Konica Minolta Dimage X1 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Anti Shake Zoom (Cradle Included) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this camera for about three weeks now so this is not a complete review. This is a replacement for the Canon S100 Digital Elph which I had for almost five years. That broke and I got the Konica Minolta here in Asia before it was released in the US.
There are several shortcomings with the Konica Minolta:
1) Flash is limited to about 6 feet or so. TERRIBLE!
2) Lowlight picture taking is quite poor. The lense has difficulty focusing and there is no manual adjust. AGAIN, TERRIBLE.
3) There is a big lag time between shots due to long processing time. YOU WILL MISS LOTS OF PICTURES!
4) LCD has very large pixels which makes it difficult to see details.
5) The camera is pretty large and bulky.
6) Shutter speed is limited to 1/250 sec.
7) No manual controls.
There are good things:
1) Battery lasts about 90 minutes of continual use.
2) Macro photography is pretty good - UNDER PERFECT CONDITIONS.
3) Controls are very intuitive - it is SIMPLE to use.
4) The Anti Shake technology is effective.
5) The video is good.
6) Despite the sheer heft and size it is a sleek design, but only the back of the camera.
7) Overall picture quality is ok under PERFECT conditions.
I needed a camera quickly. If you are not in a hurry, it may pay to shop around.
UPDATE - I have sent four emails and left three voicemails to KM over a one month period and have yet to hear back from this company. DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK!!!
If I could, I would re-rate this camera as one star since zero is not an option.
UPDATE #2-
1) You will miss lots of pictures due to the long processing time. You'll attempt to take a shot but by the time the camera actually records the image from the time you press the button it's SEVERAL seconds later. I can't tell you how frustrating this is. I can't believe they put out a camera like this. It's really unbelievable.
2) My old Canon took much better pictures than this. Pics are extremely "noisy" and forget low-light pictures. Get the 1 GB card, because you'll need to take about 20 shots to make sure you get one that turns out. Again, unbelievable.
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY

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PBL PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO LIGHTING KIT 600 WATT FLUORESCENT WITH SHOOT THROUGH UMBRELLA Review

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(More customer reviews)The pair of lights are good value for the money. They were relatively easy to assemble and use (adjust). I am a beginner with indoor lighting. The lights give off a strong white light that brings our details in house interior photos.
__ But
The bulb rests on the umbrella's metal rod. I called the vendor, cowboystudios.com and they said that is not a problem since the bulbs do not get very hot. I agree, the bulbs do not get very hot, but I am concerned that any sudden accidental jerking of the lights when moving could cause the bulb to break because of the contact between the bulb and the metal rod of the umbrella. Those new style florescent bulbs are energy saving, but they contain mercury and must be very carefully cleaned up when you break one.
I wish the lights came with instructions. My first attempt at assembling them almost met with disaster. I grabbed the light just in time before it almost fell over and broke. I did not realize that the light must extend over one of the tripod legs -- not inbetween them.
I guess I could search the web for instructions and tips on using lighting, but I would have appreciated a cheat sheet on using the lights.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 16x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Built-In GPS Function (Silver) BigVALUEInc Accessory Saver 16GB Bundle Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Read the other reviews. I did. Good buy. Camera rocks. Xtras are good too.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 16x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Built-In GPS Function (Black) BigVALUEInc Accessory Saver 8GB Bundle Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was a professional photographer for 40 years, and now retired. i knew i wanted this product and i read the reviews on amazon, and bought it. i am very happy with this camera and i bought an extra battery from amazon as well. the camera really uses up the battery in gps mode so i keep this turned off. still it drains the battery, but not as much.

