Showing posts with label motorola monitor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motorola monitor. Show all posts

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18MP - Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS II - Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III - Wide Angle an

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18MP - Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS II - Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III - Wide Angle and 2x Telephoto Zoom Lens - 16GB Memory Card - Card Reader - 1 Spare Battery - Digital Flash - Tulip Lens Hood - 3 Piece Lens Filter Kit - Carrying Case - Screen Protector - Lens Cleaning Kit - Full Size TripodAll of the items are brand new and in the box. The only complain have is the camera bag and the tripod. The tripod is junk and dangerous to use with any DSLR camera. The bag is small and not enough space for what is needed. All of the extras except the telephoto lens and the camera are all off brand items, but work just fine. I recommend this setup as you get all you need. Just buy a good tripod and a good camera bag for your nice new shiny camera. Good luck

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Varavon AMUNI ARMOR MINI Rig Universal (Black)

Varavon AMUNI ARMOR MINI Rig UniversalNice light weight and well built this will work well with DSLR that does not have the battery grip.

Im returning this because it deos not fit the Nikon D800 with battery grip.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Nikon COOLPIX S3300 16 MP Digital Camera with 6x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 2.7-inch LCD (Purple)

Nikon COOLPIX S3300 16 MP Digital Camera with 6x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 2.7-inch LCDBirthday Present from my mom~ My very first personal camera (I usually use my aunt's canon) and I love it! I'm not a professional photographer but this camera takes really crisp pictures! Zoom is pretty good and the face tracking is really accurate~ Pixels are not all mashed up when you zoom in it warns you when you zoom in too much and you notice the increasing blurriness of the photo. Pictures in low light look really good also as though there was a light source present. I have yet to experiment much with the videos but it from the little videos i've shot, the video is pretty clear.The fact that I don't have to go mad looking for AA or AAA batteries is a SUPER PLUS! Miss perfect picture moments because of batteries and nobody loves that~ You do have to buy a memory card because the camera doesn't come with one.

Terrific camera! I don't know how much she paid for the camera so I cannot comment on the price.

I picked up the S3300 at a Sam's Club because my S8000 started acting up while on vacation. I thought by staying in the Nikon family, all would be well. Big mistake!!! The extra $100 to get you into the next class of cameras is well worth it if you are more than the occasional photographer.

CONS

It's S-L-O-W. Painfully slow....so slow, that I returned it and got my money back.

It's slow (and difficult) to get all 9 focus boxes to appear for a crisp clear picture.

It's slow to save the picture to the SD Card (class 10)

It's slow to transfer the pictures out of the camera to your computer (at least this can be fixed by taking out the SD Card and connecting it directly to your computer)

30% of my pictures were blurry. Most likely because it takes forever to focus. I shot about 1000 pictures on my vacation. 30% (300) blurry photos, that's a lot.

PRO's

As crappy as the camera is to take a STILL picture, it takes great pictures while you're moving (go figure). It has a "sports" setting allowing you to take pictures of something that's moving, or from a moving car...and they look great!

Being able to see the screen in bright daylight is also a big plus with Nikon cameras.

Buy Nikon COOLPIX S3300 16 MP Digital Camera with 6x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 2.7-inch LCD (Purple) Now

I just got this camera yesterday and have been taking pictures in all different kinds of lighting.

This camera has done great in even a dark room.I am very pleased with how quiet it is which

will be great when shooting video's.Haven't been able to get a great super close up yet but

I think that is due to my lack of understanding on just how to use all the functions of the camera

just yet.I'm not a professional photographer but as a capture every moment mom of two I have

taken thousands upon thousands of pictures.I've been through many camera's (Samsung,Kodak,Fuigi)

to name a few none have come close to the quality of picture of this Nikon.I am very happy

with this camera so far.I love how compact it is and the fun colors it comes in.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon COOLPIX S3300 16 MP Digital Camera with 6x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 2.7-inch LCD (Purple) Here

I have been a faithful Nikon Coolpix customer I have followed the product line all the way from the beginning, It is an excellent camera in the compact line. I love all the new features presented with this model. This item lives up to its description. I give Nikon an A plus for innovation and design. Thanks for introducing the rechargable battery.

Want Nikon COOLPIX S3300 16 MP Digital Camera with 6x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 2.7-inch LCD (Purple) Discount?

My mother bought this camera on Amazon for my 10-year old daughter for Christmas. It seemed perfect for her very slim and easy to operate. My daughter loved it immediately. Unfortunately she left it outside on our swingset ... for almost a week ... and it rained/snowed every day. They only reason we found it is that it had sleeted/snowed one night, and the kids were out playing the next morning. I heard my daughter WAILING as she discovered the camera. It was frozen to the swingset, encased in ice.

We brought it inside and packed it in uncooked rice (an old tech trick to dry out electronics) for the 1% chance it might still work. I assumed that was the end of the story, and that we would call this an expensive lesson in taking care of your possessions.

After several days, I pulled the camera out of the rice, popped the battery back in it, and TURNED IT ON!!! It came on just as if it had been sitting in a drawer for a week, instead of outside in winter precipitation! I proceeded to take several pictures and played with some settings and it worked fine. There wasn't even any moisture inside the lens. My daughter was absolutely thrilled and has been snapping photos ever since.

