eForCity 25ft Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable, Version 1.3, 1080p, Black

I ordered 2 cables and could not use them right away, after thirty days I hooked them up and the hdmi would not produce a clear picture or audio. I tried other cables I had that were shorter to test the system. all perfect picture! I do not reccomend this seller or this product. DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE! Try Aurum Ultra series for better quality at an affordable price!

Please do not go out and spend $$$$ on expensive HDMI cables

if you do not actually need them. These work just fine.

I am using them in applications where the video and sound are going

from a laptop to a 60 inch LCD HDTV and from a Blu-ray player to a 52

inch LCD HDTV. Both work perfectly. I have heard you need higher quality

cables for carrying multi-channel surround sound signals, but I think that is

a lot snobbery and wishful thinking.

The male ends of these HDMI cables fit nice and snug in the female receptacles

of the various equipment I am using.

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Works really well to connect my tablet to my tv and being able to see everything. Quality is great and sound is perfect

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INTOVA Digital Waterproof Camera + Deluxe Kit

Great deal for the price. Easy set up. Takes good pictures and video. Control buttons are easy to use even with gloves on. I have recomended it already to other divers in our group. We've taken it on 4 shore dives to 40 ft with no problem, it is rated to go to 180 ft. so I can't see where it can't go anywhere a diver would want to go. Strap on the camera case makes it easy to move without holding onto it when your in the water. Wish I could post a few of the pictures and video that we've taken so you could see for yourself!

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Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera & 18-55mm G VR DX AF-S Zoom Lens with 16GB Card + .45x Wide Angl

Really loved the camera! Safely packaged, timely delivered (thanks Cameta Camera), and already using it. Really great quality pictures. Looking forward to learn more about how to use the camera to get the best of it. I totally recommend it. The kit is ideal for beginners: you have all you need at once.

Bought this for a long road trip. Worth the price. Though the zoom lens and wide-angle lens are not professional, they are still useful for beginners. Good deal in a word.

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The camera works great. The product came with an extra pack of a telephoto and wide angle lens kit. The package was ripped open when I received it and those lens will not attach to the camera. Everything else I am happy about. I am just slightly disappointed that I chose to get a package and one of the parts of it does not work. Love the Nikon D5100. Camera works great. All the other accessories are very nice--especially the camera bag.

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This is such a great deal !! Product arrived safe and quick !! Nothing was missing. Camera works perfect. I still haven't used all of the gadgets and accessories, but they're cool. I think this is the best Nikon camera deal on Amazon. Worth every cent! I'm fully satisfied with this product. Thank you!

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Everything came in the package. One of the rings for the additional lenses fit the regular lense that I ordered with the camera perfectly. I was leary to order all of this stuff from one entity, but it worked out perfectly. Thank you!

JVC GRDVM90U MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode

For the past 10 years I've always had to lug both my nikon slr and the camcorder on vacations and to events. It was such a pain. I've been waiting for a camera with enough quality to cover both my motion and still photo needs. The JVC 90 did the trick and it's smaller than both my slr and previous camcorder! The quality of the stills when set to XGA fine is good enough to make an excellent 5x7 and pretty decent 8x10. The 8meg mem card will allow you to take ~24 pictures at this level. Even better, you can video and then take snapshots off the video. This allowed me to get some awesome hockey shots during games this winter. The camera has tons of features I'm still trying to figure out, and leaves plenty of room to grow your skills. I'd recommend an extended warrantee though as the internals of this thing are microscopic mechanical parts that would prabably set you back and arm and leg to repair. I bought a pelican box for mine to protect it. My battery lasts about 10 minutes before dying I usually run with the foldout off to save power.

I just purchased this camera and love all but one of the features that I was most interested in. JVC advertises that you can capture a short video clips to email friends and relatives. Well, this is true, but what they do not tell you is that the format is in JMM format, which is some kind of JVC proprietary format! I have yet to find anyone who supports or has a converter for this format. JVC has partnered with a web service that allows you to store these images for people to come view. This is a free service until you what more space. I just think this is another gimmick to make money at the expense of the consumer.

You will also find out when you play back these clips with the supplied viewer that the quality is very poor!

Another issue I had was that the menus and buttons associated with the memory card were not very intuitive or easy to follow.

Overall, I would recommend this camera with the exception of ... the Email Clip feature.

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Bought this unit to use the DV features with my Macintosh. JVC is not real supportive of Macs, but they do give you an extension to add to your system which will let other video editing software see the camera on your firewire port and bring in/out the video.

However, to discuss the camera, it is amazing that so much can be packed into such a small package. Due to all the editing features, shooting options for video, and options for single photo shots with it you will be overwhelmed by it all and maybe bit frustrated. Hang on cus it gets easier. Spent a LOT of time just learning how and went to use the features. When it is all said and done, the quality of the video is great. Good control of brightness during shots in low light rooms or bright light. Zoom is fast, but can be made to go slow so not everyone is on a rollercoaster.

JVC support stinks. Call and hard to get someone to answer questions. Leave messages and they dont call back... ever. Recommend going to local camera shop for assistance, if needed.

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I purchased this camera because of its size and advertised good features. Well, let me tell you. First, unless you are in a very well lit place, the image is extremely dark and poor. Even in a room in the afternoon with natural light, the image will be too dark.

Second, the camera started giving me problems and stopped functioning after only 2 months of light use (I was only able to record 4 tapes with this gadget)...that means I ended up paying about 300 for each tape ...Geez...I am MADDDD!!!!

I tried to contact JVC but they would give me no answers, I sent it by the mail to Florida where, after about a month they sent me back the camera and charged me $70 (Don't know why because thee warranty was still valid), but anyway, I coughed up the money beause I didn't want to miss any day of my newborn's baby without filming it. Well, after about a week, the camera would not open and eject the tape. Could I be more frustrated? NO!!! I will buy a Sony instead and NEVER!! EVER buy a JVC prodcut again. If you buy this thing beacuse it hs been reduced (...), think again. ($$$) bucks is still a bad dealfor such a crappy gadget with no tchnical suppost whatsoever.

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I discovered pretty soon after I bought it that this was not the camcorder for me. The only time the image quality (both still and video) is acceptable is outdoors in bright daylight. I have had much problems downloading still images to computer. I was working on a windows NT station and on a win95. I got it to work once but was never able to repeat it. I am a computer professional. It could be I have a defective cable but frankly I do not have so much time to deal with tech support and repairs and replacement. When I buy a product like this I just want it to work out of the box. Other issues are that it comes with no lens cap and that the battery that it comes with has a very short life (less than a hour). In retrospect the SOny P110 (which is almost double the price) is worth it.

