Dell DisplayPort (Display Port) to HDMI Video Adapter, Connect or Cable - TK041 / 0TK041

This product worked fine on my dell laptop. Happy with the product and simple to use no setting needed to be updated. Would buy again if I ever needed it or someone ask me I will Recommand this product

Cable worked great sending both high quality video and audio from my Dell E6400 laptop to a Sony flatscreen TV. Didn't have to change any setting to make it work, just plugged the cable in the laptop Display port, plugged the HDMI end into the TV and whoola perfect audio and video. Very happy with purchase.

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I bought this adapter to connect my laptop docking station to my TV at home.

I purchased this product having trying a less expensive Displayport to HDMI cable that ended up being faulty.

It was a little bit more than what I had wanted to spend (taking into account you need another HDMI cable as well), but it works. Video and audio come through well. The only thing I am not sure about is that the image is extending beyond the TV's boarder. It is cutting off the length of about half of the task bar from all sides. I'm not sure if this is due to resolution settings or not. I'm still working on that.

I found this adapter on a few other websites for less, but Amazon was the only one that would state that it was a new unit. With my previous experience with a faulty cable I knew there was a chance that I would need to return it, and Amazon's return system is the best I have worked with.

It shipped quickly, and it works. I'm very satisfied with it.

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It allows me to display my pc on our big screen. Makes it a very nice huge monitor. Working from home is easy.

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I usually use this cable adapter to run movies from my Dell laptops priority display port to any TV that has an HDMI port. High quality handy little doo-dad, Was out of state as a guest at a meeting and the AV equipment was missing some cables so they couldnt hook up as required. Pulled this little cable out of my bag and found a long HDMI cable from their TV in their break room and saved the day.

Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 Zoom Lens with Built-in Motor + 3 UV/FLD/CPL Filters + Trip

Nice package of goodies for the same price as most places charge for just the lens. The lens itself works nicely. Sharpness is better than I'd expect for a lens at this price point. I have all Nikon lens and needed a long lens (over 200mm) for my kids sporting events. I didn't want to spend alot so I took a chance on this Tamron. Even without the vibration reduction at 300mm the outdoor shots are sharp. Low light, not so good. The motor hunts sometimes when lots of targets are at different distances. I'm used to the quickness of Nikon auto focus and this is slower but still very usable in most situations.

The macro is very good as well. The pix are sharp, edge to edge and color shows little signs of bleed.

The construction is what would be expected for an inexpensive lens. Although it feels good and handles well, I would be careful to not bump into anything. Switching to manual focus is easy. The zoom is smooth. Getting into and out of macro requires you to take your eye off the subject, look at the lens and line up the limits additionally you don't have full range of the lens in macro. The filter is cheap but functional. It also comes with a lens bag and a nice shade.

As far as the rest of the package, the lens cleaning kit and protective covers are OK, probable worth a couple bucks. The tripod is a good solid tripod well constructed, again, for the price! If your looking for top quality your going to have to dig deeper in you bank account, otherwise a very good value.

I bought this for my husband for our anniversary. He loves it, and my wallet loved the price. We are not professional photograpers so we do not need $700 + lens for our camera. This lens has worked great for us. We took our grandchildren to the beach for their first time and we have some great candid shots of them. My husband could be on the balcony of our house while they were on the beach and never knew they were being photographed. I reccomend this lens.

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TaoTronics® TT-CM01 3.5-inch Digital TFT LCD Car Rear View Monitor for Reverse Backup Camera

Bought it for my backup camera. Ordered on Sunday, Tuesday I received it, shipping is impressive, very fast and timely. Couldn't wait to install it on the dashboard and test it with the camera. Everything works fine. Picture is vivid, not the kind of super definition, but perfect for rear view video.

There are two AV interfaces out of the monitor, one is to connect to the DVD Player (I also connect it to my GPS), and the other is to rear view camera. The monitor displays DVD or GPS picture first. But once I backup, the video will automatically switch to the rear view. That's cool!

However, if you want to buy a monitor for special purpose on a DVD or other media player, this item may not satisfy you, for the screen is too small and the resolution is not that ideal. But for rear view camera, it is brilliant and competent.

Very satisfied with this purchasing！

Worked great for me. I stick it right under my rear view mirror using pair of strong magnets.

You can also use glue or put it on the dash or any other suitable place .

Great for parking when reversing when used with rear parking sensors.

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This is the only LCD monitor in its price range (AFAIK) that delivers 640x480.

It works like charm with my RaspberryPI

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Kind of a disappointment. This product never worked right out of the box. I would say that the quality leaves much to be desired. Had it worked, it would have been a good value for the price, but sadly the quality control failed in my experience.

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I finally got this working with a multi-AC adapter (not included) and it's exactly what it looks like: a tiny LCD screen. I can't speak for it's use as a back-up camera or in-car screen, but I needed a tiny screen for my RaspberryPi and it serves my needs. I cannot get over how low the price is (bought at $18.99)!

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Canon Powershot S2 IS 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

This is a tough review to write, as it could take far more space than alotted. Here is the short version...

Some brands of digicams sport German or other Euro lenses. Some will no doubt argue, but after 35 years of being an active photographer, and a tech type of person, I feel that nobody makes high end lenses better than Canon makes them, and nobody makes more lenses that qualify as high end than Canon either.

The lens mounted on the S2 IS is the best of it's class. Even compared to quality SLR zoom lenses, it is a premium product. The camera is not a pocket cam, and does not pretend to replace one. Then again, it can do what no pocket cam can ever dream of, and can compete heads up with most digital SLR's in the hands of most people who buy a digital SLR. Truth is, most people who spend the bucks on a digital SLR would get far more from the purchase of an S2 IS.

The 5mp sensor produces 8x10 prints that rival 35mm quality. The VGA movie mode is simply awesome, and the DIGIC II chip is the same one that powers top of the line SLR's, which means outstanding speed from startup to shutdown. The selection of modes on this camera is incredible, yet it is easy to make a quick shot that looks great no matter what the situation. The continuous shot speed of 2.4 FPS is plenty when you consider that it isn't a burst mode. If you have a 1 gig memory card plugged in, it will shoot at the top speed until the card is full (around 600 pics at max resolution). The intervalometer function is a real treat, as you can shoot time lapse pics with a press of a button, and you have full control of how often the shutter trips, and for how long.

A 1 gig memory card will give you just over eight minutes of VGA movie time with high quality stereo sound. For most functions that don't call for a DV tape camera, 8 minutes of high quality TV screen sized full motion video is a long time. Consider that an old "super eight" film camera was only good for 3 minutes per reel, had no stereo sound, and wasn't as smooth as the S2's 30 FPS speed. Then there is the IS function. Between reviews and first hand experience, nobody makes an image stabilizing system as good as Canon makes it. It works in spectacular fashion for both still pics, and movies.

OK, other reviwers will compare specs, and show that the S2 IS is the top dog in the most useful class of cameras to hit the market in a long time. I just want to make sure that people thinking about buying a digital SLR look at the S2 first. I bought the S2, the lens hood, and lens adaptor, a closeup lens for use at max telephoto, a wide angle lens, a telephoto extender lens, a set of Hoyo UV and Polorizing filters, and a fine quality camera bag for under $1,000. My next purchase will be a slave flash to extend the flash range of the camera. The model offered by Canon is pretty cheap, and there are others to consider.