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Photo Basics 401 uLite Digital Lighting Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Where should I start. OK. First thing first, I ordered this product 3 weeks before Christmas, when the product arrived, I heard something rattled as the FedEx person handed over to me. I though it was a loose piece or something, turned out - one of light bulbs was shattered. Amazon would not just shipped me a replacement light bulb but rather I had to ship the entire package back to them. Got a replacement a week later, this time directly from Amazon, guess what? After hooking everthing up and ready for some photo shoots - you guessed it, one of the light bulbs didn't work. Arrrggg!!! I sent an email out to Amazon explaining that I don't want to return the entire dang thing back - just wanted a replacement light bulb. Never heard back from Amazon to this date. I went to a local Camera Exchange here in Houston and got some equivalent light bulbs. As for the kit, Adobe element 7 with 30 day trail, a training dvd, and a background dvd with limited goofy background (10 - 15 I believe). I am using Element 8 and LightRoom 2.4 in trying to make the cut-out image lighting to match the background lighting - so far most of my photos are too noticeable- In other words, the cut-out photos looked fake as compared to most of the background images that I used. If you want to try this out, you need to know how to use LightRoom or Photoshop to get the light to match, otherwise you photos will look very washed out from the softboxes. Hope this help.
Ro

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera with 4.6x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been using DSLRs for several years, and currently use the Canon 40D and a wide selection of lenses. I bought this camera as a pocket camera that is easy to take anywhere, and for its HD video capability, as I'm currently in Thailand for several weeks doing some geology research for my master's thesis, and it's impractical and annoying to lug around my big camera everywhere. Therefore my expectations may be different - I am not expecting perfect image quality, full manual controls, etc., because I have my other camera for that kind of thing when I want it. I'm not sure that I would want this as my only camera, because the image quality isn't perfect, but if I didn't have a DSLR I don't think I would notice.
In any case, the main thing I have been using this for is taking HD video. This is excellent, and looks phenomenal on a computer screen. I haven't tried playing it on a TV but I assume it would look excellent there too. It is 720p, not 1080p like the new DSLRs will do, but it still looks great - surprisingly great, even, considering the size of the camera and its lens.
Others have apparently had trouble using the AVCHD Lite codec, but I have not. I can import the .mts files flawlessly into the Kdenlive video editor on OpenSUSE Linux 11.2 with KDE 4.2. I'm not sure what the status of this codec's support in the popular Mac and Windows video editors is, but if you're using Linux, don't worry about it because it works great and the quality and file size are much better than using MPEG2. As it's a small camera with a small lens and few manual controls, video is not going to look like that from a professional camcorder or from a new DSLR with HD video, but it's easily as good or better than that from the small sub $1000 HD camcorders that are available. Manual control of exposure compensation and ISO for video isn't apparently possible - a workaround is to use the scene modes, which works decently well. The night scene modes give pretty good high-iso (i.e. grainy) video at night, even in dark bars and clubs (or here in Thailand, riding in the back of a tuk-tuk). I really like that there's a dedicated movie button - you can immediately start recording a video no matter what else you're doing on the camera by hitting the button.
The camera's responsiveness is very good - obviously not like a DSLR, but much quicker than I'm used to from point and shoots, including other recent models that I've handled. You don't get full manual controls, but if you know what you're doing you can almost always get exactly what you want out of it. I usually leave it in "Normal Picture" mode, which gives you the most manual control. All other modes will either default to use the flash if the camera deems it necessary (which, as in most point and shoots, is almost all the time apparently), or will use the built-in LED to aid focusing, both of which are extremely distracting if you want to be discreet (or if you just don't like the look of straight-on flash).
You do have to know what you want to do with the camera if you use "Normal Picture" mode, it's not just point and shoot - but you will get the best results. The "Intelligent Auto" mode works OK - it tries to decide the best scene mode for you based on what it thinks you're taking a picture of. I would suggest just dialing in the scene mode yourself (there are a lot to choose from) as when I was trying that mode it would sometimes choose the wrong thing. That would be the best mode if you wanted pure point-and-shoot action, though.
Image quality is probably about on par with other point and shoots with folding optics. I don't know too much about this as I'm used to my 40D and other DSLR images. It is certainly more than decent for my purposes, though. Impressively, I've been taking high-iso shots without flash in really dark Thai bars and clubs that turn out ok - they are relatively long exposures of 1/2 to 1 1/2 seconds (or more) so I steady the camera on something, and there is motion blur, but I think that adds to the photo. The image noise in these cases is very obvious, but not overly distracting. Don't expect the results you'd get from a DSLR with a fast lens, and you won't be disappointed. Definitely practice your technique in various situations to get the best results with this camera.
