Straight Rig V2 Plus Option

I have had this rig for almost a year and have used the crap out of it. It has worked flawlessly one major exception, the monitor battery. The battery has sufficient capacity but the "1/4-20" screw on it isn't right, it threaded but with difficulty until the plastic ring used to tighten it gave out after just a handfull of uses. My other complaint is with the power connector on the battery, mine failed within 2 months of owning it and I had to take apart the battery and replace the jack. Back to the good this rig is well balanced and very sturdy. With the addition of a top handle you can get great low shots. One item I have felt was exemplary is the LCD screen, it really makes the rig, allowing you to get razor sharp focus every time, the colors and exposure seem to be quite good as well. I also recommend adding a good follow focus and a ball mount for the LCD Screen.

Sony Handycam DCR-HC36 AV Cable - TV Video Cord for Sony Handycam DCR-HC36

... works as expected... (what's a cable to do but either work or not work.) all video and audio connections work as expected

The price was good and the AV Cable was just what I was missing. I needed it to transfer my mini DV tapes to my hard drive.

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The product worked just as it said it would. Conected easily to the camera and to the tv so its really easy to use.

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Interfit Strobies STR100 Portrait Kit with Beauty Dish Reflector, Globe Diffuser, Softbox, Barn Doo

I bought this item assuming that it would be great for portraits. Not really the case, because the speedlight has to be really close to the person's face in order to get a decent enough picture. The only thing that I actually liked to use was the bulb-looking thing because it spread the light. It may work for macro shots of products, but I haven't tried that yet.

Vivitar ViviCam 7500i 7MP 3x Optical Zoom 3" LCD Digital Camera (Black)

I purchased this camera for my wife as a Christmas gift. I was looking for another Vivicam (Vivitar's Vivicam line is high-quality for the dollar and very durable) and while browsing online found the 7500i.

This camera does it all. Just look at its features:

1. 7 megapixel 3x optical; 5x digital zoom (Excellent picture quality... pictures taken at the highest resolution are extremely detailed. I zoomed in on my own face and could see every pore on my skin.

2. 3" LCD display... 3 inches! I have not found ANY other camera with a display as generous. It's really great to watch the videos you've recorded.

3. MPEG video recording -up to 720x480 at 30fps.... It's fluid recording at a resolution somewhat similar to what VHS offers. The microphone is OK; pretty much as good as you get with camera recorders.

4. MP3 player... You can store as many MP3s as you can fit on your SD-RAM chip. In my case, that's over 800 songs... it has a speaker built in, but offers a headphone receptacle so you can listen on your own headphones or auxiliary speaker system. It also allows you to browse any .avi, .mpg, .jpg, .bmp... most common file types.

5. Voice memos and voiceprints... You can annotate your photos with recorded sound. It's just nice to have that option. You can record aything with it.

6. Its size... Not even as deep as a deck of cards. This fully-featured camera is incredible compact. (Not fragile, though. No protruding telescoping lenses to collect dirt. All receptacles are intelligently designed and weatherproof with rubber guards.) It is 3.75" wide, 2.25" long, and .75" deep, as I'm measuring it right now in front of me.

Anyway, my wife loves it. When our friends' see it they are always fascinated by it, and it's just plain fun to use. The menu dialogue is perfectly designed, and I'm always finding new features. In fact, here's a list of customizable settings:

Mode settings, Quality (affects .jpg size), Voice Memo, Spot or Multi Metering, Single or Continuous Shooting, Adjustable sharpness, Effects (the usual, black and white, sepia, negative, etc), Frame (you can add a frame to your photos), OSD adjustments (grids, how much info you want on the screen, etc), Startup Images, Sounds it Makes...

I give it 5 stars for all the reasons above. Also, Amazon's price was FANTASTIC, over one hundred dollars less than the Sony equivalent of this camera, if you can call any other camera the 7500i's equivalent.

2011.11.06 EDIT: Four years later, and I still use this camera. I still think it's a good camera, and for its size, it's remarkable, but these days, you just have to get a camera with a high-definition video recording function.

2012.07.15 EDIT: And it's finally kicked the bucket. I went to turn it on and heard a loud pop. Something got fried. lol Oh well, it did me right, even after the battery door latch broke and the spring that kicks the memory card out fell out... I just purchased a Panasonic Lumix DHC-SZ1 to replace it.