The bottom line is that the S2 is larger than a pocket cam, but much smaller and lighter than an SLR, and can beat the average SLR package to near death right out of the box for most shooting situations. Equip the S2 with a handful of accessories, and the casual SLR owner will have to spend thousands of Dollars on lenses, accessories, and a reasonable video camera just to keep up.

The S2 is a major compromise if you make a living taking pictures, and choose to spend thousands in order to make sure that you can handle every situation that pops up, but the S2 and a full compliment of accesories will fit in a medium small camera bag, weigh very little, and capture 95% of your shots just as well for under a grand. And it does awesome image stabilized still pics and movies.

I suspect that more than half of the people who buy digital SLR's would have been far better off with an S2, and would be enjoying new features well into the first Months of ownership. If you have the itch to step up, and you are torn between an SLR and a S2, buy the S2. You will be thrilled with what the UPS guy delivers. Buy the SLR in two or three more years. They might break out of the mold, and be ready for prime time in the consumer market by then.

Last note. I took my first pic with the S2 set to auto, flash on, at 12x zoom. I was sitting on my couch 18 feet away from my kitchen in dim evening light, with one incandescent light burning near my couch. I focused on a box of Cheerios sitting on top of my refrigerator (unlike many earlier digicams, the S2 locked on in a flash), and snapped the pic. The box was in a 3/4 view, so I could see the side panel, and the front face. Reviewing the pic on the camera, I was able to clearly read even the finest print on the side panel of that box. Take a look at the print on the side of a standard sized box of Cheerios next time you are in the market, and imagine snapping a handheld shot from 18 feet away, and reading every word in sharp detail on the camera display afterwards. Canon knows how to make a proper lens. And yes, Canon does Linux. I have been Windoze free for several years now, but free open source apps work fine with this camera, and I heard a rumor (I will try it soon on my Xandros box) that the Canon Win apps run under Crossover Office for Linux. Meanwhile, the camera app included in SuSE 9.3 communicates with the S2 as a PTP device with no problems.

Update 7.10.05.

I have now used the camera for a little longer time, and had the chance to compare it more closely to it's Panasonic and Sony competitors. The S2 holds up like a champ. It has (by far) the best movie functionality among the three, and allows full and quiet use of the zoom capability of the camera while shooting movie clips. The stereo sound has amazing quality, and the built in wind screen function for the microphones work like a charm. The image stabilizer also does a fine job of eliminating vertical jitter when shooting a movie, yet does not interfere with zooming and panning at all. The zoom rate in movie mode makes for smooth operation, without a hint of lens motor noise spoiling the finished movie. Auto focus, and auto exposure during movie shooting are nothing less than spectacular. The S2 is simply the best TV quality movie taking still camera on the market. Period.

Memory cards.. I now have two SanDisk Extreme III 1 gig SD cards. They are flawless, and can shoot almost 600 full size pictures at a clip in 2.4 fps high speed continuous mode without a glitch. A good set of rechargeable batteries are able to keep up as well. None of the othe other cameras in this class can match it. I read from one reviewer that the Lexar 32x cards, and the SanDisk Extreme II cards work just as well. If so, it can save you about $20 per card. The more cards you have, the more movie time you can record.

On the primary still image side, I have concluded that it is a tight battle between the top brands, but Canon still retains it's title as the manufacturer of the overall best premium lenses. That's not a slap directed at the other two, as they all represent incredible optical quality. One area where the S2 is a clear winner is in function controls. Once you get used to the button layout, it is possible to execute very quick shooting decisions by pressing the right button, rather than roaming through nested menus. The other area is the Image Stabilizer. The Canon Image Stabilizer beats the offering from the other two hands down in both functionality, and user control. It is so good, you can take a handheld pic at 1/60 to 1/30 of a second at max zoom (nearly 500 mm compared to a 35 mm SLR), and clearly read the license plate of a subject vehicle located several hundred yards away from the camera.

Try that with a handeld SLR that does not have an image stabilized lens that alone costs more than the entire S2 package... The above issues are among the most important in the real world, and Canon delivers. Speed of startup, focusing, continuous shooting, and shutdown are close between the top three cameras, and Canon is not the fastest in all areas, but it has the best balance across the board. The final result will not only impress those who view your work, it will also impress you. Again, the ultimate margin from one to the next is small, but Canon offers the most complete package.

To sum up the update, the S2 has a very fast learning curve, outstanding accessory lenses, and overall best in class quality. I bounced mine off the asphalt from about three feet today with no ill effects. I wouldn't suggest you try it, but it survived just fine. The only scratch was to the ring of the Hoya UV filter I had attached to the lens (Thank God). If you are looking for the top camera in the new top consumer camera class, the S2 is it. Buy it and be real happy about how you spent your money.

[Follow-up to the follow-up below] I've had this camera for a long time now, and it still delights, still generates envious compliments from people viewing the photos or sporting competitor's cameras. Have used it to capture long-range zooms of our backyard denizens (marmots, rabbits, cardinals, skunks...), super macro close ups of flowers and insects, long range action stop-action shots of the kids in sports, rainbows in the mist at Niagra [hard to get in focus, but this will do it w/a little quick trial and error], and even high detail shots of aircraft at airshows. I handed it to my 16 year old son to try out, and challenged him to get a closeup of a helicopter in flight, and in 3 tries and about 2 minutes he had it figured out. Takes a bit of skill to be able to pan and get a good shot of a fighter jet firing afterburners as they cut past, but I've done it. And, the image stabilization is so good, you can even see the detailed thrust patterns in the jet flame. You can get a 2 GB high speed SD card cheap, and the camera is now inexpensive as well as easy to learn. It's possible, but difficult, to beat the combination of optical lens size and quality, 12x optical and 4x digital zoom, intuitive ease of use, at such a low price. A keeper!

[Follow-up to the review below, after over 18 months of use]: Still delighted with this gem. Used a 1GB SandDisk Ultra II SD card for about a year, and when prices dropped I bought a 2GB off brand card to enable taking more videos too, before running out of space prior to downloading. Not too many complaints: it's battery-thirsty as noted below. Solved that with two sets of rechargables and a cheap recharger for about $20 total. When shooting video it has an annoying flashing light at the front that can distract the subject, so you have to cover it with a finger while holding it. But, the pictures and detail are amazing, the zoom/macro/supermacro features are top notch and invaluable. It still blows away many newer cameras with more pixels per image, but poorer/smaller optics and reliance on digital zoom to make up for gathering more light via the lens and zooming in BEFORE digital "zoom" cropping. Was on vacation last week and used someone else's new digital competitor to take their picture, and it was good, but not as good. The newer camera didn't fit well in my hands, took a picture that didn't color match well with true colors photographed, and had a klutzy-microbutton-interface. Thought I paid a LOT for the Canon when it first came out, but was happy with all the features. Now, almost two years later I'm even happier I made the purchase. It still blows away the competition!]

