looking for a camcorder under $2000 it is a best you can get. You can get slightly better one for $3000 but it will not be so nicely compact and ready for the action.

I was stunned to see how competition tries to discredit superior product by pouring fake review supported by morons.

Do not use software included with the camcorder. Download free MPEG StreamClip that is SUPERB program!

For a full Professional review and complete instruction how to use it with Final Cut go to digitalcontentproducer.com and look for first and second parts of the review on this camcorder, it includes complete illustrated instructions! I use in Final Cut and I do not use FireWire with this camcorder at all!

I download full resolution footage via usb2 just like described in aforementioned review and footage is very quickly and without conversion in full quality is available is for editing (it can simply unwrap it in the same format as it is on the hard drive of gz-hd7).

I can't comment on iMovie as I do not use one. But for Final Cut it is a snap. BTW, also allows shooting events (like plays for example) that last longer that cassette allowed).

If you buy a camcorder to enjoy convenience, great image quality and boundless creativity it is the best thing you can buy.

Read Best Reviews of JVC Everio GZHD7 3CCD 60GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabili Here

I bought this camera and the JVC CU-VD40 Share Station DVD Burner for HD Everio Camcorders. Our goal was to get an HD camera that was the best, and tape our kids, etc in HD. When we wanted to send a copy of the big game off to Grandma's house so she could pop it into her DVD (in SD) we could just push a button and make it so. If you look at the JVC website this combo should fit the bill! So, $2000 later... The camera is really nice, easy to use, full of useful features, and is well built. My wife and I both sat down, read the manual and figured it out in very little time. We videotaped the dog doing a trick and went and played it on our plasma. Nice picture! Shot a few more dog tricks and kids and then we decided to open the CU-VD40 "Share Station" and hook it up. Piece of cake, very intuitive in fact I'll bet my 8 year old could burn a DVD off this thing. It's literally as easy as plug it in-click-click-click-burn. Here's the rub: the "DVD Burner" spits out a DVD of your selected recordings that CAN ONLY BE PLAYED BACK ON THE CU-VD40. I asked JVC why they call it a share station... Exactly who am I able "share" this with? This unit spits out a DVD "that cannot be played on normal DVD players" (manual, page 47 small print). So I called JVC who denied it but when I pointed it out, they confirmed it. The CU-VD40 is essentially an "archiving" burner. At $400, I'd say its the most expensive DVD archiving method known to man. The manual also said the DVD could be played back on a PC... Not the 3 PC's in my house. So, if you're an HD movie maker and love to burn things to your PC and edit them YOU CANNOT BEAT THIS CAMERA. If you don't like having to go through a PC, but would rather just burn a DVD on the fly not gonna happen. JVC's Tech Support solution: Shoot your video in SD and it will work like a charm.... Ummmm why did I just buy a $1600 HD camera if I'm going to wind up shooting in SD. Anyway, after more research, I found nobody has a solution that will do this (shoot in HD and burn in SD). So I kept the camera and returned the CU-VD40. The camera is just too good to return.

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I bought this camera as an upgrade from my trusty Canon GL1. The light weight, compact size, high def, three CCDs, and hard drive recording are real pluses. I was considering the Sony HDR-SR1 AVC HD 30GB but was concerned about the inability to edit their new format. I edit my video in Adobe Premiere Pro and burn DVDs. Video is stored on the hard drive in *.TOD format, which is uneditable. However, included software converts it to MPEG-2 for editing. I assume the *.TOD format will allow the video to be converted to future video formats. Each video sequence is recorded as a separate file with ascending numbers (001 999)._

The picture quality is superb, the camera fits one's hand well and the controls are well placed. To avoid shaky video, I would recommend using the viewfinder rather than the LCD screen. Holding the camera in outstretched arms drastically decreases stability. In addition, LCD screens are hard to visualize in outdoor light. The only missing feature is 5.1 Dolby surround sound (available only on the Sony unit (one CCD)); however, I wonder how practical that feature is on a compact camera with small mics. I often remove sound tracks from my videos and add appropriate background music during editing.