So I have to give it to Nikon they made one heck of a camera here. It's good to know that something that is meant to be taken out into the world and used is sturdy and well made.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Fujifilm Finepix S9100 9MP Digital Camera with 10.7x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom

Fujifilm Finepix S9100 9MP Digital Camera with 10.7x Wide-Angle Optical ZoomI purchased this camera about a month ago and have taken approximately 2,000 pictures to date. I've taken indoor, outdoor, telephoto, macro, everything except the video. Sorry I should have played with that too, but it is not the primary reason I bought this camera. I wanted a camera that expanded the capability and control of my small point and shoot camera, an Olympus C-50 (which I am quite pleased with). I am very happy with the results of the S9100.

This is a substantial camera. It feels more like my Nikon 8008, so don't plan to put it in your pocket when you take it on a trip. I have had three Olympus digital cameras and was looking to purchase another Olympus but I was disappointed with their offering in the ultra zoom class.

Because I already had several xD cards it was a plus that this camera gave me a choice of two different media types. I also liked the manual zoom because this camera felt familiar, like an SLR. Using AA batteries was another plus I was looking for. I see some folks say they are disappointed with the battery life, but I haven't found that to be a problem. I use 2900mAh NiMH Rechargeable Battery and I have yet to run out of juice on photo shoots of over 200 pictures. I have not used alkaline batteries, but I understand they do not last nearly as long. I use the EVF more than the large digital display (probably from old habits of 35mm cameras) and that may have something to do with it too. I think the manual zoom has to save a lot of battery power when compared to some of the competition.

There is a lot of discussion about image stabilization, and I never had it in my other cameras, so I don't seem to miss it. I haven't had many blurred photos but I do use a mono-pod or tri-pod when it is appropriate. But even hand held, this camera produces excellent images even up at 1600 ISO. There is some noise, but I don't think it is too bad. Printed photos come out excellent. I have several printers and a large format HP plotter that can produce 36" x 36" prints and I am very pleased with the results.

This camera has excellent versatility, the zoom is great and the macro mode gives you wonderful capability to really get in close. I have been shooting primarily .JPG but have experimented with .RAW. From what I read this format it will extend my ability, but I need more time to learn about RAW processing before I can provide an intelligent discussion. I like the idea that RAW is there if and when I decide to use it.

In conclusion, I am happy with my purchase and would buy this camera again. If you are looking for an alternative to a dSLR that provides a lot of versatility and control this one merits a close look.

I know someone who passed on buying the Fuji S9100 because it only had a 10.7x zoom, in favor of a 12x zoom. She did not understand how to interpret the lens specs.

This camera has something fairly rare in a digital camera, and especially rare in a super zoom: a true wide angle lens, going down to 28 mm equivalent focal length. Most digitals start at 38 mm or 35 mm. That extra 7 to 10 mm makes a huge difference in the angle of coverage.

I had a 28 to 85 mm zoom for my 35 mm slr, and it cost more than the S9100, and weighed more, too. And here you are getting a lens that goes all the way to 300 mm. My longest zoom lens only went to 200 mm on my 35 mm, and it started at 75 mm. That weighed several times more than this camera, and was hard to hold steady. I rarely used a 200 mm without a tripod.

With the S9100 I still use the wideangle most, but I am surprised how much I use the 300 mm telephoto. It also has a 2x digital zoom, which, because it has a 9 mp sensor, is actually useable, though I would shoot at lower resolutions. And I am surprised how sharp the pictures are, even without image stabilization. But then I know how to steady a camera, such as leaning it against a wall.

I use the tilting LCD display a lot. It is great for candids; which is especially important with a semi-pro camera like this. It is not just about being secretive; it is about retaining the candid quality of the photo.

Attach the neck strap and use it, always, always. Combine it with the LCD display flipped out and you get a sort of TLR effect: It was easier to hold a TLR Rolleiflex steady at slow shutter speeds than an SLR held to the eye. The trick is to pull the strap tight against your neck and lock your elbows against your sides.

Remember, you can always crop a picture to produce more of a telephoto effect, especially with a 9 mp image. But you can't widen a picture in processing -unless you use panorama stitching (anyone even actually use this???).

The S9100 has the best video recording I have used in a digicam. With the manual zoom, it is easy to zoom during filming, silently. Going from 28 mm to 300 mm creates a powerful effect.

This lens is magnificent. It is essentially the same lens as is on the 6000, I believe. Fuji knows how to make lenses. Their medium format wideangle lenses, such as for the GW690, are legendary. Having a fixed lens barrel, while less compact, is far more sturdy. Those telescoping lenses are fragile if knocked while the camera is on.

Fuji also knows how to make film. And in the digital era, the camera is the film. Their expertise in color management is evident in the accurate, pleasing tonal quality indoors or out; but it helps if you know how to use the manual color balance setting. There is a chrome setting which boosts the saturation and contrast, intended to match the qualities of slide film. It is great for average snap shots, but can produce over saturation with things like colorful flowers.

I have used this camera for about four months. I haven't used all the bells and whistles regularly. I tested the manual focus, and it is well-designed, with focus assist via directional arrows, plus the ability to magnify the central section. I see it more as an extended focus lock.

I have used several external flashes with it, and the camera still works. Some camera brands can be damaged by flashes with a high trigger voltage, reportedly. A bounce flash will help you get pro looking shots indoors.

I use the 800 iso setting for night shots. There is some grain, but that's life. I come from a film perspective, and the grain is about what you would get from shooting b&w at that speed. When I switch the S9100 to BW, the grain becomes less noticeable, and makes the 1600 iso setting more useable. I also cut the resolution at iso 800 and 1600. Reducing the contrast and sharpening also seems to help. As I see it, the iso 1600 is there for use when there is no alternative. A newspaper photographer could get useable shots with it.

I seriously considered the Fuji S6000 because of its superior high film speed performance. But it is 6 mp, and lacks some of the S9100's more advanced features. If you need less grain in your high iso shots, the S6000 may be a better bet. The S6000 would be an excellent camera for a newspaper to hand to a reporter.

