Showing posts with label cheap monitors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap monitors. Show all posts

Monday, October 13, 2014

Toshiba PDR-M71 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2.8x Optical Zoom

Toshiba PDR-M71 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2.8x Optical ZoomThis is my first digital camera and not sure if I want to give up my 35mm yet. This camera's body is cheaper than most of the cameras I researched. I bought an Olympus 3020 and took it back because no hook up to TV, no sound on movie mode, and it cost too much to not have those things on it. The Olympus actually took clearer pictures and really good color. The Toshiba M71 is okay with pictures. It has a little pink tinting and not exactly right on pictures I have taken so far. The video is with sound and pretty good quality.I've only had it a couple of weeks. I am also using it at the highest resolution so I don't think I will be happy at the lower settings for picture taking. Remember also to take the lens cover off before turning on for picture taking or the lens will not come out. Easy hookup for downloading pictures to computer!

Bottom Line-You get what you pay for! I saved... by buying Toshiba.

The Toshiba PDR-M71 is a "jack of all trades--mater of none" sort of package. I got one fpr my workplace as I needed a relatively inexpensive unit that provided a wide array of features and provided at least decent performance on all counts.

The M71 certainly has the features, including:

· 3.2-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as large as 2,048 x 1,536 pixels.

· Real-image optical zoom viewfinder and 1.5-inch color LCD monitor.

· 2.8x, Canon 7.25 20.3mm zoom (equivalent to a 35 98mm lens on a 35mm camera).

· Full Automatic, Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and six Scene exposure modes.

· Adjustable White Balance with six modes.

·

· Built-in flash with four user-selectable modes.

· Twoand 10-second Self-Timer modes.

· Movie mode with sound.

· Images saved in JPEG format to SmartMedia cards (8MB card included).

· USB cable and interface software for quick connection to a computer.

· A/V cable for viewing images on a television set.

· Power from four AA batteries (set of four alkaline batteries included).

All of the features work well-none are spectacular. Picture quality is truly good only at the highest resolutions-but that sacrifices quantity. Photos at lower resolutions have a sort of pinkish tint to them. The Movie Mode and Sound feature is better than I expected. Zoom works well but is limited-action shots blur, but close in set shots come out well. Battery life is OK.

This works well for the purpose I obtained it-a general use business camera. I think this would be a good choice for the first time user-for a relatively modest price you can get, use and evaluate a wide array of features and decide what you'd really want in a "serious" camera. If you are a serious user looking for a really good unit, I would expect that this unit would frustrate and disappoint you.

Buy Toshiba PDR-M71 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2.8x Optical Zoom Now

I have bought cameras for $800.00 that do not have the color range this camera captures consistently. If it only had higher resolution for enlarged prints. There is a third party USB cable that lets you connect the flash card to your computer because the cable is no longer supported. I have two other new cameras with disappointing and blah color. Buy one and see what I mean. I give it 5 stars for value!

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba PDR-M71 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2.8x Optical Zoom Here

Monday, September 8, 2014

Pentax K-x 12-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Kit/1 - Blue

Pentax K-x 12-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Kit/1 - BlueI got this camera two weeks ago (an early Christmas present for myself). Last week I took it to Disneyland for its first big test, and I'm happy to report that it passed with flying colors. The camera feels really good in my hand(s), solid, and ready. It powers up quickly so I didn't miss a shot. And the pictures were terrific in bright sunlight and in low light situations as well. And when the sun went down and the Christmas lights came on, I was able to get some nice shots, handheld. Image stabilization and auto-focus worked like a charm. This is my first experience with a DSLR so I can't make comparisons (but a friend's new Canon was having difficulty focusing in low light); I can only say that this little camera is great! And the price is hard to beat. And the color? Nothing else like it. If blue isn't your thing, try green, orange, pink, etc.

First know it uses AA batteries. You are never far from more. The 8x Energizers have lasted more than 800 pics so far.

Easy lens swapping from earlier K mounts gives you a great base.

Great for point and shoot or technical set your self work.

Way more camera for the money than the department store Canon or Nikon.

A 5 star all the way around. The second one I have gifted.

Buy Pentax K-x 12-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Kit/1 - Blue Now

I bought it from another retailer. Really love the blue, which makes the camera special in your hands! The features and performance are great.

Read Best Reviews of Pentax K-x 12-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Kit/1 - Blue Here

Don't worry the color would peel off, it look pretty firm and nature on the camera which makes the camera fashioned

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

MOBI MobiCam Ultra 900 MHz Monitoring System with SW Power

MOBI MobiCam Ultra 900 MHz Monitoring System with SW PowerThis product really needs to back to the design board. I am a new father and thought this would be an amazing addition to the collection of baby products that we invested in. however no, it is not. the IDEA of it is great, but in practical applications it is of little use.