I am looking forward to an upcoming European trip, after which I will edit and prepare a DVD. Apparently, HD can be burned to single or dual-density discs (I believe 20 to 40 minutes per disc). My next purchase will be a Blu-Ray burner.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Swann SW244-BVD DIY BandW Video Doorphone

Swann SW244-BVD DIY BandW Video DoorphoneFirst of all, the item description is incorrect. This unit does not have an LCD screen, nor is the screen flat. It uses a mini projection CRT that projects up at the curved screen surface. Consequently, there is distortion of the image (stretched on the edges), and definitely not high-res. Also, the manual claims a larger field of view angle than it actually has. I'm an engineer and I measured it to be about 40 degrees across the center of the screen. Consequently, you won't see that much of your visitor and there may be a problem viewing both short and tall visitors. Well, the item is pretty inexpensive at just $92, so all this might be excusable, but there were also a serious functional problem. The doorbell button on the camera would not work correctly up to 50% of the time. I had to return the unit as defective.

The picture is good.

Installation easy.

My complaint is: Someone at your door must push the button for you to see them.

I would like to be able to turn the camera on from inside my house.

I would like to be able to start the conversation from in the house if they don't push the talk button. With this system I can't.

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Just installed it a few weeks ago. Works great. easy to install. I wish the camera tilt upward had one more step (I had to use the existing audio-only location for the outdoor module, it's a little too low) but this is my problem, not the device.

Not worth the extra $100 to get a color version, this is more than sufficient and half cheaper

Read Best Reviews of Swann SW244-BVD DIY BandW Video Doorphone Here

I don't review products often, if ever, but this video doorphone needs another good one. It's super easy to install and works great. I bought this one for my office and may buy another for my home.

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This is an excellent product and was very easy to install. I has it up and running in about an hours time. It's great security to see who is at your front door before you open it.

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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Nikon D5200 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens (Black) with 55-300mm VR Lens +

Nikon D5200 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 55-300mm VR Lens + 32GB Card + Backpack + Grip + Battery & Charger + Filters KitVery good Thailand made photo-camera. The package has come quickly and it contained all items as described. I've tested it a lot, specially in HD movie mode. I am very pleased.

Very happy with purchase. The camera is great along with the additional items that came with the bundle, lenses, grip etc.

Buy Nikon D5200 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens (Black) with 55-300mm VR Lens + Now

Monday, October 28, 2013

FI8918W FOSCAM wifi wireless indoor IP Camera, 2-way audio, night version up to 8 meters, mobile vi

FI8918W FOSCAM wifi wireless indoor IP Camera, 2-way audio, night version up to 8 meters, mobile view, Color:WhiteFirst-Quality:

I think the picture quality of this camera is awesome. We have been using it for about 3 months now. The picture is clear enough where we can see by looking at the monitor if our daughter is breathing while she's sleeping. We can also see if her eyes are open, or if she spit up. The night vision is incredible, just as clear as with daylight. Before my daughter was born we used this camera as a security camera and it was perfect for that as well. We plan on purchasing one or two more to use as security cameras.

The biggest con of this camera, at least with ours, has been audio. We have never gotten clear audio from either our PC or our iPhones. We have an AngelCare Movement & Sound Monitor and we use that for audio to monitor our daughter.

Second-Configuration:

I did not find this camera nearly as hard to configure as it seems some others have. I found the instructions to be satisfactory. I would say I've had some experience with computers, but never with network configuration or installing anything like this.

The DNS service the instructions tell you to use is no longer free. You can find free sources, but it's not built into their software the way DynDNS is. So, I just paid the $20 for a year of service from DynDNS and followed the instructions and it worked.

I then paid $4.99 for the Foscam Surveillance Pro app on the iPhone. The app rocks. I can take screenshots or video, pan/tilt the camera, and there's a talk button as well so I can use the 2-way talk from my iPhone.

In total it cost me about $110 and about 20 minutes to get this camera working. The average video baby monitor costs between $150 $300 these days and are not viewable from your computer at work or on your smart phone. The downside to this would be that it will only work as long as your internet is working. Comcast screwed up royally over and over again when we moved and it took about 10 days for us to have internet, and therefore, no monitor during that time.

Overall, if you're not computer illiterate, and you don't mind paying the $20 a year for DynDNS's services (or taking the time to figure out how to use a free service similar to it), I would recommend this camera for you.

If you only plan on using this camera locally via WiFi (no web access) then you don't even need to worry about DynDNS or similar service. My husband and I will be buying more of these low-priced, high-quality cameras!