Kata KT VA-801-14 CRC-14 DV/HDV Rain Cover

During the previous 4-5 years, I've been using 1st a Canon GL1, then a GL2, to perform outside video gigs. So I've always had a rain cover one way or another on the camera during those questionable weather days. Thank goodness! And the one brand of rain cover that never failed me with the Kata. I tried others, even the "cheap" ones. But the Kata cover was great.

Well, I finally upgraded to the Canon XH A1 so I could start building up my ambience library of HDV footage. Of course, this meant I would be outside a lot, between the Eastern Shore of MD, the Appalachian mountains, VA Beach, yada yada yada and other outdoorsy settings. So, what did I definitely need in my accessory bag? Another rain cover. I found many inexpensive "rain sleeves", but I nixed that idea since I didn't want my expensive and quality camera to be covered with a thin plastic sleeve. I wanted a quality cover! And since I had previous experiences with Kata, I looked there.

The Kata RC-14 rain cover, covering my Canon XH A1 camera, is a perfect collection of both fit and function. Having the snug-fit closures around the lens, viewfinder, and microphone makes it easy to adjust and snug well...and stays that way. The opening along the bottom made it easy for me to hold the camera, or place it on my Bogen tripod. And the clear plastic sides allow me to adjust the myriad selection of controls on the camera without removing the cover.

Last weekend, here in Maryland we had an incredible storm front come through, with lots of rain, wind, thunder & lightning. So, here was a great opportunity to gather more HD footage during the storm. However, since I didn't want my camera to get wasted in the outside elements, the Kata rain cover was used. Was I disappointed? Heck no!

Other than the haze filter on my lens, NOTHING on my camera got wet. I had adjusted the snug-fit openings well enough that even with the rain blowing almost totally sideways, none of it got in. Even my arm holding the camera was totally drenched, but not the camera inside the drenched rain cover. And I was still able to view the storm through either the viewfinder (used most of the time) or via the side LCD, without removing the cover.

Will I be buying another Kata? Definitely...

BTW, I checked all over the net for the best price and ended up buying it here on Amazon. No, I don't work for these guys, just a quick mention.

Fits the Canon XH A1 well. I've only tested the rain cover under a slight drizzle but it worked well enough.

My only complaint is that the viewfinder is hard to see because of the the glare that shows up on the material that the clear side is made of.

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This is a great rain cover, I use it for the DVX-100. I would prefer if t had a filter adapter in front to attach a filter, but besides that it's a great cover, pretty flexible and you can control everything with your hand inside, or on a tripod.

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I just purchased a Kata DV/HDV Rain Cover a couple weeks ago and it's so amazing.I try it in our backyard with rain and it's so windy. My HDV-FX7 camcorder is very safe and the side cover is so clear to use the LCD. Wow I like it...thanks

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Kata RC-14 (CRC-14) Compact Rain Cover es una excelente opcion para mi cámara, cómoda, fácil de usar, se ajsta perfectamente y me deja trabajar libremente.

Panasonic HDmi Input Module for 8 Series Disp Compatible 9 Series Plasma

I ordered this to install in my TH-50PHD7UY Plasma in order

to use the HDMI output from my upscaling DVD recorder as well

as the Component input. Installation was easy and it works

like a charm, even though it is not advertised to work in

the series 7 sets.

I have to remember these modules were designed for the Panasonic Professional/industrial model. These adapters are heavy duty in every way, its easy to see why they're so expensive but if you want HDMI for your new Panny you don't have a whole lot of choice.

Easy and simple installation. Just remove 4 screws, insert module which glides exactly and blind mates perfectly inside the TV housing. Screw into place, plug in your new HDMI cable and you are in business. No pesky set-up routines to deal with, its plug and play.

A side note...on the old Panasonic plasmas, several models were designed to work with ONLY Panasonic, Sony, or Monster HDMI cables. I don't know if this is still the case or not, but if you plug in a generic cable to your Panasonic and it doesn't work you'll know what the problem is. The price of Panasonic cables has come down dramatically in the last few months, and I was able to find a 10 foot cable for less than $35.

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If you can work a screwdriver, you can install this product. I bought this HDMI input for my Panasonic TH-50PH9UK, and I had it installed within 5 minutes. It appears to be a secure connection, too. The way my HDTV is configured, the HDMI input faces downward, so I was worried that the cord might fall out occassionally. After two months, I have had no problems. I am almost certain to buy a second card for my HDTV so that I can connect my upconverting DVD player to it (the first one is connected to my cable box).

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This product works as expected and was easy to install. It took me about 3 minutes to put it in.

I purchased this item because I wanted to maximize the benefit of an HDMI

connection to my Panasonic Professional Monitor coming from a new AV Receiver.

With the addition of a Satellite TV subscription,

(including HD and dual tuner DVR). I am now able to enjoy new Monitor in High Definition. It looks great.

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So you bought a Panny "industrial" plasma to save some money and you want to have an HDMI connection. Well, friend, this blade is for you.

Others have already reviewed the virtues of the easy install, which I agree with wholeheartedly. If you are installing this yourself, be sure to pad the ground with several blankets before laying down your precious plasma. Face down is NOT a recommended way to move, store or even lay your plasma. I had to do this for the install, and I can report the TV was fine.

Does it work with HDMI 1.3? Yes. I have a PS3 and an Onkyo 805 receiver and everything passes through flawlessly. Granted, the Panny plasmas aren't "Deep Color" compatable and they don't have the Lip Synch abilities, but there was no "handshake" issues with using a purely HDMI setup.

Don't bemoan the lack of inputs on these professional plasmas. Let your receiver do the switching and buy this blade!

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Pentax Optio E90 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

Positives:

Very well built and can handle heavy use. Controls are well placed and the LCD display of the options are logical and easy to follow. Battery life is good and since it uses AA batteries, you do not depend on proprietary battery. Takes good pictures and the color reproduction is very good. Bundled with the camera is Arcsoft Media Impression 2.0 which is very good value for the money. While it is not thin, it would fit into the shirt pocket and hence is ideal while traveling or hiking.

Negatives:

The pictures are not very sharp even with 10MP resolution, even though you can get good 8x11 enlargements. Pentax is known for its excellent lenses and I wish the lens is of better quality even if the cost is marginally higher. Whenever the camera is on, the lens is open. When you want to just review the pictures, I wish you had an option not to open the lens as it would protect lens. The main user manual is in the bundled CD. I wish it is available to download from Pentax website. Some kind of cover over the LCD display is desirable since it would protect the LCD. In a bright outdoor the LCD display is difficult to see. A shade or something like it would help. A direct viewfinder is missing. It would help to frame picture in bright lights and also keep the camera steady in picture taking. Manufacturers such as Canon provide viewfinder for this purpose.