The audio it sub par. for a produt that cost nearly 200 dollars and it labeled with the ULTRA classification one would expect amazing performance. however it is quite lackluster. The audio is something that has been mastered by other baby monitor manufacturers so one would expect that this one would be too. Not so. The audio is unusable. I had to go and purchase a 30 dollar baby monitor to hear my child.

The Video. well, that is what this product is for right? well, good luck. I happen to live in New York city so the is interference all around. as well as a WiFi network in my apartment. In this day and age of everything wireless one would expect a product costing 200 dollars to have some sort of RF rejection circuity to make sure that the signal to get through to the unit. Not so. I understand that it is on the 900Mhz spectrum which should not interfere with the 2.4 Ghz spectrum of Wifi and cordless phones. but no, the video constantly rolls and is barely usable. The Night vision is a nice idea, however the IR lights that help the night vision work are too strong, so the image is blown out when trying to place the camera at a distance where one can see the eyes of the little one to know if they are awake. So then placing the unit at a distance so that the night vision actually works puts the camera too far away to see their eyes in the day time. it is a toss up.

Overall i am very dissatisfied with this product. It functions only now to be used in addition to a 30 dollar baby monitor to see if the little one is moving around. not as the primary monitor, which i thought it would be.

The video sounds cool and is a neat idea, but a webcam might be a better option if you have a computer.

plus the receiver unit/video mointor EATS batteries. It should have an option to just use the microphone, that way it would be more economical.

My husband and I purchased the Mobicam 70007 to use as a baby monitor (although, it can be used for other things). I really wanted the video portion so I could see my son at night and not have to panic running into his room to make sure he was ok. It helps me sleep well since I can just open my eyes and see him (even when he was in our room in the pack and play, I had to get up and walk over there to see him...so this is way easier). The picture is fairly good as long as you don't have any "interference" (like a cordless phone, microwave, running fan, or anything else like that around). I find it gives a lot of static at times, which is frustrating.

There are two things everyone should be aware of:

1) Mobi's customer service is non-existent. I wrote in with a simple question over a month ago and never heard back. That is UNACCEPTABLE to me. Not even an auto-generated response. This alone will keep me from buying any more of their products since they obviously don't care about you once you buy from them.

2) You will need to keep the camera AND receiver/monitor both plugged in almost all the time. The camera is easy to plug in, but the monitor eats through batteries. So while it seems convenient to have it be wireless and portable, you'll have to change batteries literally every day! But, keeping it plugged in most of the time is ok.

Overall, this product does what it needs to do and helps me sleep at night. I'm just disappointed in the "service" from Mobi, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth after spending a good deal of money with them for a product I had to wait a month to get.

Buy MOBI MobiCam Ultra 900 MHz Monitoring System with SW Power Now

The system would get 5 stars if not for interference it gets almost non-stop.

I don't own anything else in the 900Mhz range, yet the system receives so much static sound that it's almost unusable. I have used 900Mhz/2.4Ghz/5.8Ghz phones and none of them ever had this kind of static.

Read Best Reviews of MOBI MobiCam Ultra 900 MHz Monitoring System with SW Power Here

I echo the previous comment. We bought this unit so we would be able to see our daughter in her crib while she slept. In reality all we were able to see was "snow" on the camera and we had to keep the volume all the way down so we wouldn't hear the static from the unit. The only time we were able to get a clear picture was when the camera and the receiver were in the same room together. I wrote to their tech support and all they could tell me is that there was interference with something else in our house.

We have since spent a little extra money and purchased an AVTech Solutions monitor with much better results. The screen is bigger and the images are much clearer. It is well worth the extra money.

Want MOBI MobiCam Ultra 900 MHz Monitoring System with SW Power Discount?

I returned this monitor after 2 days. I could not get it to stop crackling (popping static sound) intermittently. Also, if you don't have the camera wall mounted, in order to use the night vision option, you have to lift the camera and move a button under the unit. This is not practical since you run the risk each time of not repositioning the camera correctly. Then you have to set the switch again in the AM. This just wasn't the product I expected for this price.

Friday, April 25, 2014

DXG USA DXG-535VB HD Riviera 720p High-Definition Camcorder Luxe Collection, Blue

DXG USA DXG-535VB HD Riviera 720p High-Definition Camcorder Luxe Collection, BlueDo not invest in this camera. I bought it, and the first few times it was great. Then, I was filming and it just stopped. I checked the battery, and saw there was only 1 row. But, I remembered that only 3 mins ago, it was full. From then on, my camera only turned on for 1 min before saying low battery, when it was fully charged. Do not buy this.