==============[original review follows]============================

I'm not a deeply experienced digital camera buff. But, I'm fairly tech literate, have a very critical eye for color, detail, and composition for photos and painting, and I did my homework on this purchase. Tried out Kodak, Nikon, and Konica cameras with similar MP and zoom specs and features, and the Canon Powershot S1. Didn't even KNOW the store had this Canon S2 model in yet, and stumbled across it. The better quality in its clarity, color and sharpness images was IMMEDIATELY apparent. So, too, was the ease with which I could quickly navigate the settings (as a complete novice) and find what would get me a dynamite shot. I've had it less than 24 hours and have tested out its Macro, Super Macro, optical zoom, optical + digital zoom, autofocus, and a few other settings. With Macro and Super Macro I'm already getting professional quality images with detail, exact color, and clarity that would blow you away. Other settings are good, but my skill in applying them is lacking so the compositions are not stellar.

Other competing cameras did not come close to matching the color reproduction of the Canon, nor did they match the image clarity, ease of handling, set up of menus... Most were not a patch on this camera. In fact, with the exception of the Nikon and Konica Minolta Z5, the Canon Powershot S1 beat most of the 5 MP cameras for color and clarity, too. So, if money is an issue you might consider whether you would be happy with 8"x10" as a maximum enlargement and go with the 3.2 MP Canon instead. But, if you want 5MP detail, high-speed 48x zoom with image stabilization, color and clarity that will blow you away, plus features and form organized to make it a breeze to use...get the Powershot S2.

It's expensive, but WORTH EVERY PENNY. While you've got your pocketbook open, plan on getting over to Wally World and buying a good 1hr recharger and two sets of 4 NIMH batteries for this puppy, plus at least one 1GB high-speed SD card (San Disk Ultra II or Lexar 32x). You should be able to cram in about 800 full-size, full detail 1.2 MB photos on a single SD card that way. If you can get a better deal on 512 MB SD cards and wonder if you should get several of those instead of one whopping big 1GB card, go for it. Swapping the card out is a breeze. If you plan on needing more, memory is getting cheaper every day. But be sure to get the high speed stuff to save on batteries and keep the options open for fast continuous shooting.

I am running a Gateway tablet PC with Windows XP and haven't even installed the Canon photo shop type software for image manipulation. But, with XP it's plug-and-play to download images. I hooked up the USB cable and in a snap my test photos were downloaded to a folder under MyPictures. No muss, no fuss, no setup, not learning new software...a breeze.

Bought this camera to satisfy my desire to get telephoto shots and macro close ups for artsy photog hobbying, selling stuff online, birdand animal-watching. Also got it to satisfy my wife's need for a portrait camera that would allow fast shooting without a lot of composition set-up, yet have enough megapixel detail to allow it to be cropped later and still blow up if need be. This bad boy has it all, and then some. I am delighted with it and haven't even begun to tap its potential.

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I bought the Canon PowerShot S2 IS about a year ago, and have taken about 2,500 photos and about 15 video clips with it. Overall, I am very happy with it, and if I were buying a new camera today, I probably would get the S2 or S3.

Things I like about the S2:

* Extended zoom (12x). I use it often.

* Image stabilization. Particularly helpful when using a high zoom factor, or when shooting in low light with a low ISO setting. It makes handheld shots at slow shutter speeds possible.

* Electronic viewfinder means "what you see is what you get", just like an SLR. While not as sharp as an optical viewfinder, the ability to frame the picture without worrying about parallax more than makes up for it. In fact, one advantage over an SLR is that there is no mirror for it to move out of the way, therefore there is no mirror noise when taking a picture; if you turn off the electronic sound effects, it is very quiet indeed (although not completely silent).

* The screen moves and rotates. I like that it can be closed (turned in toward the camera) and thus protected from scratches. I have used it folded out and rotated forward in order to see myself in a self-timer photo. I have used it to take "clandestine" pictures--holding the camera down near my waist, I can still see the screen if I rotate it towards me. I have also used it to take pictures while holding the camera above my head--above a crowd, for instance, or over a wall.

* Multiple-picture mode. Similar to a motor drive in film cameras, this allows me to take several pictures in quick succession by holding down the shutter release button--about 2 pictures per second. And unlike some cameras, the only limit to the number of pictures is the amount of available memory.

* It can be used in all-automatic mode, all-manual mode, or just about any combination in between. Even in near-automatic mode, several exposure settings can be adjusted.

* Very good movie mode. It will shoot a VGA-quality picture (640x480) at 30fps. While the results are not as good as my 3-CCD DV video camera, I am much more likely to have this camera with me than the video camera, and I really like the option of taking a reasonably high quality video. I have used it several times.

* Stereo microphones. Decent sound for video. Can also be used for adding a sound memo to a still picture (e.g. "this is at such-and-such a place, blah blah blah"), or just for recording sounds unrelated to any picture. I have used this a couple of times to record a "sound memory" of a place; one was at a botanical garden at a spot where the scenery wasn't especially pretty, but the sounds the frogs made were like nothing we had heard before!

* Separate buttons for still pictures and movies. Easy to remember which is which.

* Manual pop-up flash. Some people don't like that the flash doesn't pop up automatically when needed. I actually like this feature, because often I want to shoot without a flash when the camera thinks I need to use the flash. And of course I can force the flash to fire even in bright daylight when the camera thinks it is not necessary--although for a while I kept forgetting how to turn on that feature on, even though it's pretty obvious (there's a button right next to the flash!).

Things I don't like about it:

* Poor low-light performance. More precisely, poor performance at high ISO settings. The camera will do fine in low light if you leave the shutter open long enough, or use a flash. But if you kick up the ISO to 200 or 400 (equivalent to a "fast" film) so that you can take indoor shots without a flash, you end up with very noticeable graininess in the pictures. This is my number one disappointment with the camera. However, I don't know of a comparable camera that does better (and from the sample pictures I have seen, the S3 isn't any better; I don't know why they bothered to add an ISO 800 setting--it seems completely useless to me). I know there are cameras that do, but they cost a lot more. I saw pictures taken indoors with a Canon 20D SLR that were phenomenal. But besides the added expense, a camera like that is also bigger and heavier, and therefore less convenient.

* The camera is too big for a pocket. I would love to have a camera as capable as this that would fit in my shirt pocket, or at least my coat pocket or a smallish holster. I would take it more places if it wasn't so big.

* And yet, at the same time, it's a little too small for my hand. The grip just doesn't feel right. The grip on the 20D felt GREAT! However, it's just about right for a woman's hand--my wife likes it fine.

* No filter threads in the standard configuration. A big lens like that is practically begging for fingerprints or scratches. I solved that by adding the conversion lens adapter, which does have filter threads (more about this below).

* Lens cap is held on by friction. This is both a pro and a con. It's good because the lens extends when the camera is turned on; if the lens cap is attached the lens will simply push it off. It's bad because the cap could come off when you don't want it to. This is a moot point with the conversion lens adapter, as the standard lens cap will no longer fit.

* The default exposure is too bright. Not every review mentions this, but apparently it is fairly common for Canon cameras. Fortunately, this is easily fixed by setting the exposure adjustment (I set mine to -2/3 stop). I haven't figured out how to adjust the exposure for movies, though. I need to look in the manual to see if it's possible!