Menu navigation is a little strange at first. I am not sure if it is really non-intuitive, or if I'm just used to the excellent navigation on DSLRs. I think users of point and shoot cameras probably have different expectations - most probably won't have a problem with this. Once you get the hang of it it's not really a problem, anyway, but for me it really was strange at first. All the controls you want (all the manual controls available in "Normal Picture" mode) are quickly available by hitting buttons on the back. You don't have to dig through menus to get the the settings you need most often. It's a similar setup to that on the Canon Powershot series, and probably other cameras as well as far as I know. I really like the different auto-focus options they give you - there are more options than on my 40D, and similar options to the professional series DSLRs from Canon and Nikon. Obviously, they aren't going to work as well as on those cameras, but I quite like the "1-area High Speed" and "Spot" focus modes, which are very fast and work quite well. Unfortunately there is no manual focus, and in tricky situations it can be hard to get it to focus on exactly what you want - in those cases try "Spot" focus, but even there it doesn't always give you what you want.
Now, of course, the big thing about this camera that calls for the high price - because let's face it, for the specs on this camera it is pretty expensive - is that it's waterproof. This works great and is really a lot of fun. I took it into the cold Pacific Ocean at Newport Beach and it held up great. Taking underwater HD video is a lot of fun. [...] I will have some more videos, from Thailand, up soon as well. I've also taken it in a hotel pool, and it worked great there too. Even if you don't plan on going snorkeling or anything with this camera, it being tough and waterproof is a great feature - I don't ever worry about just slipping it in my pocket. It's the rainy season here right now and I don't carry an umbrella, so I could easily get soaked at any time - I would be very careful with a non-waterproof camera, but don't have to think twice about always carrying this one with me.
Do be careful, though, and be sure to read the instructions - there are some things you should do to take care of it so that the waterproofing holds up. The waterproof seals really could be better than they are, but if you take care of them I think they should hold up pretty well.
One thing you might also want to watch out for is battery life - when I took it to the beach, I only got about 25 minutes of video recording and a few photos before the battery (which was fully charged beforehand) was completely dead. The Pacific is quite cold, of course, which may have been the reason for the short battery life, but it is something to be careful of. Extra batteries are annoyingly expensive, and I haven't seen a third-party version available yet, but I would have to recommend getting one because so far it seems that the battery life is unpredictable. I left it recording video on my desk with a fully charged battery to see how long it would last, and it went about 2 hours (which is about what you can fit on the 16gb SDHC card I got with the AVCHD lite codec). That seems pretty good, but in real life use you will probably get considerably less life out of the battery.
The zoom range is pretty decent; I usually stay at the wide end and I appreciate that they give you the 28mm equivalent - a lot of other point and shoots are at their widest at 35mm, which is significantly less wide. The lens is not exceptionally fast - which I assume is due to the folding optics design - but it normally is fine, even in dark places as I described earlier. I don't really ever zoom in too much, because with the slow lens it's usually blurry except in bright light. The optical image stabilization works well, and is active during video recording (if you want it to be) to remove some of the jitter, which is kind of annoying in videos, and which you'll get a decent amount of with this camera due to its small size.
Macro images are nice - you can get quite close. Be careful about the "Macro Zoom" mode, though - it is actually a digital zoom! You can get much closer, but the image quality really suffers. This looks especially bad if you use it during video. I suggest simply never using this option. The regular macro mode works fine. You can get closest by zooming to the widest setting, which seems weird, but it works.
The camera is pretty stylish and has a nice feel and heft. It feels really well built, mostly metal, and not all smoothed out and boring like most modern electronics design. If you're into gadgets, you'll really appreciate the industrial styling of the camera, and the weight. The screen is very good; it is bright and visible in direct sunlight and will automatically adjust the brightness depending on where you are (if you set it to - you can set the brightness yourself, too). One problem with the design - and one inherent to this type of camera with folding optics - is that you will often find your fingers covering the lens until you get used to holding it. Kind of annoying, but understandable due to design limitations.
Overall - I think this is great as a pocket camera, for its HD videos, and as a backup for another camera. I personally would not want it as my only camera - I would choose my DSLR. I would not hesitate in recommending it to anyone who isn't interested in a DSLR, though, and who wants a tough, neat little camera, great for traveling. To be honest, I've taken very few shots with my 40D, and quite a lot of them (and a heck of a lot of video) with this in the week or so I've been in Thailand so far.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 Point & Shoot Digital Camera - Silver 12.1 Megapixel - 16:9 - 4.6x Optical Zoom - 4x Digital Zoom - 2.70