Overall:

I would highly recommend as an entry level camera where excellent sharpness is not an issue as it is a very good value for the money.

I read that one really bad review for this camera and that review is false. This camera is easy to use and does nice photos. The video is poor though, the videos don't sync with the audio at all. I lost this camera (in a nylon case) and it was out in heavy rain for weeks, yet was just fine when I found it. Recently, it was dropped onto concrete and now it has no flash. Still, good camera for the price.

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for a cheap point and shoot, this camera works great. very easy to use for my wife, even my 9 year old can get great pictures. considering another to replace my old Olympus C3020.

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I received this camera as a Christmas gift from my Dad 2 years ago. At first I loved the camera. It had everything I wanted on it, including video capability. But last July I went to Rock Fest in Tama, IA to see Foghat and Bret Michaels. Foghat performed during the day and I was very far from the stage and the zoom quality was decent, but since they were moving some of it was very blurred. Lastly, the night mode. I used the night mode feature to take photos of one of my favorite artists, Bret Michaels. Those photos turned out like crap and even with the stage lights and my flash on it didn't really help.

Let's talk about the video mode was okay in daylight for me to shoot 2 videos of Foghat performing, great audio and video quality is good as long as you don't zoom in (because I did that for most of the first video and it was all pixelly). At night I shot videos of Bret peforming and shot 3 of them. The quality is horrible at night. All pixelly and barely able to see Bret himself. But again audio was great, not video.

I am seeing KISS in August and am NOT using this camera. I'll use my parent's Powershot instead.

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It's a good little camera for the price but with a little research and not being so anxious to replace a camera that died, I could have found a Pentax with video capability for the same price.

Precision Design (4 Pack) 2900mAh AA NiMH Rechargeable Batteries For Digital Cameras, Speedlight Fl

I tested these batteries in my LaCrosse battery charger which has a refresh cycle for rejuvenating new or very old batteries and a test feature for getting the actual mAh rating for a battery. After a couple days of cycling to insure I would get the highest rating, the charger told me that these 4 batteries are rated as follows (in mAh): 1577, 1510, 1486 and 1525. WAY BELOW THE MANUFACTURER'S RATING!

Just to make sure the charger was not at fault I dug out some 2-year old rechargeables I had lying in a drawer and put them through the same test. Three of the four batteries came within 96% of their advertised rating. The other came in at 85%. These "new" Precision batteries come in at 51% to 54% of their advertised rating. In fact, their actual rating is lower than any AA rechargeable battery sold on Amazon. In other words, you can't find AA batteries advertised at 1600 mAh or even 1700-1900 mAh! They don't make them so it is not like these batteries are incorrectly labeled. Instead it means they have been poorly made.

So, what all this means is if you buy these batteries for a device that requires a lot of juice like a digital camera, you will be very disappointed in its usage time before you have to charge them again. You would be better off buying another rechargeable battery... ANY other battery.

These babies just run and run. Recharge my Canon flash unit noticably faster than 2500's.

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I just needed extra batteries for the camera and these worked nicely. Charged these in my Kodak charger without a hitch.

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I don't know why these batteries don't get a lot of love around here, and people are flocking to the name brand products, but let me tell you something, these batteries are fantastic. Now, I reserve the right to change my mind in 5 months or so, but for now, they are SUPER LONG LASTING. I use them in my Yongnuo flashes, and like I just mention, they last a LONG time.

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I have used these batteries for well over a year now with my SB400 speed light and bought a second set as insurance only. These things really do the job. I am not sure if they're "professional" but they last a very long time on a single charge.

We took pictures of a high school play and then afterward took pictures of the favorite character with patrons in a separate room set up for us. In all we took about (I am guessing here) 200 shots? These things are just amazing performers!

Again I stress that we are amateur.

Samsung UN46ES6500 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz 3D Slim LED HDTV (Black)

This review is for the 60" model.

First Impressions

-----------------

The box is *huge*. The TV is *thin*. Not even an inch at the edge, and maybe just over in the center. The menus are pretty straightforward. (I don't care too much about the 3D or Smart features of this TV at the moment, and don't have much frame of reference for how to judge modern 3D, so I can't really review these aspects.) The screen doesn't seem too glossy, but it apparently works very well as a mirror because I can see a negative image of my kitchen when it's off.

Struggle

--------

One extremely annoying "feature" of these TVs that I've found out after purchase is the "CE Dimming" feature. This is not the "ECO Dimming" or anything you can control; It's hard-coded into the certain picture modes (Standard and Native, at least). This feature is something that will reduce the backlighting when there is mostly black on the screen. (For example, if there is 100% brightness white text on a pure black screen, it would actually display at a fraction of that intensity due to the backlight dimming). I've read that this is to reduce the appearance of light bleeding in from the edges, since it's edge-lit. This "feature" annoys me significantly, particularly because I am not allowed to control it. After searching around I found out this is called "CE Dimming" and you can hack it by going into the service menu (you can find the instructions online yourself), however messing with it apparently voids the warranty. The only picture mode I found that doesn't use this is "Movie" mode. But, movie mode looks terrible with its default settings.

After 3 days of struggle, experimentation, and research, I've found settings that actually give me a picture I can call "good" or better. I'm not an expert, but I'm technical and pretty picky. So, because I have found no calibration settings for this series of TVs yet, I'm going to provide the ones I am using, if only to prevent any of you from having to obsess over this for hours and hours. I'll offer a little bit of explanation as to why I'm setting it the way I am. I got some guidance and expertise from a known site, but as of right now they do not have professionally calibrated settings. What I did is by eye only.

Settings

--------

Picture Mode: Movie

Backlight: 15

Contrast: 100

Brightness: 46

Sharpness: 10

Color: 50

Tint: 50/50

Dynamic Contrast: Off

Black Tone: Off

Flesh Tone: 0

RGB Off: Auto

Color Space: Auto

White Balance: 25 for all

10p White Balance (R, G, B): ON

Interval 1: -8, -7, -7

Interval 2: -10, -3, 2

Interval 3: -9, -2, 6

Interval 4: -9, -1, 8

Interval 5: -10, 1, 10

Interval 6: -6, 3, 10

Interval 7: -9, 5, 10

Interval 8: -1, 5, 8

Interval 9: -5, 1, 6

Interval 10: 0, 2, 0

Gamma: 0

Color Tone: Warm2

Digital Noise Filter: Off

MPEG Noise Filter: Off

HDMI Black Level: LOW

Film Mode: Auto2

Auto Motion Plus: Clear

LED Motion Plus: On

Comments on the Settings

------------------------

Movie mode is the only mode I found that doesn't use "CE Dimming", which is a huge annoyance to me. (I'd rather see edge-lighting, easily. Not sure why I can't control that, Samsung.) Backlight, brightness, and color are kind of like salt and pepper: Use to personal taste in your environment.