If you buy the S2 (or S3), I'd suggest also considering:

* Canon LAH-DC20 Lens Adapter and Hood Set. As I mentioned above, this allows you to add a filter to protect the lens. Currently $37.10 at Amazon.

* A 58mm skylight or UV filter to screw on to the lens adapter.

* A 58mm lens cap to cover the adapter/filter. Canon's 58mm Snap-On Lens Cap is currently $9.99 at Amazon.

* A high-speed SD card, at least 512MB, but 1GB or 2GB would give more space for movies. (I use a SanDisk Ultra II Plus, which has the added benefit of being able to directly plug into a standard USB port without an adapter.)

* Rechargeable NiMH batteries. I don't have any yet, but this is the next thing on my list. I've gone through way too many AA batteries!

A nice option available for this camera is the TC-DC58B Tele Converter Lens. This gives you a maximum zoom equivalent to 648mm on a 35mm camera. Amazing! I have not purchased it yet because so far the built-in zoom has been sufficient for my needs. There is also the WC-DC58A Wide Converter Lens for taking extra-wide-angle pictures.

After you get the camera, you'll probably want a case of some type for it. There are *lots* of cases to choose from. After trying a few and looking at a lot more, I finally settled on the Tamrac Velocity 4. It may or may not be what you need in a case, but there it is FYI.

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I've had this camera for over a year and absolutely love it. I frequently have 8" x 10" and 11" x 14" enlargements made and the quality of the prints is fantastic -tack sharp and wonderful color. They look as good as the 8 x 10's and 11 x 14's I get from my SLR - no visible difference! Add to that the fact that the S2 IS lens covers and extremely long zoom range WITH image stabilization and buying this camera becomes a no-brainer! The "IS" feature really works -I can shoot 3 stops slower than without IS and still get no image blur -amazing! This is important if you do a lot of handheld shooting at full telephoto and/or in low light situations.

Like to shoot extreme close-ups of flowers, insects, ebay items, etc? The macro capabilities of this camera are outstanding. I've never shot much in the way of close-ups with my other cameras because I don't have any macro lenses. With the S2 IS, I've discovered a whole new area of photography -the world of macro -and it's a blast!

For those who are techno-phobic, you can shoot this camera in fully automatic mode and consistently get very accurate exposures. When I do this, I'd say the exposures are accurate at least 90% of the time. If you want or need more creative control, the S2 IS can be shot in manual mode, aperature-priority, shutter-priority, etc. You call the shots (no pun intended) -all the control you could want (or not want) is there for your convenience.

Should you buy this camera or the S3 IS? If you just have to have the S3 IS's black body-color and money is no object, go for it. If however, you simply want a camera that is just as capable, save yourself some $$$ and buy the cheaper S2 IS. You won't be disappointed and that extra megapixel of resolution you get with the S3 IS is something you will never see in your prints anyway. OK, if you want enlargements of 20 x 30 or larger you might notice a slight difference in sharpness, but come on, most people never print anywhere near that large! If you are happy with your 4 x 6's up to 11 x 14's (or even 16 x 20's): BUY THE CHEAPER AND JUST AS GOOD S2 IS -it's one heck of a camera and significantly less expensive than the S3 IS.

Remember: no camera, no matter how expensive, will make you a better photographer. Photography is in your eye, your ability to visualize and transfer a dynamic or highly emotional moment onto paper. The camera is only a tool; a means to an end. If you want to improve your photography skills, shoot a lot of pics; learn from you mistakes as well as you sucesses and READ as many good books about photography as you can get your hands on. Don't be afraid to experiment or take risks with your shooting -you will develop your eye and your own personal style with time and practice. I've seen plenty of excellent photos shot with inexpensive point & shoot cameras and lots of bad ones shot with $5,000 worth of equipment. It's YOUR EYE that makes or breaks a photo! Sure, a more expensive camera may offer some technical advantages in certain situations, but all the technology in the world can't save a lousy composition!

Some books worth reading if you are serious about improving your photographic skills:

*Creative Nature & Outdoor Photography, by Brenda Tharpe

*anything by Ansel Adams (most of his books are available in libraries)

*Understanding Exposure, by Bryan Peterson

*Designing a Photograph, by Bill Smith

*Photographic Compostion, by Grill and Scanlon

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This camera is really wonderful. I previously had a Sony digital camera, about 5 years old, and this one blows it away. Of course, that should be expected because this camera is 5 years newer technology. The improvements I am realizing are:

1) 12x optical zoom. This cannot be understated. I am really able to take pictures that otherwise I would have been too far away to capture. The camera's larger size is more than offset by this capability.

2) Good flash. I can light up large rooms with the powerful flash.

3) SD card one of the more common, inexpensize memory cards out there. I recommend getting a 60X card for maximum speed.

4) AA batteries in case of an emergency, you can always buy a 4 pack and keep on going. I bought a NI-MH charger with 8 batteries at Uncle Sam's for under $20. No more proprietary batteries for me!

5) 5MP the picture quality is excellent, better than my old Sony. Since I don't routinely make posters out of my pictures, this is plenty.

6) 640x480 video @ 30 fps with stereo audio. This thing is a high quality camcorder limited only by the size of the memory stick.

7) LCD which can be folded open and seen from front of camera: My wife and I commonly take pictures where I hold the camera out in front of us and take the picture of us arm in arm. Now I can make sure things are lined up before pressing the shutter. It is also nice that the LCD flips over so it can be stored against the body of the camera to prevent scratches.

8) Macro photography this is a whole new area for me, as my old camera could not do this. I have taken pictures at 3" and had them come out very clear.

9) Through the lens viewfinder which helps make sure that I am really taking a picture of what I am aiming at.

The only thing which I would like to see improved is the response time between pressing the shutter and the picture being taken when using the flash. The response time is very fast when the flash is off, but it can be upwards of several seconds if the flash is required (in full auto mode). I have not played with the flash and other settings to see if I can improve on this, and believe that I probably can due to the ability to fully customize this camera.

Update (8/11/07): I was carrying the camera in the leg pocket of my cargo shorts and somehow it managed to turn on, and attempted to extend the lens. Since it was constrained by my pocket, it beeped, alerting me to its failure to extend the lens, and turned off. The camera will no longer extend / retract the lens and doesn't work any more. For $130, Canon will repair it. I got 2 years of service from this, and it might be time for an upgrade.

Acer ColorBoost II Projector (X1261P)

Wassup people!

I had been searching amazon for months to buy me a projector on my bday. Went thru 100s of projectors, compared each of their attributes on external sites, and then finally decided to go for this model. Here's what i feel about this proj:

1. No setup required. Plug n Play.

2. The warm colors projected by this is a.w.e.s.o.m.e

3. Contrast could have been a lil higher (though in this range, this model has the best among other projs, cept 1161p which has 4000:1)

4. Plays any format, any "p" (720, 1080) seamlessly.

5. Good native res, n pretty good scaling fr non native res too.

6. 3D WORKS!! (all u need is a graphics card capable to refresh at 120hz!)

7. Good brightness. You can see things in white light, in daylight a lil lesser.

8. Text is sharp. i have a nearly 6' high image in my room and text is great.

If you looking for a budget proj, this will more than do for you.

i put avatar (blu ray) and was blown away by the quality of the projection.