But the grain in the S9100 is not as bad as some say; I, and others, think they are looking at the full magnification images, which at 9 mp can be about three feet wide or more, depending on your monitor. THEN you can see the grain at the pixel level in even the 200 iso shots. So what?

I often shoot at less than 9 mp. The camera has a 3:2 setting that gives a wider ratio more like a 35 mm shot. It also produces a smaller file, about 2.5 mb. That's what I use the most. It is especially suitable to wideangle shots. But I also am getting fine results in lower resolutions.

This camera originally sold for twice the price, at least when the S9000 came out, and it was a good value then. Now it is one of the great camera bargains on the market. But it may be more camera than some people need. This is probably true of a lot of fancy cameras on the market. Don't buy a camera to make a fashion statement; buy something you will enjoy using.

For me, the Fuji S9100 is fun to use; it is easy to get great pictures without getting a headache.

Buy Fujifilm Finepix S9100 9MP Digital Camera with 10.7x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Now

Well, I don't even know where to start for this camera. But about a year ago, when this camera first got launched to the digital camera market, it costed nearly twice as much as what you can pay for it now. For the price, this camera has alot to offer. I just love the color tone of Fujifilm. You get a very studio-like effect with Fujifilm CCD technology. This camera has many manual controls and features that will interest both professional and amature photographers. The 9 Megapixel can really be helpful when it comes to cropping. The pictures taken by this camera is bright and clear. The camera picture can be noisy if you set the ISO above 400. So, for the best result, just set the ISO level as low as possible (lets say ISO 80?). The 10.7X zoom lens is very convenient when you want to get close to the subject you are shooting. I used this camera for every occasion and it never failed me. I heard alot of complaints about the poor battery life of this camera, but just buy NiMH battery that is about 2500 mAh and above and you should get about 200-250 shots. Make sure to buy at least a 2 GB memory card because the picture files are pretty big, especially in RAW format. Also, for the price, this camera feels VERY SOLID in the hand. It feels very professional and sturdy (MADE IN JAPAN). The buttons are nicely placed and very easy to use. Make sure to buy an external flash if you want to do some serious light photography. I recommnend the Sunpak 383 non-dedicatted flash to go with this camera. It works together really well. Anyway, for $407, you cannot get a better camera than this one. Thank you Amazon for making this good deal possible. Again, I highly recommend this camera.

Read Best Reviews of Fujifilm Finepix S9100 9MP Digital Camera with 10.7x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Here

I have owned this camera since November 2006.

I would have liked to have given the S9100 five stars, but the auto mode leaves something to be desired. To get the best images, you really need to use the manual settings.

I have had excellent success in all areas with this camera. I have taken crystal clear macro shots of jewelrya notoriously difficult subject. I have taken great indoor, low-light shots without flash. I have had difficulty with the auto focus in these special situations. But the manual focus is easy to use. Color and contrast are true to life. I have been able to take pictures in situations that I couldn't have dreamed of with any of the point-and-shoot models that I have used.

Some people have complained about the graininess of higher ISO settings. You can select your ISO in auto mode. Mine stays at 80 most of the time. I use only use 1600 when I want the grainy effect. You can not select the ISO in stabilization mode. Flash exposure compensation is selectable in P,S,A and M modes. It has 5 settings.

Battery life is good, but then again, I almost never use flash. The low light capabilities are so good that I don't need it most of the time. My Energizer 2500 mAh NiMH batteries last for hundreds of shots. Sorry, I never really counted exactly how many. I rarely need to change them during a session.

The lens is threaded 58mm, so you can add filters if desired. You can also use a shutter release cable. I have not experimented with RAW much because I use Paint Shop Pro for editing, and it requires that my RAW images be converted to Tiff to manipulate.

This camera is excellent if you:

1. Read the manual

2. Use manual settings

3. Practice

If you are looking for a point-and-shoot. This probably isn't the camera for you. However, the creative controls are excellent. I highly recommend this model for the serious amateur.

Want Fujifilm Finepix S9100 9MP Digital Camera with 10.7x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Discount?

I bought this camera as something a bit more capable, but not as expensive as an SLR. With a zoom equivalent to a 300 mm lens on an SLR, I certainly saved myself a heap of money over buying an SLR setup with the same capacities.

I use this camera mostly in manual. That was my aim in buying it to get more proficient in using the manual settings. A few times I have switched it to auto, and haven't been all that impressed. The autofocus seems a little unpredictable, but there is a single press manual focus button on the left side, as well as a focusing ring, and these do me very well indeed. I don't think I would recommend this camera to someone who wanted to use it mostly as a point and shoot.

It loses one star mostly because of its poor macro capability. For really really good closeups it just doesn't come close to my Konica Minolta DImage Z6.

I was a bit lost without image stabilization at first. This camera compensates for not having this by jacking up the film speed when in auto, and if I want to use it in manual and handhold, of course I have to do the same. Since I use a tripod a lot, this is not too much of an issue for me. I've heard a lot of bad press on the graininess at higher ISO, but I have found them to be at least as good as film if not better.

The colors are great. I love my range of menu options, though there is nothing too extraordinary about them. This camera has more buttons than some, but once I got used to them, they make my selections so much faster when I am shooting in changing light conditions.

I like the fact I can use a cable release with this camera. I have used it for quite a bit of low light work, and the fact that I can dial it right down to a twenty second shutter speed or even to B is fantastic.

I've found it pretty hard to find image editing software to work directly with raw images from this camera.