UPDATE: It's now October 31st (happy halloween) and we've been using this camera for several months now. With our set-up I still have no complaints. In fact, the reason I'm back here is because we're ordering another one to put in another room in our house.

It may be complicated to set-up in the beginning, but once it's ready, you're rewarded with clear picture, amazing night vision and the convenience of using this on my smart phone.

I did bump it down from 5 stars to 4 stars because the audio feature is not really usable, although we've used it before if our other monitor is not within reach. There's a lag and lots of static. Still, I plan on ordering at least 2 more!

I had an old DLink IP cam from years ago. I gave that away so I was looking for a new one. Nothing really stood out on the Amazon site for wireless IP cameras well, there were, but they were out of my price range. For me, I just needed to test the waters as far as wireless IP cameras were and the price swayed me to get this one. The camera is pretty good in the dark, it works pretty well till about maybe 10 feet after that, it's like looking into a black hole. The color during daylight is off, but otherwise, images look good. Well worth it.

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This camera is great as a baby camera or indoor security camera. It has a lot features including wifi/wired access via http, ftp, msn, etc. The night vision is very clear. The documentation was sometimes hard to decipher. Be sure to update the firmware!

Read Best Reviews of FI8918W FOSCAM wifi wireless indoor IP Camera, 2-way audio, night version up to 8 meters, mobile vi Here

A pain to set up the wireless and port forwarding, but a pleasure to have and use it when all said and done.

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The reviews for this camera were great, overall, so I bought one to use as a baby monitor. I consider myself in the middle when it comes to technical savvy. This camera is not for the faint of heart of those that get confused by DHCP, IP, ActiveX downloads, death loops of error messages and so on.

I was thrilled to find that the instructions were all contained on a 4x4, 20 page booklet....not a whole lot to do. I like to have electronic copies of manuals so I hit their website and found that the actual installation and manual is 48 pages of dense text on letter sized paper...that was my first tip off that the install wasn't going to be easy.

I tried the install on two different Windows 7 machines; one of which was brand new and, therefore, as pristine as a machine could get. The software installed just fine in about 10 seconds each time. I rebooted as prompted. I launched the IP Camera app, saw my camera listed as Annymous with the IP address, double clicked it (horrificly amateur user interface on that app by the way) and was taken to what looked like a control panel of sorts.

There were virtual dials and knobs and controls to move the camera around. Where one would normally see the image from the camera, I had a nice large black box with a smaller white box in the upper left hand corner which contained a red X...basically I needed to download and install an Active X control. I was prompted to do this on both machines, I selected Install, gave the install app permission to install, and got some weird message saying that Windows had found a problem with the file. My only option was OK so I clicked it and I was once again asked if I wanted to install. Death loop. The only way to end it was to hit No several times.

This sounded like a Windows problem so I tried it on the other PC with the exact same results. At that point, I was convinced that it was an install program issue, was indicative of how the product would function, and put the whole thing back in the box.

Even the instructions are ambiguous. Here are a few samples:

"If you use Windows7 and could not find the icon on desktop after installing the IP camera tool, please check if the path of the camera software is correct. For example, if it was pointing to C:\Windows\System32\IPCamera.exe.

Then fix this by pointing the shortcut to the correct path C:\Windows\SysWOW64\IPCamera.exe. The shortcut should work without any problems." What? Why not update your install program?

"Please don't upgrade the firmware freely. Sometimes, your camera may be damaged if configured wrong during the upgrade. If your camera works well with the current firmware, we recommend not upgrading." What is the purpose of a firmware update then? Do they magically know to only include fixes that are causing every malfunction?

"If you could not view living video after running the activeX. Only a red cross in the center of the video or just a black screen. Please change another port number to try. Don't use port 80.Use port 85, 8005 or 8100 to try." What is living video? Who taught this person grammar and sentence structure? Who let them write end-user technical reference material?

I am sure this is a good camera...for the married-to-your-computer type of person who thinks it is great to spend hours tweaking and configuring things knowing that you'll get to repeat it all in case of failure or new routers or whatever. Not for me...I value my time far too much to waste another minute trying to tweak and fix my network, or decipher the first grade writing in the manual.