The only thing that bothers me is that one of the edges is lil soft. On googling this i found that one needs to have the proj at right angles to the screen (n my wooden desk isn't exactly straight :)).

also, playing games is simply amazing!

put up NFS undercover was blown away agn

put up Assassins creed simply loved the graphics

my LCD now sits in the corner. Am hooked to this thing ;)

before buying this though, do know that this is NOT a home theatre proj with 50k:1 contrast and all.

The reason i bought this even though it doesn't have hdmi, coz its worth only if u buying a top notch proj to have an hdmi (for xbox ps3 wateva)

Get/download good hi-def movies, hook up your sound system and you are ready!

hope this review helps ;)

I needed a replacement for my aging and fading projector, which I use for home-cinema purposes. This one seemed to have good specs (XGA and high brightness) for the low price. Setup was really easy, the unit is very compact and light weight, comes with a nice carrying case for those who need it. I watched the latest Pirates movie as a test case. This is a movie with a lot of dark night scenes, which made watching it on my old projector a headache. With the new one, it was great!! Brightness / contrast / color definition are all really good. I highly recommend this projector for home cinema for those who (like me) cannot afford to throw in a couple grand. Since its so small and light and comes with a carrying case, it would seem to me to be a good deal for office / business use, too.

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I opened the box and hooked it up to my macbook pro. It is a very good, clear picture and will work fantastic for presentations. No brains needed to get it working

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I got this projector for doing a slideshow at my wedding, and it was plenty bright to do the trick. (Bright room, 10' picture).

I now use it for a home theater projector, and it is OK at that. It doesn't have HDMI, only analog inputs, and VGA.

The picture it produces is super bright and vibrant, but at closer viewing distances, the screen door effect is apparent.

So, is it a great projector? No, not really.

Is it an adequate projector? Yah. It gets the job done, and is well priced. I don't regret my purchase.

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Preface: I have little experience with projectors, this was my first one.

I have little experience with 3D, this was my first device.

I purchased this projector purely for gaming. Paired up with a set of NVIDIA 3D Vision Glasses Kit w/StarcCraft II and a recent nvidia video card, this projector takes you to a whole new world. My current setup has the projector 10 feet away from the screen, upside down on a shelf 80" up the wall pointing at the opposite wall 10 feet away. The projector throws a 78" screen at that distance and each pixel comes out crystal clear. I crafted a screen from 2 yards of 53" blackout material and some 1 x 2s for a frame and hung it on the far wall for under $20. To play my games I'm sitting behind a table 5 feet from this huge screen and it fills my vision not unlike an imax movie would.

I spent the first hour with it on just wandering around in Skyrim looking at the most mundane things in awe.

Here are a list of comments I made

"WOW"

"Whoa"

"OH MY GOD"

"That wolf chewing on me looks awesome!"

"I can see right through that skeleton"

"I can feel the ice in this cave"

"Why would anyone play this game any other way"

"I mustn't cry, It'll short out the 3D glasses"

Those who are concerned about the low resolution for gaming, it's not an issue for 3D mode. The way the shutter glasses work, each pixel gets used by your eyes twice except at screen depth creating a much richer screen. The lower resolution also means that you'll be able to crank up all of the settings in whatever game you're playing with no loss of performance. With a Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTS450 1 GB DDR3 2DVI/Mini HDMI PCI-Express Video Card GV-N450D3-1GI I was able to crank up every slider on Skyrim to maximum with no ill effects.

Because DLP is so fast, the 3D effect has zero ghosting, allowing your eyes to focus much better than with most of the LCD monitors I've seen. Using a small 3D monitor also causes something I've heard describe as "toyification" where the size of the figures on the screen become diminutive because of the perception of size that accompanies the 3D effect. With the convergence settings the huge screen allows me to use, In Skyrim 3rd person view, my character is sitting within arms reach of me and the first 10 feet of the world are in the office with me filling my view. I literally feel the ground move under me.

The projector can really throw a screen on just about any reasonably flat surface and the auto keystone will give you something square. The picture, however, is not ideal due to the way it uses anti-aliasing to get there. The result is muddy text and it creates a candy cane effect on all vertical lines. I spent a great deal of time getting the projector to be at just the right height and perfectly square to the screen to make sure I didn't have to use the keystone feature.

Benefits:

3D Vision Ready

Bright beautiful image

Easy setup

Truly epic gaming potential

Problems:

DLP Lamp will eventually die much earlier than a monitor

Getting just the right height and angle to the screen

Finding little desire to interact with the real world

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5W 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom & WiFi - White

This is a real nice camera for the price, but the wifi, which is the reason I got it, was kind of a pain to set up. There is a button for a wifi "wizard," which should make things easier, but it didn't. That's because, at least for the average buyer, there's not enough information in the box to guide you through some of the things you need to know or have questions on. (I think most users are like me; you set up a wifi connection with a device, pray that it works, and then, thorugh trial and error, you're not even sure what you did that got you to the end result! And then you forget all that until you need to do it again.) I tried on line help at Panasonic and emailed their customer service, and got no where. Finally, I called their 800 number. Talked to a nice techie, but I think he was figuring it out on the fly, just as I was.

Here are two (I think) big helps for others who run into similar problems: 1. You CAN'T use the wifi until after you load the software and set up a folder where the wifi will transfer your pictures to. (Embedded in the directions, it does tell you to do that first, but it's far from apparent that things just won't work until then!) Second, once you load the software, you actually get a window that tells you exactly what you need to input in the final stage of wifi set up (but the nomenclature is slightly different, and that helpful fact was never made clear!), and this is where my problem occurred. BEWARE: if you have a computer that doesn't have a password, the final step WILL NOT WORK! (I never bothered with a password on my laptop:one extra step, and I've never worried about it: you need a password.) Apparently, the code is written so you HAVE TO input a password; you can't just leave it blank (At least their software program listed my password as "NONE," and that's what gave me the idea to try again once I added a password. The Panasonic techie had no clue as he walked me through exactly what I had done in the wifi set up (again), and he should have known about this issue since in my original email, I asked if that was the problem.

I can imagine all kinds of people returning this camera over frustration with the wifi (I mean, why would you keep it if you can't make this higher end feature doesn't work? Too bad, because I think I'm really going to like the camera itself. What I've seen so far, the menu choices are much easier to deal with that my older digital, an Olympus Zoom. I would strongly suggest to Panasonic that they put better "Quick Start" instructions in the box, ones that are consumer tested by ordinary people who are a little unsure of terminology and need the hand-holding. It's actually a 4 or 5 star camera with 2 star directions.

I bought this camera to replace an IP video camera, in order to be able to watch for expected visitors without being tied to the front window, allowing me to get other things done while waiting. It works very well for that purpose. In fact it is considerably better than the IP video camera purpose-built for that. This camera is particularly good for that that because it is small and unobtrusive, it can auto-focus and auto-adjust for the light conditions, and be remotely zoomed if desired. Because it is battery-powered, I didn't expect it to have much WiFi range, and it doesn't, but it is good enough be to useful for me. Working by remote control from my Android phone or tablet, the battery lasts for a couple hours. For more time, I also purchased a DMW-DCC10/DMW-AC5 AC adapter, which works well.