I had seen this camera on Amazon and i had been looking for a good quality cheap camcorder. When i came across one i just adored it and begged my mom to get it. When i opened it on Christmas day i just loved it! It was white with little gray rhinestones on it and had the cute little screen so you could see what your filming. Since i was too lazy to read the instructions i had been struggling for the first five minutes but, after that it was a piece of cake. The video quality was amazing and the design of it was really cute. The controls are so simple a infant could do it. The guy/gal who wrote that paragraph on how "The controls are so hard!" was obviously lying or is just plain stupid because I'm not the brightest blub in the tanning bed but, i figured it out in ten minutes and now can do it blind folded. The video quality of it is like i said is amazing and i am happy with my camera. The only flaws is that it needs a memory card because it didn't come with it so you could only film for about a minute and twenty two seconds. I bought a memory card at Best Buy that hold almost four hours of footage for a low price so i was very satisfied with my purchase. Also The batteries only last for about 30 minutes but, you could buy a chargeable batteries from Amazon that will give you more than 30 minutes. I am so happy with my camera and i don't know why it has been getting bad reviews. Overall it's a 5 because of the low price of 60.00 dollars i had bought it for, the video quality,simple controls, and of course the pretty pattern on it! I hope you buy this camera.

Buy DXG USA DXG-535VB HD Riviera 720p High-Definition Camcorder Luxe Collection, Blue Now

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Panasonic PVGS15 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom

Panasonic PVGS15 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/24x Optical ZoomThis is the second Panasonic camcorder that I have bought in the last 4 years and my first MiniDV camcorder. I was trying to choose between the Sony DCR-HC20 and this model. Both retail for the same price and there were some reasons I chose this one over the Sony:

1. This camcorder has 24x zoom while the Sony has only a 10x zoom.

2. There were many reviews about the problems with the Sony's touch screen especially when viewing it outside in broad daylight.

3. I have read some reviews that the included software with the Sony is very difficult to use and install.

4. The Sony camcorder has no photoshot button or memory card, the Panasonic has both. The Panasonic photoshot allows you to capture low-res (640x480) digital still pictures with the touch of a button.

5. The viewfinder on the Sony is Black and White; the Panasonic has a color viewfinder.

6. The Sony has an included 1-hour battery. This model has a 3-hour battery included instead.

It was for these 6 reasons I went with the Panasonic instead of the Sony. After using the camcorder now for 2 weeks I have found out some drawbacks that I previously did not know about:

1. The included software for the Panasonic can only be used to edit STILL images NOT movie images. If you want to edit the movie images you have to buy additional software and a firewire cable. Also be careful if you have Windows 2000 because the optional Panasonic movie editing software is not compatible with Win2K.

2. The Panasonic has no in-camera movie editing capabilities. You can dub the movie to VHS tape but that is about it. You cannot copy a VHS or VHS-C to MiniDV by using this camera as you can with the Sony model. Also, the Sony camera is able to control most VCRs in order to make editing easier if you don't have a PC.

3. The supplied USB cable that comes with the Sony allows you to stream the movie onto a PC whereas the USB cable that comes with the Panasonic cannot do this. The Panasonic USB cable only allows you to copy the STILL images from the SD card or a STILL movie image, NOT the movie itself. With the Panasonic if I wanted to copy the movie to my PC and then burn a Video CD, for example, I would have to buy a firewire cable, and additional software. On the other hand, right out of the box the Sony can do this with the INCLUDED software and the included USB cable.

4. The supposed Panasonic 1.3 second "Quick Start" actually keeps the camera in "Standby" mode and uses quite a lot of battery power. I actually had this mode on for 4 hours and when I finally used the camera I was only able to shoot for 18 minutes before changing batteries. Be careful using this. In any case the camcorder comes on rather quickly without it.

Other than the 4 reasons mentioned above the Panasonic does have a lot of nice features such as the 24x zoom, the zoom mic, the MagicPix function, wind noise reduction and a Soft Skin Mode. I would say that overall I am pleased with the picture quality and sound of the movies I have made with this camera. For the price of this camcorder I would say it is well worth the money, provided you can live without the 4 things I have mentioned previously. If you are willing to spend an extra $100 you could buy decent Movie Editing software and a firewire cable, thus closing the gap on the two camcorders. Although, if you were going to spend another $100 anyway you could buy a Sony DCR-HC30 which has most of the features the HC20 lacks, such as digital still images and a color viewfinder; it still has a 10x zoom, but no camcorder is perfect, right?