Monday, October 21, 2013

JPQuality® 6ft Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable for Motorola Droid RAZR & Droid 3

JPQuality® 6ft Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable for Motorola Droid RAZR & Droid 3We hook up our Razr to the TV and watch YouTube and get on Facebook, design photos, this cord is fantastic because sometime when your viewing things on your phone you just want them to be bigger, this gives you that.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens + 10p

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens + 10pc Bundle 16GB Deluxe Accessory KitBEFORE YOU START READING: This is a pretty comprehensive review of the T3i and some lenses at the end of the review. Be prepared to read a lot, or just skip to the other reviews that say things like "Great camera, takes pretty pictures of babies!" if that is more your style. I have tried to offer an unbiased and comprehensive review of the T3i.

The T3i / 600D is such an excellent buy. Let me get this out of the way first though, it only has a few small advantages over the T2i, so if you don't need the things I'm about to list, then save some money and buy the T2i. For me though, I absolutely needed the following:

T3i advantages over the T2i

*Flip out LCD screen

*Digital zoom in video mode

*Adjustable Audio levels in video mode

*Built in flash control

*In camera guide (Ok, I didn't need this feature but it is great for beginning DSLR users)

The T2i will still offer the exact same image quality and processing. The only main difference is that the T3i is much better for video as a result of the things listed above. My review will be on the T3i, but if you are only plan on using your Camera for still images, you can save $100 or so with a T2i. I use my camera a lot for video so the T3i was an essential upgrade for me.

Ok, now on to the T3i full review! Excellent image quality and potential movie quality HD video (it's all about the lenses). The camera shoots pretty sharp images with the 18-55mm kit lens. It has amazing sharpness and contrast with the 50mm f/1.8 lens that I bought additionally for $107. (Prime lenses, i.e. non zoom lenses will always offer sharper images and perform better in lower light settings due to a wider aperature.) If you are dissatisfied with pictures from this camera, then get a better lens or learn how to use it better. It is definitely NOT the camera itself. The T3i is capable of world class quality images/video if fitted with the proper lens and in the hands of a good photographer.

The botton layout and overall camera functionality is a 10/10. I have no complaints at all and everything just makes sense with the location and useability. It has dedicated buttons for almost every fruntion and the menues are quick to access and it is very easy to adjust settings. It has good locations for all of the ports and the battery/memory card slots.

The LCD is super bright, detailed and the best in the Canon line at this time. The flip out feature is amazing if you are shooting overhead or have your camera low to the ground. It may help you avoid crawling in the mud for that great shot. It is also nice for self portaits and any other time you won't be directly behind the viewfinder/LCD screen.

The quick burst mode allows me to take 8-9 photos in rapid succession, so it is great for action / sports photography. The 18-55mm kit lens that it comes with is great for non professional photographers and offers amazing image quality compared to my old Canon Powershot S5. Eventually if you want to get into more serious photography, you will want to upgrade the kit lens to something better with a lower aperature rating. (aperature essentially means how much light your lens takes in. This has two benefits, it allows you to shoot in darker settings, and allows you to have a faster shutter speed set.)

The 1080p HD video can be shot at 24fps or 30fps. It also has standard video recording options as well. The camera has a dedicated video mode selection and can be set to manual mode in the menu for a full customization of settings including shutter speed, aperature, ISO, ect. The video this thing shoots is just stunning. A small note though about the T3i and all other DSLRs on shooting video. When using them for video, there is a max video size that SD memory cards will allow you to use. When shooting in 1080p HD video a typical limit to videos are either around 12 minutes or 4GB, whichever comes first. These are the stats for this camera, but all DSLRs have similar numbers. You can extend the time by shooting in standard definition, but it still has a cap. Most videographers shoot in shorter sequences anyways, so this isn't really an issue. It is just something to take into consideration if you want to do interviews or other long scenes. Again, this goes for all DSLR videography though, and not just the T3i.

The build quality is good for what it is; a pro-sumer camera. It doesn't feel cheap by any means. It is a lighterweight DLSR and does not feel as solid as the pro level DSLRs but it costs MUCH less. The T3i still has a solid construction. Though, I would not want to drop it or leave it out in bad weather. I got a Delkin Pro Skin for the T3i, and a battery grip and it feels much more like a pro level camera now and feels better balanced with larger lenses. It is not sealed, dustproof and waterproof like the 7D or the 5D. The 60D has a better build quality and not much more expensive. It is also worth checking out. The 60D is slightly better for stills photography while the T3i is slightly better for shooting videos. You can see a number of reviews and comparisons on youtube.