It's working really well for me as a prosumer camera. However, I still think that if I could go back, I might go for a Panasonic DMC-FZ50 10.1MP instead. Maybe. I would have to check that one out more thorougly first.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Lorex LW2004 Video Baby Monitor with 2.4-inch LCD and Automatic Night Vision

Lorex LW2004 Video Baby Monitor with 2.4-inch LCD and Automatic Night VisionI have tested out this product and found it to be one of the best video baby monitors to date. We had twins and there was always something going on in the nursery and yet we never found a great video monitor. This would have easily fit the bill. Highly recommended. Hope you find the video useful and if so, please click the YES box. Thanks!

There's a pretty massive selection in the realm of baby monitors, but it seems the gold standard is being able to see, instead of just hearing. The Lorex video monitor accomplishes this using a creepy night vision camera, which has surprisingly good detail in the dark (once you get over you child having evil-looking glowing eyes).

Unfortunately, the Lorex falls short of what you should expect at this price in the following areas:

1) Ease of use: If you're familiar with touch-sensitive devices, the Lorex is reasonably easy to use. But in the hands of anyone else, the controls are nothing even close to being intuitive.

2) Durability: The monitor feels really, really cheap. It's fine if you plan to keep it on a table forever, but if you're planning to clip it and work around the house, forget it.

3) Quality: The monitor seems to arbitrarily go from three signal bars to "CANNOT DETECT CAMERA" pretty often. And apparently unlike others, my monitor never seems to display color, even in broad daylight. It's either black and white or night-vision green.

The problems wouldn't be terrible if the Lorex kit cost about half as much, but it should be better for what you'd spend.

Buy Lorex LW2004 Video Baby Monitor with 2.4-inch LCD and Automatic Night Vision Now

I want to be fair in the sense that I purchased this baby monitor for our first child and it was available on a lighting deal and half off price. I was under the assumption that this would be a very streamlined product by this point and would not need to invest in the more expensive models. This was very much against my typical purchasing habits, especially with electronics (by not reviewing multiple sites/reviews). Should have stuck to my routine. This thing is not worth your time. You can tell immediately. The image quality is not important, but the fact that you cannot adjust the horrible images on both night vision to real time in second intervals is frustrating. The menu adjustments do not allow for but several alterations and essentially (in my opinion) are very limited. Functionality and peace of mind was the goal here and would not recommend for any first time parent. It pains me to write this, as I seldom give negative reviews about anything, but I am so unhappy with this purchase that I will not resell it to anyone.

Read Best Reviews of Lorex LW2004 Video Baby Monitor with 2.4-inch LCD and Automatic Night Vision Here

For the price you're paying for this particular monitor, a consumer should expect more, and unfortunately this monitor falls short of providing that. While the handheld device has an iPhone like feel to it (and price!), I assure you that the quality of the product would not meet the standards required by the folks at Apple. I have to question the other Vine reviewers who gave this monitor five stars as in my opinion it falls well short of such a rating. I find that the monitor's range is very limited, and after receiving multiple Cannot Detect Camera messages, I became extremely frustrated and switched back to using a less pricey monitor that worked much better! Pass on this monitor and spend half the price elsewhere, you will be glad that you did.

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So we had a video monitor that broke and we needed a new one, I love the concept that you can talk back to the child even though there is no volume control when you do that. (wish I could turn it down because the first time I did that hit scared the crap out of my child because it's very loud) the biggest problem I have is it loses signal really easy, like when I touch the screen to check on him, if I leave his room I lose signal, i can't be in the room that is wall to wall to baby's room or any other room except the nursery with out losing signal. I bought this so I could use it at night when I was sleeping in my bedroom, not the baby's bedroom. But it won't work. (and our bedroom is 22 steps from the nursery, so not far at all. (house is 900 square feet and still can't get signal from 35 feet away from each other even though there are walls between us it should have worked. Who has a house that is all open floor with no walls or doors???) really wish my old monitor was still on the market. Would love to get my money back and get a different monitor but no clue how to do that.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

HP Photosmart M22 4MP Digital Camera

HP Photosmart M22 4MP Digital CameraI use it for backpacking and camping trips in the Pacific Northwest. I'm not a photo nut, just in it for the memories. I needed something light for backpacking and cheap incase the thing gets destroyed along the way. It has all the features I need and then some. It's light, compact and the weather resistance is a great plus. I took it out to Glacier National Park with a 256MB and it worked out great. Worked well in most lighting conditions. Got some great sunset shots. All in all, very happy with it for the $149 I paid.

i purchased this camera for myself, as i love digital photography. photoshop can do wonders. anyway, i take this camera everywhere i go and take pictures of random things, and play around with them on photoshop. this camera produces pictures at the perfect size i need. the LCD screen is just the right size and the buttons are not too small. the memory on it is horrible. it hardly holds any pictures. i recommend a memory card with about 52mb for a reasonable price. this camera is a great buy for not a lot of money.

Buy HP Photosmart M22 4MP Digital Camera Now

I got this camera as an early birthday present. Less than one week later I had to return it. First the camera turns on by sliding a door that covers the lens over. This mechanism works only when it wants to. Half the time you can't even get the camera to turn on.

When it's on it immediately drains the batteries. I changed the batteries twice in three days.

Somewhere around the 6 day mark the camera just stopped working completely.

In addition the software takes forever to download and ended up corrupting many of my files during the installation process. The pics are ok at best. They are pretty sharp if you're just going to email pics but if you're going to actually be printing them out, the quality is subpar.

Overall a horribly disappointing experience and a waste of money. I have since exchanged the camera for another brand altogether and I am much happier.