This is the first camcorder I have bought in 10 yrs my Sony 8mm finally died. I have had the camera about 1 month and have shot in various conditions and settings. Overall, I am extremely happy with my purchase, and have only a few nitpicky wishes. I don't intend for this to be a long expert review, just my impressions to help you shop. Some comments:

VALUE: This is a great buy for price/performance. I think I got more than I paid for. I love features but I'm not rich enough to pay for perfection. I had planned on the $400-$600 range based on reviews, hands-on at Sears, etc. Sony has the night-shot (which I really would have liked) but I didn't like the touch screen LCD. Canon 65/75/85 units did not seem as user-friendly to me.

Zoom: The 24x optical is SPECTACULAR. Turn the digital zoom off unless you are on a tripod and have very good full-spectrum lighting, then only 50x. Hard to hold still at 20x and above, even with stabilization. The variable speed zoom control is easy to use and easy to control the speed.

Sound: Built-in zoom mic picked up chirping of little birds over the sound of waves at the beach. Little to no motor noise. If you are shooting and talking, your voice is somewhat muddled. I'm sure an ext. mic would improve sound.

Picture: Colors seem very true to my non-expert eyes with default settings. Better (not just brighter) light makes better video. In imperfect outdoor light, colors not very saturated using auto WB. I will try some adjustments for clouds/fog or filtered sun. Auto WB mode is pretty good indoors, incandescent or flourescent. LED light is useful only within 4-5 ft depending on ambient light. There are 2 LED light modes, one with slower shutter and one with normal. LED can also be used with MagicPix, but I don't think it would help much. MagicPix is for very slow scenes in low light, although zooming or motion may produce interesting psychadelic effects.

Controls: The new model no longer has the menu wheel; a menu button is placed inside the viewfinder door. You use a 5-key directional pad (which doubles as the VCR control) to navigate menus. Simple enough, but defintely a 2-handed task now you cannot hold still enough to change menu options while filming. There is no one-button toggle to show/hide the date in your recorded video. Other than that, controls are intuitive and relatively simple. Zoom control is great. During VCR playback, zoom button controls volume from the tiny (but adequate) speaker. When playback is paused, zoom button acts as a single-frame jog wheel (nice feature, but slow). VCR searching is too fast for my taste, but still usable. In recording mode, there is a handy "check" button to review the last 2-3 seconds of video.

Photos: 640x480 good only for e-mail or monitor, otherwise worthless to me except in an emergency. The included 8mb SD card holds roughly 45 pix in fine mode. You can snap a photo live or from already-recorded scenes.

Ease of use: My wife is technophobic, so if she can operate it, it passes the test. She shot a few minutes of video using all automatic options and seems comfortable with it. I can fiddle with options when I choose, or shoot in auto if I want. Most people will be fine operating 1-handed. I was most comfortable using 2 hands, right hand close to right shoulder to minimize bending wrist backward. Boot-up time is very fast, 3-4 seconds without using quick-start feature,

Buy Panasonic PVGS15 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom Now

Friday, March 21, 2014

JVC GY-HD110U High Definition 3-CCD MiniDV Professional Camcorder with 16x ProHD Fujinon Lens

JVC GY-HD110U High Definition 3-CCD MiniDV Professional Camcorder with 16x ProHD Fujinon LensTrue 24p HD recording (same as movie film).

720p60 composite out to computer. 720p30 and DV available if considering HD. Comes complete with TV Video lens and is adaptable for additional lens' via a bayonette adapter.

Image Focus Assist is very helpful in the field and I use it often. Image smooth is available and SD save for your different set ups.

I teamed it with Focus Enhancements HDD FS 4HD recorder and ADOBE software and that's it. Your ready for true film production in HD.

Full Menu and shutter adjustments and shoulder style ENG/EFP shooting.

You can't go wrong with this Camera.

This JVC camcorder with its Fujinon Lens makes Panasonic or Sony HD camcorders look like for amateurs. This is for those who want to work on documentaries/movies and not simply short takes at some news scene. The clarity of the picture is amazing . And you get a pro microphone with it along with a great viewfinder. And it all comes at a great price unbeliveable.

JVC has always been the leader in this technology . And they teamed up with Fujinon TV Lens to produce this amazing camcorder. Stuff for true professionals.

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I bought one of these for an indie film that I am working on. I bought it one month early so that I would have enough time to learn everything about it. At the end of the month the right side of the screen started appearing a shade darker than the left side when viewing on an external monitor / TV (recorded to tape). I returned it to amazon and purchased a second camera... which also had the same defect (only this time it was much worse and visible on the LCD display). I spoke with a friend of mine who had the same camera and he had the same problem after his warranty had expired which cost him $1800 to fix. After the warranty for that work had expired it started doing the exact same thing again and now he doesn't even use that camera.