It has great auto settings, though I CERTAINLY recommend learning how to really use your camera and you can take your photography to a whole new level. Having said that, IF you choose to only use the full auto / creative auto settings, you'll have a jaw dropping quality point and shoot camera. Again, I would recommend learning the settings, but for those of you who want great quality photos for birthdays and family get togethers, the T3i will exceed your expectations and is still very easy to use, thanks to the "In Camera Guide." If you really want to use your camera to the best of it's abilities, spend some time reading through the manual, watching how to videos on youtube and read online articles on improving your photography. There are an incredible amount of resources available online for free. spend some time, do the work and it will definitely pay off in the long term.

The accessories that come with this package are great for beginners too. I'll eventually be upgrading the tri-pod and the camera bag, but they will certainly be in use for a while until I decide to spend the big bucks on nicer gear. The 16gb card is great, the gear bag is decent quality, the screen protectors were a nice touch and the extra battery is an essential item for any photographer.

Overall, the T3i was the perfect camera for my needs. Of course I would love to have a 7D or a 5D, but it is much smarter to spend money on better lenses than to get too hung up on the camera body. Overall, I would recommend the T3i 100%. I am completely satisfied with my purchase, how much I spent, and the value I really recieved from such a great quality camera.

Here is an bonus list of lenses worth buying to build your collection. I will provide a list of lenses that are great for the value, and a list of my want but will probably never be able to afford lenses.

Great lenses for the value (notice I didn't say cheap, but excellent for the value):

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Zoom The kit lens that comes with this package. (The only reason not to buy this lens if if you are upgrading to a more expensive lens pretty quickly. This is probably THE BEST value lens around, Period. It has good contrast, sharpness, and overall image quality. There is definitely room for improvement, but at the price, this thing is a steal. This lens will suit many peoples needs for a long, long time. For photographers on a budget, this lens is a must have.)

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II $110(BEST lens for the value aside from the 18-55mm kit lens)

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto $390 (A super great lens for indoor and darker settings. More expensive the than 50mm f/1.8 but if you have the money, this lens is worth the upgrade).

Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD Large Aperture Standard Zoom $670 (MUCH better than the Canon 18-55mm kit lens. Not cheap, but an excellent substitute for the Canon 17-55 f/2.8 and about $440 cheaper than the canon with only slight differences in image / video quality. Some people even prefer the Sigma. This is a great lens with excellent walk around ranges. This will be my always on lens for probably 90% of the time. This or the Canon 17-55 are a must have for video users).

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM $400 (Great 30mm prime lens at a decent cost.)

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto $400 (Great for macro photography and a decent telephoto distance.)

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM $570 (One of the best lenses for micro/macro photography)

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom $675 (One of the top rated telephoto lenses around and a must for sports photographers.)

A lens that isn't quite as good but definitely deserves some attention:

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP Aspherical (IF) Zoom $460 (A cheaper alternative to the Canon 17-55 and the Sigma 17-50mm. It is still better than the Canon 18-55mm kit lens. It has great image quality but lacks the Image stabilization that the other two offer (which is essential if you want to use your camera as a handheld often). Tamron offers an IS version of this lens, but tests have shown that it isn't quite as sharp and it is slower than the Sigma and Canon and the autofocus isn't as good. Based on the research I've done online, I'd prefer to buy the Sigma for $50 more than the IS (well Tamron calls it VC) version of this lens.) All that said, this is an excellent lens at a good price if you plan on using a tripod most of the time.

Amazing lenses that are expensive list:

Tokina 11-16/2.8 AT-X 116 PRO DX $720 (Best wide angle lens around, in many people's eyes.)

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens $1600 (One of the best lenses on the market if not THE best. Great image quality, excellent contrast. The only thing this baby is missing is Image Stabilization.)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM $1075 (Excellent range, Image stabilization, contrast and picture quality. One of the best lenses after the Canon 24-70mm. For some it may be the best, if they need the IS.)

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM $1100 (Not to be confused with the 18-55mm Canon kit lens. Many people consider this to be THE best lens available for APS-C body cameras, i.e. T2i, T3i, 60D ect. The only downside is that this lens CANNONT be used on full frame cameras. i.e. 5D, 1D.) It is essentially an L quality lens as far as image quality goes. Amazing quality sharpness, contrast, minimal fringing and flaring, and just a fantastic lens. It does lack the L lens quality build though.