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LG dLite GD570 Phone, Blue (T-Mobile) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this phone for my daughter for her 15th birthday. It's girly enough to satisfy her sense of style, but basic enough to keep the experience simple. She loves the included themes, ring tones, etc. and there's enough included to keep her occupied on longer trips. Having a built-in music player and micro-SD card slot (no card included) is a bonus so that she doesn't need an iPod or other player (yet) if a reasonably sized (8GB) card is included. Battery life under reasonable use shouldn't require her to plug in daily, but heavy usage (games, texting, etc.) may require nightly charging.
Pros:
* Exterior dot-matrix clock doubles as caller ID or animated caller-id graphic
* LED lighted edge can be used for Caller ID identification through patterns and colors
* Call quality seems excellent
* This phone holds a far better signal than my own Nexus S in our home.
* Micro-SD slot for music/pics
* Standard Micro-USB charging means an abundance of charging options.
* Contacts backup online in case she loses the phone.
* Supports Visual Voicemail
* Cheap to acquire on contract
Cons:
* It's a bit long/tall when open, but not entirely bad when using as a phone for larger faces.
* Contact backup sync can take a bit of time and happens at seemingly random times after managing contacts. Editing further contacts is blocked during this activity. This can frustrate inexperienced or impatient users.
* No flash on the camera, but for a 2MP class camera, this should be expected.
* No dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack - sharing the Micro-USB port means you can't charge and listen to music at the same time.
* Included Micro-USB cable for charger is rather short.
* Some of the included apps/contacts encourage data usage or extra downloads. Parents may want to disable these features within their account because accruing these charges can be a bit too easy. This isn't a phone I'd consider putting a $30/mo data plan on.
* Some of the UI decisions are not intuitive at first - i.e. some of the buttons to confirm or perform a desired option aren't the central enter key, but one of the side soft-keys.

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Add a touch of colorful style to your on-the-go lifestyle with the LG dLite flip phone from T-Mobile, an affordable handset that's easily pocketable and offers 3G connectivity. This version of the dLite has an electric blue cover that sparkles with a hidden LED matrix that displays icons for alerts, caller ID, time and date, as well as customizable edge-lit LED light colors and patterns that can change on a whim.

It also includes a new social networking feature called T-Mobile Social Buzz, which integrates popular social networking sites into one application. When not actively in use, Social Buzz continues running in the background and delivers pop-up message notifications to the home screen, ensuring you're in on the latest updates. While in use, Social Buzz gives the option to visit each social networking screen separately or visit an aggregated screen that includes messages from all communities in one simple-to-access place.

Enabled for T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network, the dLite offers fast data delivery and an enhanced Web-browsing experience that lets you connect quickly to social networking sites. And the 3G-enabled dLite will benefit from the enhanced speeds of T-Mobile's upgraded HSPA+ network, which is being rolled out nationwide to reach up to 185 million people by the end of the year and offers speeds close to 4G connectivity (read more about HSPA+ below).

Other features include a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, microSD memory expansion to 16 GB, GPS for accessing maps and navigation services, personal organizer, and up to 5.5 hours of talk time.