A note about almost all the other settings: I like an eye-popping, colorful picture as much as the next guy, but I don't like it at the expense of information loss. From my own experimentation (in Standard and Native modes), all the Dynamic Contrast and Black Tone settings did was flatten out the low end of the blacks. Dark scenes look like "paint by number" with all kinds of banding and digital multiplication/division. Lame, worthless settings if that is the effect, and a problem in general with "digital" stuff.

Standard white balance isn't fine-grained enough to make the adjustments to any of the picture modes that are necessary, in my opinion. I messed with it for a long time, so I know. :) The only way to get actual, fine-grained color control is to use the 10p White Balance settings. Now, I only know this from messing around with it, but what this does is allow you to control the individual colors R, G, and B as 10 different intensities, from black to white. So, Interval 1 is the darkest reds, greens, and blues (close to black), and Interval 10 is the brightest R, G, and B, close to white. If you use "Expert Pattern 1" you can see how this works. Short summary?: Red is WAY over-represented and blue is WAY under-represented when everything is set at 0. Everything looked neon until I calibrated this, particularly the reds, and greens to some extent. (Maybe they can create a "1980's" picture mode!)

The noise filters aren't needed when you have everything calibrated correctly. They are kind of an excuse for having the eye-popping over-saturated settings that Standard and Dynamic mode come with. I'm not too sure on the Film Mode and LED Motion Plus. They didn't give me any noticible changes. The Auto Motion plus is nice, but I found that it starts getting choppy when you have other effects going on, including a lowered sharpness (I imagine it must be doing some extra calculations for that.) So, I only set it to Clear because it doesn't seem to get choppy with that set, but still provides some stability and smoothness in fast scenes.

Overall

-------

I give the picture (once it is set correctly) a 5/5. The fact that I can't adjust certain "features", combined with the level of screwing around it requires to make the picture look good makes me lower that. Seriously Samsung... why can't there be a default mode in here that has professionally calibrated settings? You must know that the reds are way too saturated, right? You can still set it to "Standard Mode" by default to create eye-popping pictures that make people buy the TV. But with all your expertise, why not just have a mode that has all this stuff pre-calibrated and save us the time?

EDIT (2012-05-28): After further tinkering, I think I have refined settings to make the picture pop a little more without ruining the picture. Use above settings, but adjust to these:

Dynamic Contrast: LOW

Black Tone: Darker

HDMI Black Level: LOW

Color Space: Native

***********************

EDIT (2012-11-06): Now there are finally professionally calibrated settings available (have been for a few months). You can do a search for "un60es6500 calibration" and it's one of the top results. But, there are problems with those settings. The major one is the regular "White Balance" blue offset setting. They say to use 28. The problem with this is that increasing the offset makes the black baseline move up. So, 100% black now appears brighter. I've adjusted their settings and come up with a slight modification that I think looks fantastic. (Also, my experience with the latest firmware 001023 from Nov 1 was NOT GOOD. It wouldn't allow any picture mode except Dynamic. I did a factory reset, and things are better now.)

Picture Mode Movie

Backlight 17

Contrast 100

Brightness 45

Sharpness 10

Color 60

Tint G50/R50

ADVANCE SETTINGS

Dynamic Contrast Low

Black Tone Off

Flesh Tone 0

RGB Only Mode Off

Color Space Native

10pt White Balance On

Gamma -1

Expert Pattern Off

xvYCC Off

PICTURE OPTIONS

Color Tone Warm2

Digital Noise Filter Off

MPEG Noise Filter Off

HDMI Black Level Low

Film Mode Film2

Auto Motion Plus Clear

LED Motion Plus Off

10PT WHITE BALANCE

ON

Interval Red Green Blue

1 0 -1 -1

2 -1 -1 -1

3 0 0 0

4 -1 0 +1

5 -1 -1 +1

6 -1 -1 -1

7 -1 -1 -1

8 0 0 0

9 +1 0 0

10 +2 0 0

WHITE BALANCE

Setting Value

R-Offset 25

G-Offset 25

B-Offset 25

R-Gain 18

G-Gain 23

B-Gain 25

***********************

EDIT (2012-12-02): I've recently updated to the latest firmware version 001024 and I think it is an improvement. With that update, I've adjusted my settings to the above, but with Gamma -2 and Black Tone: Dark and Color Tone: Warm 1. Looks great to me!

***********************

EDIT (2013-01-02): I've recently updated to firmware version 001025. I might be me imagining it, but I think the video quality degraded slightly, and the issue with SmartHub (where the SmartHub will just pop up randomly, for a second or two, for no reason) is still there. Samsung needs to get their sheet together, because this is just silly, for a $2000 product. But hey, once you've got their money, who cares!

***********************

EDIT (2013-02-18): The SmartHub problem is fixed now. It apparently just needed to be updated to the latest version, and wasn't an issue with the firmware, as I'm still on 001025 and haven't had that issue in over a month.

I got this TV to upgrade from an older Samsung 46" 60htz LCD which I loved. I spent a lot of time comparing TV brands when buying that first TV and didn't have to do much shopping for this one. I knew that I loved Samsung's picture over any other TV except for some of the Sony Bravias but they're overpriced IMO. I wanted a 55" 3D with at least 120htz and this one fit the bill. I bought the last one on Amazon so I came back here for this purchase. They delivered it quickly and it was in perfect condition as expected.

I was initially aprehensive about this TV after seeing it only got 3 1/2 stars in customer reviews so I read all the reviews. I found that the people who gave the TV a negative review were all upset about the Smart TV internet features. Slow connectivity when using a browser, Netflix, Youtube, etc. I understand their reason for being upset because a TV that includes those features should function properly. Unfortunately these rely heavily on your internet connection speed which may not be fast enough to support them. Oh well, buy a faster internet plan. This TV is on the low end of the Smart TV spectrum so I wouldn't expect those features to perform as well on it considering the other 3 models above it have dual core processors built into them to handle that. Buy one of those models with the dual core if you're main reason for having a TV is to surf the internet or watch youtube. Or just use your computer for that like the rest of us. The actual "TV" is top-notch and the 3D is spectacular!