Read Best Reviews of HP Photosmart M22 4MP Digital Camera Here

I've always envied the others around me with digital cameras, but I finally recieved one for Christmas 2005, and it happened to be this one. It has a lot of different features, all of which impress me.

I've also read from other customers that the battery life is horrible, while not horrible, it has poor battery life.

But I've devised a plan to just keep the camera off when I'm not taking pictures. It only takes a few seconds for the camera to power up, so unless you want to take a picture of something that will be gone in 2 seconds, keep it on. But if you're just walking around and see something interesting, turn it on.

Just keep it off when you aren't taking pictures.

I also advise you buy rechargable batteries

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i was scared this was my greatest mistake, since i bought the camera locally and came to amazon just to read the reviews aftewards.

if you use the right battery there is no problem. i have been taking lots of photos with flash for the whole week with and still going....

go ahead, buy it.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom, Standard definition

Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom, Standard definitionO.K. I have been taking a beating from camera rental houses this past year, so when I needed to finish a project that was dragging on and forcing me too shoot on many different days, I said "what the heck", and put down the money for the XL2. I was a reluctant buyer not excited at all about buying a DV camera. I was ready to be disappointed by another crappy and expensive DV camera.

Two months later, I'm glad I bought it, and I'd say that it is the best prosumer DV camera out there, period.

Here are some of the positives and negatives about the camera based on experience.

Positives:

1) Clean signal: While not as good as something like the Sony DSR 500 its a cleaner signal than the VX2000, PD150, and the Panasonic DVX100a. Of all the DV cameras I've shot on I like the XL2's signal the best.

2) Interlacing: I've shot a great deal on Sony cameras. Especially the DSR 500, and The Sony image is always funky, the interlacing is always visible specifically in details like hair and what not. Even with all the menus set properly by a great DP the Sony cameras always have a very hard and interlaced look. Even When shooting in 60i mode The XL2 does not have this and it handles fine details better than the Sony cameras I am used to.

3) Buttons and menus: The design of the button lay out and menus is very good. If you have shot on the Panasonic DVX100a you will really enjoy how the canon is laid out, you don't have to go deep into the menus for every shot on the XL2. The one really bad decision was putting the film grain and color bars on the same button. THAT was a mistake. Why they hell does this camera have a film grain button anyway?

4) BNC output: A small but really helpful addition to the XL2 is that it has a BNC out. For anyone who knows how those BNC to RCA adopters tend to fall off or get lost its about time that a pro-sumer camera included this simple thing for people who use an external monitor.

5) The custom menus:

For professionals: If you have shot on pro cameras you will naturally look at the custom menus as a joke, a pro-sumer "toy". I won't try to tell you that they aren't a "toy" But they do actually work! Which is a great surprise. I have used the camera on sets and on outdoor documentary sports shoots. I find than things like the black stretch and the knee work and are helpful, they are not like what you find on a Beta camera for example but they are a lot better than what else you can find for the money.

For Consumers: This camera comes with a lot of features that you won't use if you are a point and shoot, "Let the camera do it for me" kind of person. However, if you are willing to learn or interested in videography, you will find these features interesting and with a little practice down right useful.

6) Color features:

To the professionals: These work too, you don't get very deep control of the color gain and the RGB settings but you get some and they work pretty well, which is saying a lot for a camera under $5,000! I am developing a preference for shooting with the color gain and RGB settings set pretty high and then pulling them down in color correction, if necessary. Desaturating in post using after effects gives great results, but it has not been necessary all that often, and I'd rather take the color out rather than trying to put it back in.

For the consumers: The color controls are better than on any other camera you are thinking about, most of which will have none. The XL2 gives you noticable control over the saturation of the colors as well as how much red, green and blue you see in the image.

7) Sound: I don't know what it is, if its the mic or the signal processing but the XL2 has better quality sound than you would expect from a DV camera out of the box. Use a real mic and the results are great.

Negatives:

too many rip off artists trying to sell this camera. Purchase the camera only from a trusted and well known retailer, no exceptions, you will get ripped off.

1) The lens:

For Pros: You don't want this lens since it has no witness marks etc. Buy the body without the lens and put on the 16X manual servo zoom. It will cost a bit more but it will be worth it if you need any percision in your shooting.

For consumers: The standard lens is better than any other lens out there, I think you'll find shooting with it a good experience .

2) The eyepiece:

For consumers: If you are a consumer don't worry about it, its fine. Its only an issue in specific cases that pros encounter because of they way they shoot.

For pros: Its REALLY hard to make focusing decisions with the eyepiece that comes in the box. Its not so bad for run and gun doc work but if you are doing dramatic work or pulling focus you'll want to Upgrade or always use a monitor.

3) Its still DV: This is a really great camera for what it is, but you are still shooting DV, and you can run but you can't hide from all the inherent problems of the format.

4) Using the FIRE WIRE: WARNING!!!!! if you use Lacie external firewire drives, among others, the XL2 does not place nice with other devices in the fire wire chain. To log footage from the camera onto your computer you may have to turn off your external drives to do it. This is a for sure with Lacie drives. For many users this will mean either buying larger internal drives or capturing footage to an internal drive with the externals turned off and then transferring the footage later.

The professional should keep in mind:

1) The 24 and 30p frame rates: Naturally the XL2 does not output a true 24 or 30 frame rate. The camera gives you the choice of pull-down you want and then you can remove it in post. If you are going to true 24p output you have the option of 2:3:3:2 pull down, which seems to work without problems with Cinema Tools.

2) All the weight of the camera is at the front so its having a shoulder pad is not that helpful, since most of the weight is on your hand anyway.