Key Features
Fast 3G connectivity via T-Mobile's HSDPA/UMTS network. (1700/2100 MHz bands, UMTS/HSDPA; see more about T-Mobile's 3G service below)
Built-in GPS for real-time location on maps, driving directions, and more (additional charges may apply) with support for Google Maps and TeleNav software.
2.8-inch internal screen (240 x 400 pixels, 262K color depth)
Standard alpha-numeric keypad
2-megapixel camera/camcorder with digital zoom, multi-shot capabilities, and multiple shot modes
Multi-format digital audio player compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC/AAC+ files
Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 16 GB.
Text (SMS) and picture/video (MMS) messaging
Access to popular instant messaging services
Access to personal e-mail
Web-enabled via T-Mobile web2go (Learn more)
Pre-loaded games include Guitar Hero 5, Bubble Bash 2, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Where's Waldo, and Bejeweled
Organizer tools including calendar, alarm, tasks, memo, voice memo, calculator, unit converter, tip calculator, and stopwatch
Airplane mode allows you to listen to music while the cellular connectivity is turned off
Visual Voicemail enables you to listen to your voicemail messages in any order, respond in one click and easily manage your inbox without ever dialing in to the network.
XT9 predictive text entry with a word prediction list and spelling correction that spots transposed letters and missed keys, as well as instant integration into all applications on the device
USB connectivity for file transfer and charging

Vital Statistics
The LG dLite weighs 3.5 ounces and measures 4.3 x 2.0 x 0.6 inches. Its 900 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.5 hours of talk time, and up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies, as well as T-Mobile's 3G network (1700/2100 MHz).

What's in the Box
LG dLite handset, rechargeable battery, charger, wired stereo hands-free headset, USB cable, quick start guide


T-Mobile Services
High-speed data connectivity via T-Mobile's 3G network:In addition to its quad-band GSM connectivity, this phone is also compatible with T-Mobile's UMTS/HSDPA 3G network, which operates on the 1700/2100 MHz AWS spectrum. This phone is designed to automatically connect to the best available network (3G or GSM/GPRS/EDGE) to provide faster data speeds when accessing the Web.
In areas where the 3G network is not available, you'll continue to receive service on the via T-Mobile's EDGE network (which stands for "Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution"). This high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps), including full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and e-mail on the go.
While this phone is optimized for use with T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network, many of its functions will also work well on the moderate-speed EDGE network. If you plan to access the Internet extensively on your phone, 3G network coverage may serve you best.
Activities that work well on EDGE or 3G networks:
E-mail, instant messaging, and texting
Downloading ringtones, CallerTunes, wallpaper, light data files
Sending photographs via e-mail or picture messaging

Activities that work best on a 3G network:
Viewing content-heavy websites (lots of images or videos playing)
Viewing YouTube and other video files (they will play on EDGE, but require loading time)
Uploading large files (photos, videos, presentations) to sharing websites
Downloading large files from an e-mail or a website

T-Mobile's 3G network is currently available in more than 220 cities nationwide and covers more than 160 million people.


T-Mobile's New, Expanding Super-Fast HSPA+ Network

As of June, 2010, T-Mobile has upgraded its traditional 3G network to HSPA+ in 25 major metropolitan areas across the U.S., and it plans to continue rolling out this network upgrade to over 100 metropolitan cities and up to 185 million people by the end of 2010. HSPA+ provides our fastest data speeds, up to 3 times faster than AT&T and Verizon's standard 3G networks, while allowing simultaneous voice and data capabilities for the ultimate wireless voice and data experience.


HSPA+ enabled areas will enjoy 4G-like speeds, with a theoretical capability of up to 21 Mbps peak download speeds (and typical download speeds averaging between 5 and 8 Mbps).

While this 3G-enabled mobile phone isn't with HSPA+ compatibility, it can benefit from enhanced speeds when connecting to the HSPA+ network today.

T-Mobile web2go
T-Mobile's web2go intuitive Web browsing service makes it easy to view and navigate the Web from your phone with features including Yahoo! oneSearch, a customizable home page and a simplified shopping and download experience. You can create a personalized home page for easy, one-click access to your favorite Web sites.