I agree with some of the reviewers that the picture needs tweaking to get it right. I was fully prepared for that because I had to tweak my last Samsung for a while before getting the picture just right but once it's set, it's awesome. This TV has even more options to tweak so it can get confusing for the inexperienced but it's capable of producing one of the best pictures out there if you know how to tune it. The Dynamic, Standard, and Native picture modes are actually pretty useless unfortunately. Set it to Movie mode and start tweaking. Yes, it starts out dark so increase the backlighting and brightness, bump up the color and sharpness, high auto contrast, darkest black level, etc... If anyone wants my specific settings I'll list them if you ask.

The 3D is simply awesome. Home theater 3D isn't going to be as good as going to an IMAX theater but it's still pretty sweet. One thing to keep in mind is that the picture mode settings that you did in TV mode don't carry over to 3D mode nor do they carry over to the other sources, HDMI in, Component In. So, if you have a PS3 hooked up to HDMI you'll have to edit the picture settings for that source to match the main TV settings so you get the same picture in both. Game Mode limits the amount of settings you can tweak so you have to use your judgement with that but if you match everything you can it'll work out fine. Just remember to turn Game Mode OFF before watching movies because it degrades picture quality.

I'm sure this isn't the best review out there for the TV but it might be of some use to some of you. If you're considering a 3D TV and you're not overly concerned with using it as a web browser and just want a great TV then this is it. Once dialed in, the picture is fantastic and the price is right. If you're interested in the Smart TV features MORE than watching a great and inexpensive 3D TV then pay more money for the next models in the series that have the dual core processor. Regardless, stick with a Samsung because it's always the best picture for the money.

Buy Samsung UN46ES6500 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz 3D Slim LED HDTV (Black) Now

The Samsung 6500 LED 3D TV is a great option for anyone in the market for a mid-point LED television. It offers many of the options of the higher price sets (such as the high-end Samsung 8000 series), but lacks the pricier cutting edge technology (Such as the motion and voice control). Through-out the video portion of this review reference the LG LM6700, which is at a a similar price point.

Notes-

Picture Quality It took some tweaking, but once I had it properly set-up the picture quality was very good. The picture is crisp (which you would expect from any 1080P set), but it also offers better brightness than our LG LM6700. The LG always seems a little dark, but the Samsung 6500 offers better overall brightness, and to me, it makes the picture *look* better. One other thing, until I got the picture adjusted properly, I did notice some color blooming which subtracted from the overall picture sharpness... never fear, this can be adjusted out. Some people may also be concerned with the 120Hz refresh.... I also own the Samsung 8000,and my version is 240Hz, and I don't notice any difference. I guess the only time it maybe noticeable is while watching a 3D Blu-ray.

3DThe Samsung 6500 comes with 2 pairs of active (read *battery operated*) 3D glasses. Using the Samsung 6500 to convert 2D to 3D works, ok, but it will not take your breath away. I used it to watch a baseball game, and "Men in Black" and while I noticed the difference it was not dramatic. The LG LM6700 uses passive glasses, and to me, seems to have better 2D to 3D capability.

Sound Again, it took some adjustments to get the integrated speakers to sound the way I wanted. It required me to turn the surround setting on, and play around with the set-up. One thing to note, is that out-of-the-box, the Samsung 6500 makes a clicking noise every time you raise or lower the volume. This is pretty annoying, but it can be disabled.

Features This is what separated the Samsung 6500 from some of the pricier models, but to me, it really doesn't matter. The Samsung comes with a nice programmable remote, plenty of applications (Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Pandora,...although Amazon is noticeably absent). However, as I mentioned it does not come with the voice and motion control of the Samsung 8000 series. The Samsung 6500 offer "Family View" and Fitness channels... but in all honesty, I really have not used them. In terms of features, the LG LM6700 has very similar features but they are better organized and easier to use.

Back Panel I mention it in the video portion, but the Samsung 6500 offers 3 HDMI inputs (which is enough for a Game device, DVR, and Blu-Ray... or some other combination), 1 component input, 0 (zero) RCA and S-video inputs, and optical output, a LAN input, and multiple USB inputs. I question why modern TV manufacturers have completely dropped RCA inputs they still come in handy.

Wifi The Samsung 6500 comes with built-in wifi.

Final Verdict The Samsung 6500 offers a great picture with plenty of apps you would expect. While the LG LM6700 does have it beat on ease of use (it requires a lot less tweaking), but ultimately it can not offer the ultra-bright picture of the Samsung 6500. Is the Samsung 6500 the greatest LED TV on the market... nope, but it may be the best one at this price point!

4 1/2 Stars

Read Best Reviews of Samsung UN46ES6500 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz 3D Slim LED HDTV (Black) Here

Let me start with PROS

Ultimate configuration with awesome 3D experience, super clarity and sound quality. Would buy it again when below issues are resolved.

CONS:

Hell lot of software Issues:

1) All of a sudden Netflix froze and it doesn't respond to any remote control button. I have to power it off and when I power it on with wifi and/or wired connection I see multiple issues as below

2) After the above step if i power on my TV it starts with a Green horizontal line on the top edge of the TV

3) When ever this happens it loses all my Network settings and it doesn't connect the Smart HUB (Netflix/YouTube). It doesn't even detect my WIFI or a wired LAN connection.

4) Whenever YouTube gets stuck/freezes TV doesn't respond to remote control and on restarting the TV wired or wifi connection gets disconnected and doesn't detect wifi or wired LAN connection.

5) At times when I watch YouTube TV restarts all of a sudden.

6) When ever I restart YouTube if I forward the earlier video I was watching the amount of forwarding/image doesn't match with the time it is buffered for. Ex: Fast forwarding the video for 30 mins approximately shows 1 hour 30 mins on the seek bar of YouTube.

7) Netflix doesn't connect thru wifi initially so I have to connect through LAN cable

8) 3d doesn't work with Netflix

TV Model No: UN46ES6500FXZA

Version No: TS01

Serial No: Z4XXXXXXXXX179M

Below are the Transaction numbers for the calls made to Samsung support to resolve. But nothing helps.

1) Samsung Transaction No: 2xxxxxxx40 -Was to reset to factory settings only to see the issues again.

2) Samsung Transaction No: 2xxxxxxx60

3) Samsung Remote Diagnosis Chat Session ID: LTK56xxxxxxxx4X

4) Samsung Transaction No: 2xxxxxxx07Level-1/Tier-1 couldn't help this time. They escalated to Level-2/Tier2 Support & i was put on brief hold every time and I was finally heard from Samsung that the crash & restart are firmware issues are being fixed in an firmware update across E models which is being fixed. Do you want to wait for a fix and live with the issues till you get a firmware update? I wouldn't do that when I am spending so much on a TV.