3) It may be user error but on the last shoot I directed that used the XL2 there were some strange time code things happening. The DP (who I trust completely) was pre-setting the TC as is usually done but on some tapes the TC changed from the pre-set hour back to hour 0 at some point in the tape. Was this due to battery changes or something else? Who knows? The TC should never do this so I have no Idea why it happened but it obviously effects postproduction and makes generating an EDL impossible.

4) Assuming that you don't have the cash for an Anton Bauer upgrade, The BP-945 batteries are good, they last a long time. So with two of them, the battery that comes with the camera, and the 910 charge you are in great shape and will be able to shoot continuously no problem. If you are shooting in the field you will get 10+ hours of camera time out of these three batteries before you need to recharge.

5) The Pelican 1600 case is a little small if you want to break the camera down all the way. A bigger case is not a bad idea.

Let me just say straight up that this would be a five star camera if the price was $1,000 less.

I do not claim to be an expert on high quality digital camcorders. I've just dome some reasearch and thought some whould be interested in my opinion.

This is the best picture quality semi-pro (between $6000 and $1500) camcorder availiable. Many think that this also will be the last of the semi-pro cameras to come out before the whole format switches to High Definition. The reason why the XL2 has been getting bad reviews on some websites is not because of the camera's quality but because just about all of the press and many professional videographers were expecting the XL2 to have high definition instead of progressive scan.

The progressive scan quality of the XL22 is more than many will ever need, including myself. Unless one can afford a top quality TV that plays high definition you'll never see the difference between XL2's picture and a HD picture. Not to mention that all of the a computer editing programs whith a reasonable price do not support high definition yet.

Currently the only camera that can compete with the XL2 is the PanasonicDVX100A it has slightly poorer picture quality (almost unnoticable) and it shares the nearly magical 24f and 30f progressive scan modes. It make what you shoot look like a movie. When you watch these modes for the firt time you won't be able to decribe the difference it makes but you will see it and fall in love.

The reason why I chose the CanonXL2 over the DVX100a is because no camera currently on the market comes close to having the XL2's number of manual features and selection of lenses. This camera is for people wanting to experiment with the visual style of filmmaking, trying to acheive art on the screen.

For those who are looking for a high quality camera that is less hands on and more automatic (something you can pull out and instantly get great picture) and are not intrested in digital film as an artform but one of those who just wants to get the best picture for family events and weddings the PanasonicDVX100A would be a better choice as it is an easier camcorder to learn and has picture quality that nearly matches the XL2, not to mention it is $1500 cheaper depending on where you look.

I'll stick with my CanonXL2, though, as I hope to join the film buisness one day and I need the freedom of manual features this camera offers.

I welcome an oposing opinion.

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This is an excellent camera definately worth the $5000. However, if you see a seller selling it brand new for less than $3000 beware. Watch out for anyone asking to be emailed before hand or anyone wanting western union or any kind of Escrow service. Be absoultely positive before sending any payment.

Read Best Reviews of Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom, Standard definition Here

The XL2 is truly a beautiful and desirable piece of machinery. It won't turn any aspiring filmmaker into a new Scorsese, and some of its onboard editing features seem superfluous in the age of advanced desktop editing, but for any filmmaker with a fair budget this should be a target.

Unfortunately, as many other reviewers have pointed out, there are many scam artists and scoundrels populating the Marketplace section of Amazon.com. Some match the exact profile mentioned by honest reviewers here on Amazon.com, like cumatru_urs (props to past reviewers for the heads-up). Most deals truly are too good to be true, especially the ridiculous ones, like those priced under $400. Some sellers use Amazon.com Marketplace to lure buyers, then hitting them with an email later saying they will have to pay a much higher sum and outside of the Amazon guidelines if they want to get their product.

Mbjstucki is one seller who uses this practice, and extremely rudely.

Basicallly, buying these cheap items is just an expression of interest to these sellers, not a real purchase as intended on Amazon.

BUYER BEWARE! Amazon will cover a substantial amount of your purchase, more than you'd ever buy, if you go through the official channels of Amazon. But if you conclude your purchase anywhere else, Amazon will only cover $250 of your purchase, which is understandable.

Don't be fooled by some sellers who have high feedback ratings. They can just as easily be fraudulent. Since you can only leave feedback to sellers once they've shipped your item, you have no recourse against these frauds except this review service. Your purchase will remain in limbo and these sellers will not receive negative feedback, an unfortunate flaw in the Amazon system. So ask a lot of questions, and don't allow a hint of doubt into your final purchase, as your own gut is the best radar for detecting frauds. BE AWARE

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Now, some individuals will try to convince you the XL2 is a poor Prosumer camcorder and will give seemingly good arguments. Don't buy into it.

For instance, a reviewer lower down this page complains the camera arrived broken and thus reviews it as a horrible machine. Unfortunately, this said reviewer doesn't talk about the actual functionality of an actual undamaged product, rather his own broken camera. Needless to say, his opinion is vastly slanted.

Another compares the XL2 to the DVX100 series from Panasonic and prefers the latter. He states the XL2 is too heavy and doesn't achieve the same calibre results as the cheaper Panasonic camcorder.

First of all, Canon has continued to revolutionize the photography industry for decades. They have proven themselves in both film and digital formats, for both still camera and camcorder. True, the XL2 lacks some features other more expensive cameras have (compare the JVC GU1000) but that's okay. And, yes, the camera has a very large body and is definately heavier than the Panasonic DVX100, but this is for specific reasons.