Final Note: This is not a comprehensive list, nor am I a professional photographer. I am simply a guy who did a ton of research and wanted to contribute and give people a decent place to get started with camera and lens selection. I certainly encourage each of you to do you own research and find out what suits your needs best. You can certainly find cheaper cameras and lenses out there. I take photography pretty serious and want the best quality images/videos possible for a reasonable price. In most cases, you really do get what you pay for. Thanks for reading.

I received the shipment promptly. The camera is terrific and I'm enjoying it. However, the "Accessory Kit" was seriously lacking the bag was not the one pictured and was no more than a simple foam rubber bag in which you might store a six pack, there was no memory card or "Jumpstart" DVD, and the other items were cheap (among others, a wipe, some Q-tips and tiny unmarked bottle of what I assume is "cleaning solution").

When I wrote to complain about the bag, I received a reply a number of days later that they would send the pictured bag as a "one-time courtesy." A COURTESY? For delivering the item that was advertised? I NEVER received a reply about the two missing items. That was a week ago ... and TODAY I received an e-mail asking for a contact number so that a customer service representative could speak with me. I replied that I would not give them my contact number, I would not be speaking to a representative, and I expected the three items (the replacement bag, missing memory card, and missing DVD) sent immediately. I'm not holding my breath.

My advice ... SKIP this third-party seller and the completely unnecessary "accessory kit" order just the camera from AMAZON.

Buy Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens + 10p Now

I would be a fool to say I don't love this camera. However, do yourself a favor and shop around and make sure you know what you are paying for before you click the "buy" button. STAY AWAY FROM ZEEMO DIGITAL:

1. They advertise a NEW CAMERA..... I received a loosely packaged camera and accessories in a brown general box. NOT EVEN A CANON BOX.....

2. The Accessories are great if you are using a small point and shoot camera. for a DSlR... FORGET IT! you will never be able to get the quality shot you want with the tripod they deliver. and you will NEVER be able to carry all your goods with the bag they offer.

3. The Batteries are NOT (at least in my order) CANON batteries. and drain so fast you will barely get 100 pics per charge.

4. The other smaller accessories are not needed for anyone living in the 21st Century. TRUST ME

5. ZeeMo attempted to persuade me from waiving my Freedom of Speech rights by telling me they would send me a better bag and tripod if I deleted my negative add off of AMAZON. Because "a negative ad hurts sales so much". I originally did this then, after the difficulty I was having with the battery I decided, TOUGH! The internet needs to be warned.

I will say that ZeeMo did send me a Tripod and a Camera bag that they thought was better than the first ones they sent. NOT really. neither tripod stands to wind very well and the bags barely have room for the camera and two lenses.

And, they did send me a Canon Battery they say is new. but it wasn't in original packaging (I received it in a small plastic baggie with no packaging at all, for all I know it came from a floor model.

So, shop around and trust me stay away from ZeeMo. (oh, ZeeMo DO NOT CONTACT ME WE. OUR BUSINESS IS COMPLETE!)

Read Best Reviews of Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Zoom Lens + 10p Here

Using the camera is fun. I would recommend this camera because it is an excellent camera. I take it most places I go. Pictures are excellent! It is very user friendly and the camera kit pieces are very helpful.

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I probably spent a good 6 months researching DSLR cameras before committing to the Canon Rebel T3i. First, I was debating between a Nikon or Canon. After borrowing my friend's Nikon and another friend's Canon and playing around with both for a few months, I decided on getting a Canon and after looking through all my Canon options and price points, I felt like the Rebel T3i was the perfect match for me.

The Canon's lighter than Nikon, which I prefer. I like how the keys/buttons are situated and it feels comfortable on my hands. I also love how the LCD display screen can be moved around. Not only does that make it easier to shoot some difficult shots, I also like to swivel the screen around to face the inside of the camera to protect the screen while I'm not using the camera.

This kit is also great! I've used everything in the kit and it's great that I didn't need to go out and buy things separately.