The camera also takes good still pictures, and because of its small, easily pocketable size, it has been very useful to take along when I go out just in case an unexpected photo opportunity arises. The SZ5 doesn't have a mode dial or touch screen, but none-the-less, is quite useable.

For improvements, I'd like to see the WiFi remote control range increased. Perhaps that could be done by also allowing a remote control mode that works through an existing WiFi channel.

The WiFi remote control experiment Panasonic tried with this camera is very successful. I think they have done a good job of it, and I find it very useful. I wish my FZ150 and GH2 had it as well, and suspect it'll be a highly prized feature on the GH3. I'm glad I purchased this camera.

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The camera is just what I wanted. It is small and very easy to use. I purchased for a friend, who also loves it. The only drawback is that there is apparently no fill flash setting. This is a bit upsetting. However, when using the customized SCN settings, there is a setting which I think would substitute.

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Compact camera. Great pictures. Wi-Fi function easy to setup. Awesome new way of taking pictures and sending them online. Love this camera.

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I bought this my camera for my wife because she mentioned that it would be nice to have a camera that the pictures would automatically be transferred to our computer or phones so they didn't just reside in the camera until we erase them to make room for more pictures. It is a little tricky, the first couple of times, to connect the wifi. It is so easy now, that we set the camera up and surprise people by taking their picture remotely and transfer the pictures, to our external hard drive, automatically, every time we plug in to charge.

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Datacolor Spyder4Pro S4P100 Colorimeter for Display Calibration

This is the fourth Datacolor product I own. I still have the original SpyderPro, Spyder2Pro, Spyder3Print and the newest addition the Spyder4Pro. I also own an Eye-One Display but prefer my Spyders any day of the week. The Spyder's user interface ( Wizard ) is so much more user friendly than the Eye-One that I will not recommend the Eye-One to my clients. I've had more tech support questions about the Eye-One than I care to mention.

Besides being a photographer I'm also a freelance Macintosh Tech that installs Mac systems and teaches color management and workflows using Lightroom, Bridge and Photoshop. As mentioned I'll recommend the Spyder to my clients over the Eye-One for a number of reasons. First the monitor profiles are excellent, I can't ask for any better and of course the user interface, the wizard, is much more user friendly than the Eye-One. With the Eye-One Wizard I don't know if it's asking me to do something or if it's telling me the results and I need to do something else, it gets confusing for my clients. Enough said about the Eye-One!... Let's move on to the Spyder4Pro.

The Spyder4Pro package consists of the Spyder4Pro unit, Stand, Software Installation Disk for Mac/Windows and Quick Start Guide. I know this isn't important but the design of the Spyder4Pro is really sleek and sexy! Mama-Mia! The USB cable attached is nicely supple so there's no need to twist the USB cable for the unit to remain flat on the monitor's screen. Also a little trick is to tilt the monitor up slightly so there is additional weight of the Spyder4Pro pressing against the monitor screen for a nice tight "seal". I recommend doing this regardless of profiler brands.

Installing the software is straight forward. Install the software using the installation disk and let the installer find the latest Spyder4Pro driver via the internet. ( Also Datacolor is very, very good about updating their drivers in a timely manner... another big plus with Datacolor ) During installation enter the serial number that's on the DVD sleeve label, the installer will contact Datacolor servers and return a License Code that will be used if you need to re-install the software. There's an option to print the License Code, which I recommend, and also Datacolor emails the License Code to you for safekeeping. I'm going to guess here, once you have the License Code you don't need to be connected to the internet for further installations... I could be wrong!

Once the software is installed attach the Spyder4Pro directly to the computer's USB port if possible. USB hubs/keyboards sometimes don't have enough power to run a unit so this is the best approach. Launch the software and you are greeted by the Spyder4Pro Wizards's Welcome screen. The screen prompts are easy to understand and have a Help and "?" button if further explanation is needed. The first time around you'll be prompted to do a "FullCAL" ( Full Calibration ) and on subsequent calibrations there will be options to not only run "FullCAL" but to "ReCal" and "CheckCAL".

After the "Welcome" screen, that suggests/recommends certain display settings, there is the "Measuring Ambient Light" screen. Place the Spyder4Pro on it's stand in front of your monitor and click the "Next" button and the Spyder4Pro will read the amount of light falling on the monitor. The "Ambient Light Analysis" screen will display the results. You'll have the option to "Keep current settings" or "Accept suggested settings". Select your choice and click "Next" to bring you to the Calibration screen! Hang the Spyder4Pro over the monitor and slide the counter-weight along the USB cable until it's nicely balanced and center the Spyder4Pro right over the outline shape. Click "Next" and the Calibration process begins... I nice feature is the software displays the status of it's brightness readings in realtime and checks the stability of brightness over a period of time. My Apple Cinema Display is getting long-in-the-tooth and I could see that it was having trouble staying stable at the recommended brightness setting. Calibration completed in about 7 minutes and the "Saved Profile" screen appeared. I saved the profile adding the current date in the file name and set the Calibration Reminder for 2 Weeks.

Next is the "SpyderProof Calibrated View" screen where you can switch back and fourth from the profiled calibrated monitor view and uncalibrated monitor view. This gives you an idea on what the profile is doing. Clicking the "Next "button brings us to "Profile Overview" screen where you can compare old and new profiles and how they related to each other in a specific Colorspace. Looking at my results... dang I think I need a new monitor! You can "Quit" or there's an "Advance Analysis" feature that can test the profile's "Gamut", "Tone Response", "Brightness and Contrast", and "White Point at Different OSD Settings". But I'll let you play around with this!

My monitor is dead neutral displaying a grayscale in Photoshop CS5.1 there is no rain-bowing in any of the gray steps. ( Meaning there's NO color banding/color contamination along the grayscale )

Spyder4Pro is great for novices and advance users alike. The software has nice advanced features that users can grow with.

I decided to buy the Spyder after months of procrastinating about the need to calibrate my monitor. I am an amateur photographer with what I think are advanced skills (I get good compliments on my photos, for whatever that's worth :-)) But I did not want to spend the money for color calibration equipment. After so many frustrations dealing with the colors displayed in my images, I started reading some articles about color management and looked into what was available. I noticed that Datacolor seemed to have overall good reviews, so I bought the Pro model #S4P100 since it was priced at $169.00.

When I received it and opened the box, I was impressed with the user guide that they provide. It is a simple guide to show you how to install the software and get the setup started. I am not a technical guy so I appreciate this type of easy to follow guide with illustrations and clear instructions. The install process was easy and the software recognized my monitor (a Dell P2311Hb) automatically. The time to install the software program and do the calibration took a total of about 20 minutes. And what a difference between before and after calibration! I now have a reference for the correct colors and know that what I see on the display is what they should be. It is money well spent and has me asking myself why I waited so long to do it.

I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to manage color on their display. It is worth the investment!

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This is the third colorimeter that I've owned in ten years or so, and my experience in printing color goes back to the film and darkroom days, so I accept that there is no perfect color device.

I was initially disappointed with the first few profiles I created using this product after providing information about my laptop's display. The profiles had either a definite yellow or green cast. They were far better than my uncorrected display, but not really what I needed for accurate viewing and printing.