Let me be the first to say that this picture on the web does nothing for this little black beauty! It's even more gorgeous in person, TRUST ME. I loveeeee mine. It has a great sleek slim look to it and it just feels like a million bucks in your hand! lol The pics are EXCELLENT, I have no complaints about that. With the flash feature on for low light pics and darker pics, they still come out FANTASTIC! Very very detailed pictures. It has a whole bunch of great features inside such as picture settings, picture frames, video, mp3 player. YES, you read right! Its an MP3 player! AND A GOOD ONE AT THAT. The video feature is great for a camera that size and it takes lengthy videos so thats a plus! You can snap a video or a pic while you're listening to music and if you're like me...it will work to your convenience! It has face detection.The menu is soooo easy to navigate through. You dont have to be technology savvy to figure it out, its really easy and straight to the point. It comes with really good software also. You can edit your video and cut the video from start to end, put text and narrate your videos! Really nice. POINT AND SHOOT. I love it! You'll love it too, go ahead it's worth the money.

The cons?

Hmm...well, this is really small actually, but something you might want to know. You have to charge the battery seperately. Meaning you have to take it out the camera, so you cant use it while it's charging. Battery life is good though overall. It's a lithium battery.

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I had my Vivitar 7500i for two weeks now and have taken over 100+ photos & videos before I gave this review. As a semi-pro photographer, my main camera is a Canon dSLR. However, I need a P&S camera for times where carrying a large camera body is not appropriate or not allowed. I wanted a non-protruding lens and is capable of capturing decent video clips.

Other candidates that I considered were made by Fuji, Sony, and Samsung. However, I decided on the Vivitar 7500i due to its features and mainly the price. No other decent brand can compete with the selling price. Furthermore, Samsung is the only other one (that I'm aware of), which is also a mp3 player.

I personally found that anything above ISO 200 will get noisy, as expected from a P&S equipped with tiny sensors. The Auto White Balance, anti-shake, and face-recognition are not effective as I wished. On the other hand, the macro function works great.

The focus lock is reasonable for a P&S. It will hunt for an AF lock in low light situations. Be sure to repeat pressing the shutter button half-way until the indicator turned green, before pushing the button all the way to take the photo. Be sure to ask the subject to hold still and be patient with you.

The camera starts up quickly (due to non-protruding lens), and reasonable delay between shots (slight longer if the flash is being re-charged). The non-protruding lens does not snag to things accidentally. However, there is no protective lens cover so it's easy to get finger prints on it when using the 7500i as a mp3 player. I keep a micro-fiber clothe in the camera case and use it frequently.

The non-protruding lens does get a fair amount of glare. So the user has to be aware of any bright light from an angle. The lens appeared to be multi-coated.

The layout of the buttons is intuitive and easy to navigate. The 3x zoom limitation doesn't bother me since I use it to take mostly candid moments and very rarely use zoom. Personally, I preferred it to have a wider lens, say 28mm equivalent.

I have not tried to use any SD memory card larger than 1 GB. I believe another reviewer reported problem using a 2 GB card. It would be nice if the next version takes advantage of the SDHC. For now, I have no problem emptying the card regularly. Using 1 GB SD, the 7500i takes approximately 54 minutes worth of the video or 280+ high quality photos.

I do find that 70% of the photos were too saturated for my taste. After adjusting the RGB (especially the red channel) curve and post-sharpening, the resulting photos are as good as from my Canon dSLR. As for any pictures that I cannot salvage, I process these photos into very nice black & white photos. The resulting photos are nice and clear. I silenced others who think Vivitar is a toy camera, with my photos.

The battery needs removal for recharging. Since I might use it as a mp3 player, I decided to get more batteries. Although I had trouble ordering the batter from Vivitar's Customer Service, I compared the specs and realized that the battery is the same as Fuji NP-40 battery. That is great because I was able to get batteries from online at half-price.

The mp3 player produces clear sound. It is at a reasonable volume and the player is easy to navigate. I have no success converting video clips with the included software to play in the 7500i, so I gave up.

The Vivitar 7500i takes okay video, if there is ample light. However for indoor clips, the video is noisy and jerky. I am a little disappointed with the (DIVX?) compression engine. In comparison, my wife's Casio Exilim produces a smoother video in all environments. But again, the Exilim costs three times more than my Vivitar.

I carry my Vivitar 7500i on my hip at all times now and have used it daily. I've captured many great candid moments and happy memories. Overall, I would recommend this camera, if you know what to expect and willing to post-process the photos.

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I recently purchased this camera and have been happy with the camera itself. But, the enclosed software does not seem to work under Vista. So I went to the Internet (rather than the enclosed CD) to get the most recent version of drivers and software. I was surprised to find no mention of this model at so I sent an e-mail. The response was from Sakar International, stating that Vivitar is now owned by Sakar, and that there is no current support for this phone on the Internet. Their e-mail claims that any issues will take longer to resolve.