You have to first consider why you want a prosumer camcorder. If you just want to shoot hobby short films and want a professional look, I suggest you stick with either the higher-end Canon or JVC or Panasonic or even Sony (god forbid) consumer camcorders which run around $900. On the other hand, if you're considering becoming a serious hobbyist and don't intend to turn it into some sort of profession then Panasonic's DVX series is a good buy. The DVX 100's are cheaper, smaller, and somewhat easier to use. They are far more "point-and-shoot" than the other prosumer camcorders on the market. And they do a fairly good job.

Yet, the XL2 manages to not only hold its own, but also triumph over all other camcorders in the industry. First and foremost, the XL2 has the option to change lenses. This is a great boon for any serious shooter because attaching an actual lens to a camera gives far better results than slapping on some sort of adapter, which distort the image. Canon offers two lens types for the XL2: the included 20X zoom lens and a 3X wide angle lens; both are very expensive by themselves. But, with an optional Canon ring adapter running for $300, you could take your normal Canon SLR still camera lenses and attach them to the body and have them function perfectly. This allows the user a plethora of imaging options when shooting. Now, the normal user won't ever use anything other than the 20X zoom lens (a remarkable piece of machinery in itself), but that's just fine. You're buying the camera for its options and potentials as well as the physical benefits. Think of it like buying a BMW: you buy the car for its physical features you're likely to use (the radio, heated seats, leather, sunroof, etc.) but you also buy it for its safety and cumstomer service, things you'll hardly ever need. It just makes you feel good you have those options available.

Furthermore, the XL2 is a wonderful camera. It shoots beautifully without problems of any sort. Yes, it takes some getting used to, but that's because it has a lot of fuctions and options. The physical body design is simple enough that all the necessary shooting options (i.e., 24P, 30i, 60i, mic adjustments, white balance controls, presents, etc.) are easily accessible. The end product of a regular shoot is stunning. The Canon lens captures colors almost perfectly and the image stabilization built into the camera is a great help. The large body design (though awkward for some) is actually a benefit. The camera can be placed on the shoulder, giving greater stability to the shoot. You can't do that with a Panasonic or Sony.

No, the camera doesn't have a LCD screen on the side, but do you really need one? An LCD screen is not only distracting but also a battery hog, and takes precious room for control options or accessories that could other wise be placed where the LCD is built in. An LCD is great for consumer cameras because they're small and nobody wants to look through those one-inch viewfinders. But the XL2 has a very nice, large color viewfinder, and can be comfortably used with the camera on your shoulder. For those running hand-held shots you can flip part of the viewfinder open and can see a 1.5" LCD display. It's not dazzling or great, but it gets the job done. You're out in the field to get footage, not admire the LCD screen.

Finally, the XL2 offers XLR microphone inputs, a big bonus for people who want good sound in their video. You won't find this feature in either Panasonic or Sony prosumer camcorders.

In the end, Canon's XL2 is a beautiful camcorder. It offers you a lot more than you know at first glance, and delivers near-perfect results. The closest competitor would be the far more expensive (by at least $1000) Panasonic GU1000, which is very similar to the XL2. If you're still not sure about the camera, I suggest you take a ride down over to your nearest Fry's to experiment. Or, you can visit the local TV station and ask them to tell you a little bit about why they're all using XL2's over the other camcorders on the market. No...seriously...they are.

Go figure.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Sigma SD9 3.54MP Digital SLR Camera

Sigma SD9 3.54MP Digital SLR Cameraunlike some reviewers, i have actually seen and held this camera. while i only took 3 pictures, simply loading them and having a look is shocking. this camera and the underlying X3 chip blow away everything in digital photography today. getting all three colors (rather than one like all other digital cameras) in each pixel gives you images you can easily enlarge without loss and artifacts. this camera easily blows away cameras costing many times more.

this isn't a true 3 MP camera. it is more like a 9 MP. but better.... there is no longer a reason to not go digital.

getting 3 colors per pixel means no interpolation. that in turn means sharper, truer color, photos without artifacts. in short, digital photos without the digital look. some of the photos taken with this camera are as good as medium format film images.

digital is not as good as film, it is now better.

I got mine last week, and it's image quality is the best of any digital camera.

My only complaint is that for the price they skimped on the little things... Specifically one of the battery doors is poorly made (I broke it after inserting the batteries :-( )

But after shooting pictures almost continuously over the holidays, I have to say that the Sony 717 doesn't compare.

Lance

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I'm a bit late in writing this review since I've had my SD9 for one year.

The image quality of photos using the SD9 can be quite stunning. The level of sharpness achieved by the Foveon sensor is amazing it can resolve detail that Bayer sensor cameras (all other digital cameras fall into this group) simply cannot. Couple this camera with one of Sigma's "EX" lenses, particularly the super-sharp 50mm EX macro lens, and you'll love the results. I enjoy macro photography and this camera is excellent at macro photography.

I'm certainly not in the league of a real photographer as I'm just a casual type who enjoys taking pictures. As they say, the proof is in the picture and I've seen the proof! Forget about the megapixel rating and the fact that the Sigma is "only" 3.4 MP. The Foveon sensor has 3.4 million photosensors for each primary color that's 10.2 total MP while a 6 MP Bayer sensor has 6 MP for all three primary colors.