So I experimented with telling the software that my display's characteristics were different from what I know them to be. Although this laptop has LED backlighting, I finally got a good profile when I entered that it was fluorescent backlighting.

Compared to other calibration software that I've used previously, this software provides very limited options for modifying settings. Mostly, you pick the characteristics of your display from dropdown boxes, and the software then decides on the whitepoint and gamma. There is no obvious way to change them. That is odd for "professional" software. In fact, this is the most basic and least flexible software of the three colorimeters that I have owned. Perhaps I'm overlooking some features, but that is not surprising given that there is no manual--another disappointment for a $169 supposedly professional tool.

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This product is primarily intended for serious to professional photographers and graphic designers with print as a final product. It calibrates your monitor color for accuracy (most monitors are not accurate) so in the post processing workflow, you are accurately processing your images for print. It really is not a "needed product" unless you are a graphic designer or serious to professional photographer with clients and you are printing to final output. Otherwise, I opine you do not need this product. Conversely, if you earn any money from your work, you cannot be a professional unless you calibrate your monitor and utilize it during your workflow. You also need to remember that using this product will not ensure others who digitally see your work will view color rendition accurately because you use this product. Everyone's monitors are calibrated differently, are of varying quality, and many people do not even understand color space or profiling. This is why pros convert images to srgb (standard RGB color space)for digital distribution because it is the "lowest common denominator" and nearly all browsers ONLY display in Srgb and only expensive monitors can display better color profiles. Even then, chances are people are viewing an inaccurate color representation of your image and don't even get me started on what Facebook does to your images.

As a part-time professional, I use a Dell UltraSharp U2410 24-inch Widescreen LCD High Performance Monitor with HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort and HDCP (dual setup which is why I use the Pro series of Spyders) for post processing. I also shoot in the Adobe RGB color space from my camera (Nikon D300s 12.3MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Lens)and post process in that same color space. This is where the Spyder, combined with a quality monitor like the U2410 really shines because it allows me to work in the wider color gamut (smoother shade transitions). I can then send to the print house in that color space or convert to Srgb (actually the preferred color space for most professional print houses).

I owned previous Spyders including the Datacolor DC S3P100 Spyder 3 Pro. So, I was very familiar with the system. It is incredibly easy to setup and use but you should allow at least 30 minutes for first use. The package contains the Spyder4 unit, stand, rubber cup for CRT monitors, software and a quick guide with detailed instructions on the CD. Before installing, check for a new version of the software as Datacolor frequently updates all its products. Whatever you do, do not lose the serial number included on the CD sleeve. Without that serial number, you cannot install the software.

Prior to installing let your monitors warm up for at least 1/2 hour (I never post process until monitors are warmed up). I also recommend updating your graphics card drivers prior to installing and do a full reboot. Installing the software is easy as is plugging the Spyder into a USB port. Of course, install the software first (it should automatically check for a newer version on install). The Spyder itself is a sleek device. When using it, you will simply follow instructions by lining up the device on the screen with an outline. I suggest you slightly tilt your monitor back for a better "seal" that will block out any light from either side. Also, adjust the light in the room to a setting that you would normally use. The Spyder uses ambient light measurement to calculate how to color map the profile. On the USB there is a counter-weight that goes behind the monitor to stabilize the device. Perfect design in my opinion. On first use you will need to do a full calibration. SIMPLY follow the instructions (no need to rehash them here). Allow some time for this process and do not leave your monitor until you adjust the brightness/whitepoint setting as indicated by the software. On successive calibrations, you have an option of a quick "recalc" which is must faster. I normally do a full calibration every time by habit.

Spyder has never crashed my system (Windows 7) and always performed flawlessly. I think better results are achieved with higher end monitors designed for color accuracy from the start. Either way, if you are in the image or graphics design business, this is a must have product. There are much more expensive options out there. However, Datacolor has always done a fine job by me and I stick with them because of that and the frequency at which they update their drivers. Plus, I can now color profile my Ipad. How cool is that?

SidebarI am unable to rate how well this product works with TV's because I simply do not use it for that purpose.

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For anyone that doesn't know what this device does, it will create a monitor profile for Windows or Mac to allow for more accurate color. For professionals, accurate color on your monitor is a MUST. For hobbyists, the further you get into photography/videography, the more likely you are to want accurate colors. The Spyder 4 Pro fits this bill.

Packaging:

This part is fairly straightforward. You have a rather wasteful and useless plastic cover that covers the entire box of the Spyder 4. Removing it is just a matter of cutting two pieces of tape (for a more exciting time, I suppose you could rip it open with your teeth). Once that's off, you have a cardboard box covering more protective plastic. The cardboard cover has system requirements and rudimentary directions for using the Spyder.

Install/setup/Manual:

What is it with these companies? The documentation for the Spyder and the i1 Pro is... anemic at best. I would call it a quick start guide at best. It should be noted that the software really does walk you through the process, so a manual isn't strictly needed, but would be nice from a troubleshooting/learning the capability of the device better perspective.

You're given what is essentially a fold up pamphlet. Each step is given in English, Spanish, French German and Italian.

There is, however, some confusion about what is included. There are actually two install and calibration tools shown on the pamphlet. The first is the Spyder 4 Elite/Pro/Express. The other piece shows the install and calibration for Spyder 4 TV HD, which is a different device completely. Well, not completely. You get a different set of accessories with the 4 TV HD (elastic bands). You probably know what device you bought, but the cost side stepping could be confusing.

The setup is fairly easy once you ensure you are looking at the proper set of instructions for your device. Install the software. Plug the device in. Run the Spyder Pro 4.5 software.

You must activate the software to use the device with the datacolor software (there are third party apps for calibration that you can use with this, though you're going to spend almost as much on that software alone as you do for the device itself).

Calibration:

Plug it in, follow the instructions, keep hitting next and you're done. It's bang on simple. In this it is similar to the ColorMUNKI from X-Rite.

Ensure your screen has been powered on for at LEAST 30 minutes. Check your lighting conditions (best to calibrate under the conditions you use most often). Reset your monitor and set it to the 6500k color temperature. Hit next.

Choose your display type and choose the display to be calibrated. You can calibrate multiple monitors with the Pro and Elite models only. There is a work around on this for the Express, though it requires you to rename profiles, uninstall the Spyder software and manage the profiles with Windows separately. Since you should recalibrate your display every month or two (or more if you are a pro), the workaround for using the Express may not be worth the time spent installing the software, calibrating, renaming profiles and then managing in Windows for the few dollars it saves.

It should be noted that there is an included suction cup. ONLY use this on a CRT. Do NOT try to use the suction cup on your LCD!

Choose what you can change within the monitor in terms of color/contrast/brightness. Press next.

The next screen you choose to recalibrate, check calibration or perform a full calibration. First time you need to do a full calibration, but from then on you should be OK with a simple recalibration. I usually leave the gamma/white point/brightness drop downs on the Recommended settings as this is what professionals use, meaning whatever I do on my display should match wherever I may want to print or what have you. Press next.

Check ambient light (Express model doesn't offer this). Accept the recommended brightness/white point and press next (change this only if you know what you want your display to be calibrated to). Press next.