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After purchasing a Samsung UN55D7000 about 6 months ago (2011 model) which I was very happy with, I needed a new TV for my bedroom and this model was the perfect size and it had many of the same features.

This TV is the 2012 model and is still fairly new, they are still working out the bugs with the smartTV side for the 2012 models at Samsung. I noticed that this TV does not have the HBO2GO app yet and I read how it is because it is a 2012 and the app has to be changed.

Also the Browser is not working, this could be an issue with just my tv but I tested it and it would not connect.

I compared this TV next to the D7000 and it was exactly the same but it did not have the "spotlighting" that occurs on the 2011 models. The blacks seem much blacker also.

I have not tested the 3D part, one good this is that this model comes with 2 pairs of glasses, they are the ones with batteries you have to replace and they do not recharge but I did not buy it for the 3d part.

I tested the Pandora app and it worked the same as other my other TV. The entire Samsung model line up seems to be ahead of the curve and quality seems to be great. The tv is very thin and crystal clear. The built in speakers sound good.

Pros

Clear Picture and good colors

Samsung smartTV huge fan of how it works and the ease of use

Cons

Browser is not working and some apps are not ready for the 2012 line up (yet, no worries they will get them working)

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Canon HTC-100 Mini-HDMI Cable for Canon HD Camcorders

I received a generic cable when I expected a Canon. This is false advertising. Do not buy from ClearAV. Now, I must go through the return process.

I expected a cable in a Canon packaging or at least with a Canon logo. But some generic cable has arrived in an unlabeled plastic bag. The cable itself bares UL # E252840, which belongs to a Chinese company. The seller said that he buys these cables in bulk and that is why they don't have the Canon's logo. He helped to arrange a fast return and refunded my money.

Buy Canon HTC-100 Mini-HDMI Cable for Canon HD Camcorders Now

I'm on my third mini-HDMI to HDMI cable. I use it to connect my Canon Vixia HF 10 to HD plasma TV.

The first was a cheaper cable not advertised as Canon--didn't work.

The second WAS advertised as Canon, but did not come in Canon packaging and is not marked Canon and--doesn't work. $60 wasted there.

Third time's a charm. I ordered #3 directly from B&H and it arrived in Canon packaging AND IT WORKS!!

Don't waste your time or money on one of these cables unless you are absolutely sure it's going to be a genuine Canon item.

Read Best Reviews of Canon HTC-100 Mini-HDMI Cable for Canon HD Camcorders Here

Warning: This cable is listed as genuine Canon part: "Canon HTC-100 Mini-HDMI Cable for Canon HD Camcorders." however is it not. The seller CyberTech sent me a generic made-in-China HDMI cable in a plain plastic bag (tagged only as "HDMIT-2MM."). Estimated value is four dollars or less.

If you want the genuine Canon HDMI cable, search for its Canon part number 2384B001. Be prepared to spend about $50 for it.

I returned this cable and purchased a generic $4 "Male 19 pin HDMI Type A to M 19 pin mini HDMI Type C" cable from another vendor. It works just fine with my Canon 7D DSLR. Be very sure you need the genuine Canon part before you shell out big bucks for it.

By the way, I purchased a second generic 15-foot Type A to Type C HDMI from yet another vendor for about $6 and it works perfectly with my 7D. I find the 15-foot length is more practical for use with the live preview shooting on the 7D

The seller CyberTech did promptly refund the total amount of my order including outbound shipping cost (I guess I could afford to do that too if I was in the business of selling generic parts listed as genuine Canon at a 10x markup -and most buyers couldn't tell the difference). Of course I still had the hassle and expense of the return shipping.

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The canon cable made a tremendous difference in the quality of the video when showing my home videos directly from my Canon HG10 vdeo camera to my high def television. The reolution on the video is as crisp and clear and colorful as anything that is shown from the studio in high definition. The cable was $10 cheaper buying it from Amazon rather than Canon direct. If you are looking for excellent quality videos from you Canon video camera, it is worth the cost.

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Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter Cable, 6 feet

Found this item online and thought it would be the most cost efficient option. Turns out I was right. With this, not only do I save myself from buying a $35 adapter, but a $10 HDMI cable too. I was a bit skeptical on whether or not it would work, as there is no specific brand listed, but it works perfectly. It delivers both video up to 1080p and clear, stereo audio. I am happy with my purchase.

For those of you who are having a hard time getting the audio to work:

* Your computer must support audio over the Mini DisplayPort. To find out if it does, go to System Profiler (option-click the Apple menu, System Profiler...), click the audio tab, and under the outputs should be listed: "HDMI / DisplayPort Output." If it is not listed, chances are your computer does not support it.

* You must select your TV as the output device. To do this, either option-click the audio menu icon and select it under "Audio Device:," or go to System Preferences (Apple menu -> System Preferences) -> Sound -> Output and select it. Hope this helps.

EDIT: If your receiver supports it, this cable can actually carry digital signals such as Dolby, DTS, and 6-channel (WOW!!!) LPCM.

Edit On 2/6/2012:

When I Originally wrote this review I had the 2011 Early MacBook Pro Model(one without the Thunderbolt port which Mac started to sell late February) With Snow leopard Mac OS X v10.6.

I still have the same MacBook as well as the Cable that still works wonderfully. I've upgraded to Lion so the Original post is more directed towards those who have Snow Leopard, because in Lion they change a couple of features on how to locate the HDMI Audio.

The port your looking for is called: FireWire 800 port there are some models who have the 400 port, I honestly never tried to use this with a 400 port version so I can't tell you the difference between the two.

If you still have box/packaging that your MacBook/Mac Mini/Whatever Mac Device you have, check to see if you have FireWire 800 port listed under technical specifications. More than Likely this cable will work for you. If you don't have the box or the manual then you check it online by following this steps (if you have Lion Installed or Mac OS X v10.7 and above) :

1. Click on the Apple Icon in the top left corner of the screen.

2. Click "About this Mac"

3. Click "More Info"

4. Click "Overview" located on the Left side.

5. Click on "System Report" button located on the bottom. When Click a different window should open.

4. Click on "Audio (Built In)". Located on the Left side.

5. "HDMI/DisplayPort Output" should be listed below the list under ""Audio (Built In)" on the right side of the window. If you see this then this cable will work for you.

I know for a fact that that this cable will work with mid 2010 and present MacBook models.