It doesn't seem like a huge deal, as Vista itself should handle most of the functions of the included software. But, if the camera has problems, will Sakar be there for me? I guess I would not recommend this camera (or anything from Vivitar) until they figure out their support plan.

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ViewSonic PJD7383 XGA 1024x768 Ultra Short Throw DLP Projector - 3000 Lumens, 3000:1 DCR, 120Hz/3D

We're using two of these projectors in an opera production to fill a 10' x 26' 8" screen from 8' 2" away. At this distance, the projector lens is located 18" above the top of the screen -the steep projection angle means the performers can play quite close to the screen without casting a shadow.

3000 lumens can light up a big screen in a darkened theater, and the projector is very quiet.

The only limitation is that due to the extreme wide angle of projection, the projector and screen must be carefully aimed to avoid keystoning and the projector needs to be located precisely in space to within less than an inch.

This is fantastic technology for the price.

Canon ZR10 Digital Camcorder

After placing the order for this camcorder, I immediately began second guessing myself. I was particuarly worried about all the posts I had seen about the picture being "grainy in low light". I worried myself to the point of wishing I had just gone with a Sony Hi8. My camera arrived and the first thing I did when I took it out of the box (the battery was already charged and a 3 year old child can learn to operate it in 7 seconds) was to turn off all the lights but a table lamp and begin filming. Man did I feel silly for worrying. The people writing those comments must be used to watching HDTV movies, because I found the picture fine. It wasn't as good as if I was outside in sunlight (WOW does the camera do well outside), but that's because I wasn't in the sunlight, I was in a poorly lit room that was too dark to read a magazine. The image (my Jack Russell, Murphy) was clear and I could easily distinguish her facial features (in fact the camera picked up more light in the room than my "nekkid" eye could). You simply can't expect the same quality picture in poor lighting as in perfect lighting for less than 500 dollars. And unless you are fanatical about high definition, the quality is as good as one would expect.

The camera is so small. Any doubts you have about this camera will disappear once you slide your palm around this beauty. Also, the image stabilizer worked nicely. Ultra tight zooms produced some shake (this was almost unoticable if I braced with both hands). No shake was noticable on wide shots.

I also looked at the other ZR models, but the best I could tell the main differences revolved around the "digital camera" aspects of the camcorder. I wouldn't suggest the ZR-10 if you are looking for a "digital camera/camcorder combo". The ZR-10 just saves the picture to tape at 6 second increments (basically the same effect as pressing pause). This function is for the most part useless if you have a computer capable of video editing, in which case I would say never use the "photo" button and just capture frames from your video.

The ZR-10 has been out for a couple of years and is kind of hard to find new, but if you do find one or are thinking about buying a used one, I would highly reccomend it. I bought mine for just under 500 dollars and am VERY glad I didn't pay the extra dough for any of the newer models (the "extras" were to minimal for the difference in price for me).

I own pro digital cameras, but I get an awful lot of use from this little Cannon. Scouting locations, special events, vacations, you name it I've used it. The picture quality is superb, though don't expect the same results as a $10,000 pro cam. It does not work well in low light situations, using the low light setting the camera must be held perfectly still, as in tripod, even then the results are not very good. But that's what camera lights are for. That short comming aside, buy this camera and you will want to take it with you every where you go. It will far exceed your expectations. It's easy to handle, fits snug in the palm of your hand. Well worth the price.

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...we use the camera with digital editing software on the PC and Mac and have had no problems with the computers communicating with or controlling the camera. Makes it incredibly simple to shoot a short training video or video for the internet. Picture and sound are professional grade. Tape transport mechanism is much more reliable than the JVC we replaced. The analog input is convenient to take existing analog (S-VHS) footage in and convert to digital for use in our latest projects.

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This is my first digital camcorder and I am very impressed. It is easy to use, shoots excellent video and has great battery life. We visited Thailand late last year and the camcorder behaved flawlessly. It coped very well with lighting extremes, switching from bright, midday sun to deep shadow without missing a beat. Add the excellent steady shot feature and I was able to capture footage of the Jade Buddha from 200 feet away, shooting from bright sunlight, through a door into deep shadow. The best single feature is how small and light it is. We travel often and we like to use the cancorder to capture our journey and get candid shots of our surroundings. With larger camcorders, this is impossible, With this one, most people did not even notice I was shooting. We got some excellent street scene footage in Bangkok and almost nobody noticed I was shooting. It may not match the picture quality of a high end 3CCD camcorder but a highend camcorder would not fit confortably in the palm of my hand and the battery would not last through two hours of taping.