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Samsung S16 WiFi HD Camcorder with 64GB Built-in SSD Memory & 15x Optical Zoom

Samsung S16 WiFi HD Camcorder with 64GB Built-in SSD Memory & 15x Optical ZoomI was searching all data on HD camcorders and basically, as most consumers, looking for the range in which I can afford. When I first searched for the camcorders based on performance, features, storage capacity, the ranges came up and above $900+. This was out of my range.

Then I went to brands, quality and actual customer reviews and sample videos from consumers.

I went to youtube to search for actualy consumer video tests and samples.

I searched Canon, Panasonic, Sony, etc.

As Canon and Sony came up on top rated, i also read a lot of negative comments, noisy this and noisy that, or this complaint and that complaint. When I went to samsungs big gun the S16, i read almost no complaints aside from "this feature was not here", but in terms of quality no negatives.

The thing that got me to buy it was Amazons incredible price compared to others.

I got a great deal that disappeared in a day so i was lucky.

Cons:

1. When I turn on the camera it defaults zoomed in a little. I always need to zoom out or advise anyone to zoom out prior to recording

2. I wish it had "night vision" like Sony. This is not needed, but a nice feature to have.

3. No built in light for filming outside. Like camping or walking around. I believe you need to buy a light attachement for that.

4. Wifi is awesome, but mainly and prefered to be used with Samsung TV, products, etc.

I prefer cable, but the Wifi is a great feature to use.

If you pay full price, please look at other camcorders, but the deal I got, it was great!

There are a lot of options in this camcorder that I might not use, but they are good features to have.

SLow motion is awesome, as well as the time lapse. I bought this for my first child and believe I can use this for a long time. oh yea, 64GB internal SSD, i will never need those expensive high capacity memory cards.

High lights

good quality pictures/video. HD video

DNLA work as it supposed to work

Tricky to take pictures. you need a VERY STEADY hand or the photo will be blury

easy to operate

Battery life, is acceptable, but not great

WIFI works, easy to configure

Menus are easy to navigate

LIVE BROADCAST. doesn't work, there is option in the North American version. Only the KOREAN version can do it.

( maybe needs a firmware update or not enabled in the NA version due to some kind of regulations)

For the Price, is not worth it. unless can do the LIVE Broadcast.

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After ~ 2 months of use I have mixes feelings about results, and life expectancy of tis camcorder.

Here are some of the positives:

1 Ease of use

2 Good choice of connections from HDMI to Wi-Fi

3 Excellent storage; 64 GB; more than what the average user need without the need for frequent transfers to offline storage.

4 Good wide angle focusing

5 Wind cut is a good option for outdoor recording

6 LED light is a good addition for close up picture taking.

Now here are some of the negatives:

1 Poor battery life...don't expect more than 60-70 min life in HD recording.

2 Digital zoom is useless. However, the optical zoom range is as good as advertised.

3 Still picture is no better than a cheap 5 MP camera. I certainly expected more from a unit of this price.

4 Samsung Inteli Sync software crashes on Win 7 64bit system.

5 USB data throughput extremely slow even on my Win 2007 server with 16 GB RAM, and 2 TB free space. It takes close to 45 minutes to transfer 16 GB data from the camcorder to my computer. This is about twice the time it took my Sony camcorder to transfer the same amount of data.

6 Unit often loose focus when zooming in-out, and on fast action subjects like soccer games.

7 Clicking sound from rocket T-W switch can be heard on the recording.

Regarding life expectancy of this unit i am not convinced that it will last very long based on some of the inconsistiencies observed to date. Things like not powering on when you open the LCD screen, having to do a factory reset twice in 2 months; ETC.

Overall, I think Samsung should have done a much better job with this unit.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung S16 WiFi HD Camcorder with 64GB Built-in SSD Memory & 15x Optical Zoom Here

I like this camera for the fact that is uses an SD card. I've had Hi-8 tapes, Mini-DVDs, and now this. This is the simplest form of recording yet. I love it! It's easy very easy to use and the pictures are sharp (HD). Transferring files is such a snap now!! I would very much recommend this camera.

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Samsung is the only camcorder manufacturer that I've purchased from that doesn't have a one-year labor and parts warranty. The LCD screen one day started to have all these black lines and spots in the center and sides on the display after 5months and I called Samsung to request a repair and was told I needed to pay half the repair cost plus shipping even though it is a manufacturer defect. For such an expensive camcorder I am really disappointed with such a lousy warranty and reliability issues. This will be my first and last Samsung product I will purchase.