Buy this cable, You'll be forever grateful, I see cables similar to this costing $30 or more. This will be the best (small) investment that you'll make.

-----

Bellow is my Original Post when I had Snow Leopard installed:

I received the cable in the mail today and I hooked up my MacBook to my HDTV and it worked!!! I have a Samsung HDTV and I knew that I was able to hook up my MacBook Pro to it. So instead of buying multiple cables and adapters, this one cable worked great, Great picture quality as well as sound quality.

THIS WILL NOT WORK WITH ALL MACBOOKS!!!! IF you have a older model, then you have to do it the old fashion way and buy multiple cables and adapters in order to hook it up to your HDTV.

To make sure your able to use this for your MacBook Do these simple Steps

1. Click on the Apple Icon in the top left corner of the screen.

2. Click About this Mac

3. Click More Info

4. Click on Audio (Built In). Located on the Left side.

Once the Audio(Built In) is open check to see if you have HDMI Output or HDMI/DisplayPort Output on the list. If you do Then go right ahead and buy this Item. I think majority new laptops and Desktops have this feature, you have to investigate to double check to know for sure.

Buy Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter Cable, 6 feet Now

I have a 2011 Macbook Air, so I'm not sure of other models.

This thing is perfect! I think some people are leaving bad reviews because everything is not magically done for them once they plug in the two ends. I'm no mac expert, this is my first mac actually, so if I can figure it out, you can too. And I've made it even easier for you... Here are the HOW TO steps:

1. Plug in both ends, mini display port on your macbook and the HDMI on any available port on your LCD.

2. Go to upper left Apple menu and scroll down to system preference. Or use your FINDER from the dock, go to applications, then system preference.

3. Click on Displays

4. Click on DETECT DISPLAY

5. A similar screen pops up with name of your LCD, mine says SONY LCD, click on ARRANGEMENT

6. Click the box that says MIRROR DISPLAYS.

7. Go back into system preferences and go to SOUNDS which is located under HARDWARE.

8. Click on OUTPUT, then select HDMI, which should be listed next to your LCD name. DONE!! ENJOY!

The great thing about the macbook air is that it remembers your set-up. So if you unplug your lcd, internal macbook volume comes back. Next time you plug in your tv again, mirror display and hdmi output volume will be back as well. No need to fiddle again!

Read Best Reviews of Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter Cable, 6 feet Here

This cable was certainly a good investment. You do not need to buy another HDMI cable (which can ve very expensive), and the image is very good: sharp, perfect colors. My MacBook Pro has immediately recognized my TV and set the correct profile.

Concerning audio there a lot of review complaining that the cable does not convey audio signal: the problem does not come from the cable but from your MacBook. Audio output was added to the MacBook Pro on April 13, 2010. Previous models do not support audio output through the mini display port.

This was not a problem for me, because I use my stereo for audio output.

08/04/2011: I have tried the cable on a new Dell XPS laptop, and both audio and video worked. So if you have no audio, you should really check that your mini-displayport does actually output audio.

Want Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter Cable, 6 feet Discount?

I just received my cable today, and so far it works great! It is better quality than I had expected just because of the price. It came with durable caps to cover each end of the cable (HDMI and MINI DIsplay port) and the cable feels sturdy, not cheap. When I first connected my Mac to my Samsung HDTV it recognized it, but the screen was just blank. Thanks to some really helpful reviews I was able to figure out how to get the audio and display working!

If anyone else is confused..

Display: Go to, Apple Menu > System Preferences > Displays > then check the box "Mirrored Display"

For Audio: Apple Menu > System Preferences > Sounds > Output > then select the correct HDMI outlet. (Mine said "HDMI Samsung")

Hope this helps!

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Canon XF100 Professional Camcorder with 10x HD Video lens, Compact Flash (CF) Recording

Having had an XA10 briefly before buying the XF100 I was able to make some direct comparisons.

Bottom line is that the XF100 offers more hard BUTTONS, a huge advantage to any semi-pro user or above, because digging through the menu on site is tedious and time consuming. The codec is also MPEG2 50mbs 4:2:2 color, which means the color accuracy is MUCH better than the XA10 and editing will be much faster and easier to render. It actually meets minimum broadcast specs for the BBC which is pretty amazing for the price range. A more flexible but finicky image. At each shoot, you'll be spending a little more time getting white balance, lighting and picture settings just right vs the XA10's simpler use.

OUT OF THE BOX SHOOTING: No, don't do that. You'll want to do 2 things right away. Google "Custom Picture Profiles" and use the ones called XF1MOJO, HI-GAIN and TRUVID to start. They alter many different aspects of the picture to allow for great looking footage. If you don't do this, you're likely to get grainy footage even in good light and night shots will be unusable. You'll also want to set the LCD screen to BRIGHT if you want to see in in the sunlight while shooting.

LOW LIGHT/NIGHT SHOTS: Use a custom picture profile setup for this and most importantly DO NOT go above 9db GAIN. Auto mode will rocket up to 24db instantly and produce one of the grainiest pictures you can imagine. Keep it below 9 and you'll be pleased. I hooked my camera up to our HDTV and lowered the light while toying with different settings, this was very effective for me to learn what worked and how in that setting.

EDITING: Using both XA10 footage (H264) and XF100 (MPEG2), Adobe CS6, W7x64 still lagged badly and took roughly 2-3x as long for any renders using an 8 core system. The XF100 footage flowed easily and smoothly and rendered faster than realtime in HD on my system while the the H264 not only took longer but caused some odd glitches in Adobe from time to time.

SMALL POINTS: The build quality feels more solid than the XA10, which is also pretty good. The XF100 is very light and while that's nice, it also means you'll be relying on the image stabilization a bit more, which for the most part works well. Full size HDMI out. New firmware (which you probably won't need is out so make sure yours is up to date, do this 1st as it erases all presets). It adds some useful features and is worth doing at canon's website.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE: 60p in 1080 mode, as it is, you can get there but only in 1280x720, which is still a pretty good resolution, no other camera in the class offers it either at the present time. How about a wireless remote that doesn't require pressing TWO buttons to use, I couldn't believe it, absolutely useless in the field, buying a LANC remote for this need is pretty much required due to this. More Custom Picture Profiles would have been nice, they offer three hard presets, which I've yet to find a use for. SDcard options, currently no internal memory and you must buy the pricey Compact Flash Memory. The x400 Transcend works fine BTW, it's the cheapest so far. Adapters for SD cards don't work so don't bother.