Needless to say, I did not purchase a third camera but bought a Sony HVR-Z7U instead. It's a little more expensive but well worth the money. I noticed a significant increase in picture quality right away and it has many other features that I like much more. Recording direct to compact flash cuts my editing time in half.

I really wanted this camera to work because it has some pretty great features for the price, but it wasn't worth the hassle for me.

Read Best Reviews of JVC GY-HD110U High Definition 3-CCD MiniDV Professional Camcorder with 16x ProHD Fujinon Lens Here

I bought this camera (almost) when it first came out a few years ago. I paid 5 grand for it on amazon and now that it has dropped to 3500, you should definitely buy it.

Like all the other reviews state, it's an incredibly great camera. It shoots native 720p HD and in 24 fps so it's great for up and coming young filmmakers that want to produce movies that "look" like film. The lens is amazing and probably the reason why you should get this camera. The zoom ring is smooth and can zoom in and out much much quicker than most other cameras as well as focus quicker. It's really filmmaker friendly in that sense and you can detach the lens if you wanted to sub it with another. the picture quality is almost exactly that of film (depending on how you set it) as well.

The only negatives would be that I wished that the camera would also display the f-stop reading on the monitor but they seem to be different elements unlike cameras built by Canon and Panasonic. Also, it doesn't do so well in low light so make sure you are in a well lit area especially if you set the gamma settings for film-like output.

Overall, 5 stars for me. The positives totally out-weigh the negatives. Just get it now.

Want JVC GY-HD110U High Definition 3-CCD MiniDV Professional Camcorder with 16x ProHD Fujinon Lens Discount?

My only problems are that adding an Anton Bauer Gold Mount on this is kind of clunky...also where's the 1080i JVC?

Both of these not a problem if you upgrade to the 200...I know. Still a GREAT camera!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

High Speed HDMI Cable 25 ft. CL2

High Speed HDMI Cable 25 ft. CL2This 25' cable is perfect for running from my Dish Network box to my TV located across the room. Works perfectly, and is an excellent value.

This cable was everything I was expecting. It worked well from the very first time I hooked it to my laptop and TV, yet it was half the price or less than any where else I could get it. I would recommend it highly.

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Cable is insanely low priced and works flawlessly. I received mine only a few days after I place my order. I run this 25ft cable through a wire mold from my component cabinet through several 90 degree turns to my projector and picture quality and flow is not sacrificed at all.

Read Best Reviews of High Speed HDMI Cable 25 ft. CL2 Here

This cable was installed in-wall as part of an upstairs renovation. Cable has worked excellent since initial hook up, no issues. Would definitely purchase again. Good price for 25 foot cable.

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Saturday, November 9, 2013

ECG WSS-1 Wireless Digital Pan & Tilt Surveillance System

ECG WSS-1 Wireless Digital Pan & Tilt Surveillance SystemI purchased this item to keep tabs on a couple of Golden Retriever puppies that have to be kept in their luxury apartment downstairs at night.

I mounted it in one corner of the room with the optional ceiling mount, perfect. It gives a full view of the entire area, with the pan and tilt features, perfect. Requires no wiring other than plugging in the ac adapter! Perfect!

Really quiet during pan and tilt operations, doesn't disturb the dogs. It operates in zero light (the dog's eyes, when open, look like headlights on a car.. really cute!).

I've always have had perfect reception from the camera, picture and sound, from my bedroom to the dog's room downstairs, approx 200 feet. The color is good with adequate light, has black and white pic with the infrared LEDs for illumination during no light conditions, but that's okay. Hooked it to my Sony HDTV with the included 1/8" to RCA video/audio cable and had decent pic and sound.

Features: I love the pan, tilt, zoom, sound without pic option (using the included earphone, good for not disturbing others while monitoring, invert picture option when hanging upside down, and especially the ability to take the receiver anywhere in the house (wireless when using batteries).

The only improvement I could suggest... built in rechargeable batteries that would charge with the supplied ac adapter. I don't know why they didn't do that? Would have been a perfect solution for me if they had, but, I'll just get 4 AAA rechargeables and recharge them with an external charger.

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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Spider S-HDMI-0003 S-Series Ultra High Speed HDMI with Ethernet

Spider S-HDMI-0003 S-Series Ultra High Speed HDMI with EthernetThis HDMI cable is very reliable, its powerful and fast, no complaints at all. i am using it to connect my Apple TV to the LG LED TV and works awesome. fully recommended.

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