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This is an absolutely amazing little camera... and boy is it little! The only (minor) complaint I have is video quality in low light. Otherwise, this little camera is perfect for everything a normal person needs a camcorder for. I was using it out of the box in a few seconds (the battery came well charged). It is remarkably sturdy, easy to handle, and has a great selection of features. Add that to what I can do with my iMac and iMovie, and I have everything I need, and then some!

Esky® Clothes Hook Hidden Camera For Home security

The item does no work propely and what can i say, i have to retund the item thats it..stop selling this items

I needed to catch a thief and did not want to spend hundreds on a security system to do it. This camera did the trick the video quality was pretty good for what it is and it even has sound. The downside to the camera is its short battery life which they don't tell you about. I found the battery lasted about 2 hours when in the motion sensing mode. They should also mention that you need to purchase a micro sd card which is not included with the camera. About 20.00. Overall I am very happy with the product.

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I found the instructions were simple and the unit is exactly as described. The pictures were sharp and clear. It was great. I placed on a door viewing my front door to pick up anybody coming into the house. It works very good and catches me coming in and going out.

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The battery goes dead within ~ 30 minutes in motion sense mode.

This is not long enough for most purposes. I returned it.

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My daughter wanted a camera to try to catch a thief at work. She says It takes awesome, clear pictures.

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Velbon VS-443D 63.39" Aluminum Tripod with Geared Tilt Column, Ballhead & Case with Cleaning Ac

If you are nutball about the world of the tiny, consider this innovative design: The ability to swing the 'elevator' arm 360 and use a crank to fine tune your macro lense towards the subject.

Manfrotto has something simular, yet does not allow as much freedom as the Velbon does.

For video, SLRs can be a bit cranky about a zoom in. I believe this product will do the job.

It will take until the end of the month until this gem gets to Canada.

No bug or flower will be safe,after that, hehehe.

For the money, it seems like a great deal.

I'll let you know how it turns out

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4.6x POWER Opical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7

I received my camera yesterday and am extremely impressed with it. The body is beautiful and sleek. It feels solid with the metal frame and no cheap plastic parts. The menu is intuitive and the images outstanding.

I tested the movie with HD video and am very impressed by the quality of the picture. Night shots haven been excellent as well.

PROS:

* Image quality

* Night shots

* HD Video

* ZOOM while recording movies (not many other cameras can do this)

* Great looks

* Sturdy camera

CONS:

* No lens cover

* No button for recording video (have to use the menu instead)

I bought this camera to replace a very old Kodak. I picked the Lumix FP8 because of it's speed. I wanted a camera that would take consecutive pictures without much hesitation. I used it last weekend at a wedding for the first time; and the pictures turned out pretty good. I have a love/hate relationship with the size; it's great because it fits easily in about any pocket, but it is so small I feel a bit clumsy operating the controls. I have to concentrate on holding such a small camera still so I don't get camera shake. It would be nice to have a viewfinder in addition to the screen for better stabilization. Overall, I like the camera and would recommend it.

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I have used the camera for about a month now and tried a variety of light conditions for stills as well as the video. I am very pleased. The one caution is that you have to be careful to not get your finger in the way of the lens this camera is very thin and it is easy to do.

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Very fast time for 1st and 2nd picture taken! Finally I'm not missing moments because of a slow camera. I used Consumer Reports to make this decision and I'm very happy with it!

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The camera itself looks slick, but I really disliked the cheap-feeling buttons and overall plastic-y functions. It's an okay camera for the money and takes fine pictures. The menus can be irritating to navigate through; I like using built-in features but navigating through them is kind of a hassle on this camera. I probably would not get a Panasonic next time around; I went for an upgrade and got the Canon Elph... pretty pleased with it and the extra hundred is well worth it in just about every arena.

Nikon D800 Digital SLR Camera Body with 24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S ED Lens + (2) 32GB Cards + Case + Acces

I always like the package deals that amazon provide in there sales and I couldn't pass this one up because of the 24-70mm f/2.8 lenes with the CF cards sold me on the deal the camera bag and cleaning things was just the cherry on the top.

D5000 Digital SLR Camera 2-Lens Outfit (18-55VR & AF-S DX55-200mm G ED)

This is my first SLR camera and I absolutely LOVE it. It's easy to use, and takes phenomenal pictures even as a beginner. The features such as changing the colors of your pictures are pretty neat, and the video recording is an excellent addition. Much better than a regular digital camera, and very affordable.