Why a four star rating rather than five? This camera is not without it's issues, like all cameras. The SD9 is not a very good low-light performer. If you need ISO speeds faster than 100 then the SD9 may not be for you. High ISO shots are noisy although you can get very usable high ISO photos if the conditions are ideal. The SD10 addressed this issue. The SD9 does not have a built-in flash but those units are not suitable for serious flash work anyway. This camera can only use Sigma SA mount lense so the choice in lenses is not as wide as for a Canon, Nikon, or Minolta user but Sigma makes some very, very good lenses and they certainly offer more choices than I can avail myself of. If you want in-camera jpg files, look elsehwere. The SD9 shoots only in RAW format and you have to process the photos. This is actually the best way to shoot, there is so much that can be done with a RAW file that one cannot do with a TIFF or jpg. The Sigma Photo Pro software is a gem of an application that is extremely powerful and easy to use.

Again, look at the results and you'll see that this camera is an extremely capable performer.

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i have had this camera for almost 2 years now and am still in love with it. i use the EX series 15-30mm lens and there isn't a situation i have found where this camera doesn't kick the of any other digital camera (except for maybe the new SD10). i have a friend with a Canon that cost a ridiculous $9,000 and her pictures look like junk in comparison. i recently took a photo i took with my SD9 at a canyon in new mexico and had it blown up to over 3 feet wide. of course, the file size is absolutely huge, but the print out is stunning. you cannot even see the pixels.

i love this camera. it is amazingy easy to use and the pictures come out wonderfully.

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Well, this camera is something special and I have been compelled write this review because of couple of reasons. For the first, here the reasons. I read many bad , negative reviews of this camera and in the same time all those people who actually used it told how much they have being amazed by the picture quality it produces. So I've decided to try. The camera's images are not amazed they are stunned. The image quality is so high that it left me speechless for the first.

I'm just wandering about those who left negative reviews about it? The CNET review, that named it "mediocre SLR camera" is just a plain lie. In my opinion they giving point for those who gives more money, it's it. Another interesting "review", I read from Ken Rockwell (really gifted photo artist!, no questions!), who reviewed this camera without even try it!

So let start. First of all, it is NOT 3.5M camera. It is AT LEAST 10M camera, but megapixels in the traditional meaning just are not applicable here. This camera produces NEGATIVES. This negative is result of 10M photo elements. In the same time any of 6M cameras has HALF OF THEM GREEN and ONLY 25% red and another 25% blue. If we speak about "image quality" using this kind of "resolution" , this camera produces 14M images. In the same time the "real" resolution of those "6M" cameras stand about 1.5M, the everything else is a pure deceiving interpolation. I see that Cannon and NIkon, aren't happy to see this Sigma on the market, since it MUCH SUPERIOR to any camera they make they started to discredit it.

I do not say it is an ideal, but it close. Much closer than everything else that feels like SLR.

This Sigma produces PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES. I mean it. There's full range of amazing continuos beautiful halftones as you can see on the best reversible films. The pictures are spectacular.

Since it is real photographic tool, you come back to the true that photography and it is about light. Your raw pictures will normally produce 3000 by 4500 huge images that is not interpolating, they just "enlargements" from digital negative. It reviles as many details that ANY other camera can't produce. There are 14M cameras on the market, but they DO NOT MUCH this SIgma in the meaning of photography. I can blow my raw image 4 times more and it still looking better than those from 14M Canon. By the way, those image from Cannon show horrible color reproduction, especially in the red. For example two closely colored redish colors coming out the same!

This Sigma saves colors! It saves the real colors, not the estimations, not the interpolations but the real thing. Camera has just the everything that it has to have, including the high speed synchronization up to 1/6000 !!!

The lens from Sigma just as good(or better) as any other lenses from Nikon , Cannon or Minolta. Even cheap $100 tag slow glass is of very good optical quality. Yes/ for $100 you're getting slow lenses, but it almost distortion free and high contrast! But fro $300 you can get perfectly fast, noticeably bright zoom that at least as good as any lens from "leading companies".

Camera is very well constructed, it handles as it should be, the focusing system is fast, the screen is bright and clear, all controls location are very clever and logical. I like this camera and you're going to like it too. No boundaries anymore. You can print image as large as you need, no questions. In two, three years Foveon will overcome. I

Thursday, September 19, 2013

15 ft Premium GOLD Plated Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable for HTC EVO 4G, Motorola Droid X and other porta

15 ft Premium GOLD Plated Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable for HTC EVO 4G, Motorola Droid X and other portable devices with Micro HDMI portThe item that shipped is what was pictured, so no surprises there. I knew the price was really low, so I was taking a chance... and lost out. I hooked the cable up between my Droid Razr and my TV and the image was riddled with colored spots that changed appearance as I wiggled the wire. The conductors in the brand new cable were compromised. This cable is useless right out of the box! Don't bother.

Well, other reviews were about this product were correct. I ordered two cables to connect my Droid Razr to my Westinghouse TV. One worked perfectly. The other said it was connected, but you could not see anything on the screen. Amazon was great. I returned the defective cable and received a prompt return.

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I purchased this cable to replace another micro hdmi cable that I use to play video from my transformer prime. My first one was chewed on by felines, and would lose sound if somebody moved the cable. This cable wouldn't transfer ANY signal. Neither my TV nor transformer prime recognized the connection. Then I retested my old cable, and both ports work fine. This cable was useless. I've purchased many things from amazon, but this is the first defective product.

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I bought this cable to conect the TV with my kindle Fire, only last 2 weeks!

I have to buy a new one

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15 ft Premium GOLD Plated Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable for HTC EVO 4G, Motorola Droid X and other portable devices with Micro HDMI port. As soon as I plugged in the cable to my Motorola tablet, the micro gold plated portion came apart from the cable. Yes, the metal gold plated micro portion was attached to my tablet after the cable disconnected. This happened the first time I used the cable. After attempting to reassemble, cable did not work...piece of junk, very poor quality.