WHY STILL GET AN XA10? If you're in need of XLR audio and don't want to step up to the XF100, I guess it makes sense. For my money, I'd just get the Vixia for $700 less and you'll have almost the same thing minus the inputs. If you are an AUTO type of shooter, the XA10 will please you, but if you need to adjust lots of settings, it WILL be a little frustrating. The OUT OF THE BOX experience with the XA10 is pretty good, the presets it offers are very usable and produced excellent quality with little fiddling, while the XF100 will require more setup and fine tuning.

I've spent only a week with each camera at this point so keep that in mind as you consider what I had to say about these cameras. Overall, they're both excellent, but just serve different needs. I make a living with my cameras, so what's important to me might not matter much to others.

UPDATE: Dec 7 2012: After a few months using the camera and shooting a half dozen commercial shoots with it, I can say it's produced very nice footage. Outdoor shoots on sunny days I've been able to go full auto and get outstanding results with absolutely beautiful color reproduction. Low light still requires the settings above but have also been very very good. Auto focus works fine but I've had a few instances where it wanders, can't fault the camera really but manual focus with the MAG button makes this a breeze in the field (thank you Canon).

I've since gotten a x600 card to go with x400s and they work together but you have make sure to set them up properly in the menu and that they have "green" lights on both or it won't automatically start recording on the 2nd card when you need it Pay attention the first time and you'll know what I mean and avoid losing any shots. I've learned the x600 is really only necessary for overcranking as I've had not a single error with any of the x400s @ 1920x1080 30fps, at double the price it's something to consider.

AUDIO: I use a non XLR Rode mic 99% of the time but the onboard audio is usable in a pinch under the right conditions. XLR is the way to go so if you're getting new gear look into it.

Finally, I picked up a 2nd battery, a larger Wasabi and it's been fantastic, I know some people said they didn't get accurate remaining times, but I had no problems at all and at a fraction of the price of Canon batteries, you just can't beat them. No little lights on the back of the battery but other than that you get a lot more juice for your money.

I spent about four months comparing the Canon XF100 to the Canon 7D, and several Sony video cameras. I used mutiple lens on the Canon 7d...testing for depth of field, low light comparisons, etc. For the Indy movie we are shooting now, the Canon XF100 became the perfect choice. Ease of use, 2-3 hours of battery use, double slots for the compact flash cards (one for backup), great low light, the ability to continue a shot for more than 12 minutes (Canon7d), the ability to chose MF or AF, and no need to purchase all the peripherals that you need when you use a DLSR for video. If you can find this camera, its incredible and easy to use. The only drawback is the editing. If you have a 32 bit Windows platform, you will have to upgrade to a new computer for 64 bit if you plan on editing with Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid, or the earlier versions of Final Cut Pro. FCPro X at this time is not set up for the Canon XF series.

Buy Canon XF100 Professional Camcorder with 10x HD Video lens, Compact Flash (CF) Recording Now

If you're looking to step into the beginnings of a professional level video camera, the XF100 will do the job. Among the features I like best are: 4:2:2 color space, XLR audio inputs, and a versatile zoom lens. These are just a few, there are many more. To provide a thorough review of the XF100, I made this video, which includes an un-boxing, a look at the features, and a short, actual test of the camera. I immediately noticed an improvement in my productions including my video blog and YouTube material, not to mention material submitted to professional news organizations. For a high-quality stream of this review, see my blog, which is mentioned in my Amazon profile, or can be found through my website. The higher quality version was far too large to load here.

Read Best Reviews of Canon XF100 Professional Camcorder with 10x HD Video lens, Compact Flash (CF) Recording Here

I was looking for a camcorder to improve upon the image and sound quality that I got from my Canon VIXIA HFS10, and after a lot of research I decided on this one. I haven't been disappointed.

For me the most important feature was the dual XLR inputs, because for documentary shooting, where the voices of my subjects are critical, I can't rely on the onboard microphone. I need at least to add a shotgun on top, or on a boom pole if I have someone else to operate it. Additionally, it helps to have a wireless lavaliere set up and the ability to record both inputs to different channels, and control their levels independently. All that's possible, and quite easy, with this camcorder.

The image quality, also, is a serious step up. I can get good shots indoors as long as it's not dark, and excellent quality during the daytime and at night in a well-lit street. This will record up to 50Mbps, using Canon's XF Codec, which can be edited without difficulty and without the need for conversion using Adobe's Premiere Pro CS6 but should be usable in almost any up-to-date semi-professional editing program.

It records onto compact flash cards, and can hold up to two at once. It can be set to record sequentially, so that as soon as the one card is full it will begin recording to the other without any time lag. You can also remove and replace the card that's not currently recording even with the camera on, so you could keep recording for as long as you like. I use the SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash 32GB Memory Cards, and they work great. It also holds an optional SD card for recording photos and for storing customized camera settings, that can be selected from the menu.

The battery this comes with shoots for about 3 hours, but you can pick up an additional battery that will keep it running for over 8 hours. They've done a good job with providing custom buttons for commonly used functions, and there are ten additional buttons that can be customized to a wide range of additional functions that you'd otherwise have to access through the menu. You can set the focus wheel to manual focus, zoom, or iris and adjust its sensitivity levels to fit your needs. I set one of the custom buttons to the peak function, which shows me where I have sharp edges and helps me when I'm focusing manually.

There's an eyepiece for those who prefer to shoot that way but the LCD screen contains the menu features, and can be rotated in all directions. There's a removable microphone mount on top I found that my shotgun mike didn't fit in there snuggly, so I went to the hardware store and bought three rubber o-rings to place on my mike. Now it fits in there nicely.

I've been shooting with this for a couple of months now, and have gotten great results. There's a lot more that I could say about it, but most of what you need to know is available lots of other places. I wish it had better image quality in very low light situations, but it's better at that than any camera in its price and feature range that I've come across. Like I said I think it's ideal for the low-end and independent documentary filmmaker and other similar uses, such as commercial videos and weddings. Because it is light and has a smaller profile it would also be quite useful on a higher level production when shooting needs to be somewhat discreet and not call attention to itself or scream that a movie's being made. It's worked great for my needs as a low-end independent documentary filmmaker. I've been very happy with it.

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Bottom line. Its a three thousand dollar camera with 422 and 1920x1080. Makes a fantastic cheap second camera next to my 5d. XLR imputs. Thinking about purchasing another. Its maybe too light, but that isnt necessarily a bad thing. Shoots very well in low light situations. I just shot a video in a one room school house with no electricity at dusk and was able to get the shots without using the infrared. Ya it was a little bit grainy, but I got the shots and I got paid. Ya you can find things to complain about it, but its a three thousand dollar camera. Simple plug in to work with FCP7.

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