Place the Spyder on your screen. The counter weight is OK, but getting the Spyder to sit in the outline on screen could be a bit annoying depending on your monitor calibration. The i1 Display and ColorMUNKI from X-Rite use this same basic premise for calibration, so it doesn't matter what company you go with from this perspective. Once you have the device situated, press next.

You will see color patches flash on the screen as it goes through the calibration process. When it gets to brightness, where the user needs to manually intervene, it stops. This is where the process can be tedious. This process doesn't self update. What I mean is, you make an adjustment on your screen, you press update in the software to refresh the reading. Compared to the i1 and ColorMUNKI, this is kind of obnoxious. Both of those devices automatically update the reading while you make adjustments. Once you have the reading to match the target as closely as possible, press Continue.

Unplug the Spyder and name your profile. Set the calibration reminder, save and you're done.

It should be noted that you can also run the same type of quality tests with the Spyder 4 Pro as you can with the i1 Display Pro, so it is closer to the i1 Display than it is to the ColorMUNKI.

You can also use the Spyder to calibrate an iPad/iPhone, though I have neither so I cannot comment on how well this does/doesn't work.

Comparison to i1 Display Pro/ColorMUNKI:

Let's get this out of the way. The ColorMUNKI, while nice, is NOT as feature rich as the Spyder Pro 4 Pro. The ColoMUNKI is probably more in line with the base model, the Spyder 4 Express.

In terms of the end point calibration, all three devices provided me with a monitor calibration that was visually the same to me across the board. Neither of the three devices, used to calibrate 2 laptop LCDs and the same monitor (Dell U2410) connected to both laptops were all visually the same to my untrained eye.

For a hobbyist, the ColorMUNKI or the Spyder 4 Pro would be perfect. Given the more granular controls though, I would HIGHLY recommend going with the Spyder 4 Pro if the choice is ColorMUNKI or this.

If the choice is i1 Display Pro or a Spyder 4 device, and you're willing to spend the extra money for the Spyder 4 Elite, either device would be perfectly suited to your use and perform as you would expect. In terms of software and usage, as best I can tell they both offer similar capabilities and both are pretty easy to use. The Spyder 4 may have a leg up given it has a 7 color sensor...I'm not sure what sensor type is in the i1 Display Pro.

If you're a hobbyist and looking to calibrate your display, this device is perfect. It's easy to use and fast. If you're an advanced hobbyist or professional, you are almost certainly better served spending the money on the Elite version.

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Toshiba Gigashot GSC-R30 30GB 2MP Hard Disc Drive Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

Given that this is my first real camcorder, outside of the digital cameras I own that support 20 second video clips, I have little to compare it to. That being said, I've seen people with stacks of DV tape that they never convert to DVD, and consequently never view again. I received my Gigashot from Amazon yesterday and was for the most part very pleased. It took very little time to understand how to use, the functions and menu items were relatively self-explanatory. I'd give Toshiba an Afor the design and ease of use; within five minutes, I was able to shoot a few clips, view on the LCD screen, hook up to my TV and computer to play back videos.

I really enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to install additional software to download clips to my PC the USB cable, included, was inserted and drivers were automatically installed; the Gigashot then appeared as an external drive that I could drag and drop files to my desktop piece of cake. Although, there was software provided, it appeared as though they were only trial versions (leaving the only option to buy more software when the trial expired). Needless to say, I did not install either software bundle: ACDSee v7 (photo edit) or PowerProducer v3 (DVD editing and writing/authoring), but I'm sure this could be helpful for some who do not already own a DVD authoring program.

The only bad thing about this camcorder, in my opinion, was that it had a tendency during low-level sound (e.g., no one was speaking) to amplify the background noise. I didn't notice this very often, so probably nothing to worry about in fact, this may be normal for camcorders, but then again I don't have much experience. The problem with this, leads to what sounds like a few small rapid-fire clicks every so often (presumably as the Gigashot writes data to the hard-drive). It sounds just like a hard-drive, so may not even be noticeable to some, but it could be an annoyance for those who listen in great detail. I doubt this would be even audible at a party or event, but just thought others might like to know. Overall great product and I'm happy with my purchase (especially since it seems Amazon's price was the lowest at this time!)

I did lot of comparisons with similar PRICED camcorders sony/Canon ($500) and here are my finding

The factors need to be considered in any digital photo/video are

1. CCD size

2. MP

3. Filter Size Lense dia big means more light goes in to CCD

4. Lense Quality

I like this camcorder because

1. Price 375 for a 30 GIG HDD camcorder

2. CCD size 1/3.6 compared to sony/Canon which has 1/6

3. Filter size is 30.5 sony/Canon 30 or 27

4. 2 Megapixel sony/canon 0.7 MP

5. No need to carry any media

6. Free case

Cons:

Spare battery is expensive $80 at bhphotovideo

Buy Toshiba Gigashot GSC-R30 30GB 2MP Hard Disc Drive Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Now

This is an amazing little camera. If you edit your movies on a computer you will LOVE this camera because it stores files on the built in hard disk drive instead of tapes. It can record for more than six (6) hours on the hard disk drive (at the HIGHEST quality setting). The videos are automatically saved as MPG2 files which are recognized by almost all video editing products inclding Adobe Premiere and Adobe Premiere Elements. MPG2 is also the current standard for DVD movies, so you can burn your movies onto a DVD. The audio and video quality is excellent.

The camera has a bright white, built-in LED light which allows the auto focus to work in dim light. It also has a built in flash for still pictures. The still pictures can be stored on the built-in hard disk drive, or optionally on a small memory card. The camera supports WIDE SCREEN videos as well as standard video formats.

Downloading the movie files to your computer is amazingly simple. Just connect the USB cable and the camera is recognized as an "external storage deveice" so you can simply drag and drop the files from the camera to the computer.

The automatic mode for most settings like FOCUS, WHITE BALANCE, SCENE SELECTION, etc. works fine. When taking stills the camera will beep twice to indicate a clear focus. When the camera is charging the battery LED shows amber and later green (when fully charged).

While the built-in condenser microphone with multiple settings offers excellent sound quality, a plug-in microphone jack would have been preferred.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Gigashot GSC-R30 30GB 2MP Hard Disc Drive Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Here

I bought this camera through Amazon and antonline. Its a really nice camera, but it is completely unable to function in any meaningful way through imovie and has no value if you own an Apple Computer. This is because the camera records in mpeg-2 and apparently is inherently non-editable. DO NOT BUY IT UNLESS YOU OWN A PC!!!

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I just graduated from the 1min movies in my digital camera to this camera. I am impressed by the overall functionality of this camera.

Positives:

1) Easy to shoot both Movies and Pictures. We think still pictures have their own value. So, taking good pictures was important for us.

2) supports wide screen recording and has 2MB CCD

3) For a HDD camera, I was surprised at the almost non-existent HDD noise. (I did not get any noise disturbance during zooming as some reviewers had mentioned)

4) Easy (as the digital camera) and fast USB2 downloads

Negatives:

1) In low light situations, the camera searched for focus for a few seconds. (But I understand that most of the video cameras do that.) It is annoying.

2) The camera needs to be mounted on its rechargable stand where the USB connection to the laptop is setup. Not a big issue, but if travelling without the base, you cannot download movies.

Overall a very nice camera to have.