With access to the web2go marketplace included at no additional charge, you can also browse and purchase the latest ringtones, games, wallpaper and mobile optimized applications and services to customize their phone. Providing access to the latest news, information and content, Yahoo! oneSearch intuitively returns results grouped around your intended search. For instance, when you search for a sports team, Yahoo! returns the latest scores, schedules, team profiles, roster, news, images and a link to the team's Web site.

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Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX II/430EX II Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I agree w/another reviewer, the title is misleading. 98% of the time they are using additional equipment, light stands, multiple flashes, reflectors, filters, etc. while in a studio setting. It was a helpful DVD on lighting but didn't teach me much about my flash and how to properly use it by itself and in various conditions. Its basically, "heres a model in our studio. Ok, now shes on a beach but we still have our reflectors. Heres some still life back in the studio." The first 20min is a lighting primer before blowing through the flash's buttons w/o a thorough explanation on each one. They went through certain things far too quickly and spent more time than necessary on other subjects. For example, I didn't need to see multiple times how to change a setting through the camera's menu or on the flash itself. They do give demos but they weren't sufficient enough for me and the flash was never used stand-alone other than to show you that it gives horrible pictures by itself. If this DVD taught me one thing, its that I need to buy more equipment.
A more accurate title would have been "Using your Canon flash in a studio setting" or "Unlocking your flash's potential" because obviously to get into lighting and really take advantage of the versatility of a Speedlight, you must buy additional equipment and take the flash off the camera. The flash is just one of the tools they use to get the pictures they want and it happens to be a Canon 430/580EX. You would not let your friend borrow your flash one day and hand them this DVD along with it, thinking it will teach them how to use it because it won't. They'll just sit there thinking, "oh, thats nice but I don't have any of those things..." and "hey, could you slow down when you go over the controls, what they do and how I should use them? More comparison photos would also be nice."
As for production values, well, it's fairly drab presentation and I'd have appreciated voice overs while showing them taking pictures instead of having to stare at the guy talk, constantly switching his eyes from the camera to nearby cue cards. You look at him seemingly for 1/3 of the DVD. The rest of the time is spent in the studio or looking at the back of the flash and it's buttons. So is it worth the coin ? Ehhh, its decent and helpful information on LIGHTING but you're able to find this sort of information for free online at various lighting/strobist enthusiast sites. Its not a complete waste of money but this DVD could certainly use a new name.

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Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX II/430EX II

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Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash for Canon EOS XSI XTI T1i T2i T3i 60D T3 1000D 450D 40D 30D 20D 10D 5D + LCD Screen Protectors + BP MicroFiber Cleaning Cloth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had a 580EX II and was looking for a less expensive flash which I could use for strobe experiments. I am very happy that I chose Vivitar 285HV.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 12.1 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-Inch Touch Screen LCD and 14-42mm Lumix G VARIO f/3.5-5.6 MEGA OIS Lens (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Panasonic G2 is a successor of G1, which is the first micro four third camera. G series focus on make the camera as small as possible without sacrificing image quality and control. G2 adds video recording and touch screen feature.
Panasonic G2 main specs
- 12 megapixel - four thirds sensor
- 3"' 460k resolution swivel and touch screen LCD
- 1,280 x 720 high-definition at 60fps
- Built-in Electronic viewfinder (1.44 million dots)
BODY DESIGN
Panasonic G2 weights 371 g / 13.09 oz body only, 593 g / 20.92 oz with battery, memory card and 14-42mm lens. It has dimension of 124 x 83.6 x 74 mm exclude protusion. Compared to regular DSLR camera, The package is significantly smaller and lightweight. Compare to advanced DSLR such as Canon 7D , G2 is approx. half the size and weight. As a result, it is more fun to carry around and it takes only a bit of room to store.
Like G1, Panasonic G2 has built-in electronic viewfinder which is helpful for composing photos, the rear 3' inch LCD is also very bright and nice to use. It can also swivel so you can compose a picture in unusual angle for example overhead or very low in the ground.
New in micro four third system, LCD screen is now equipped with touchscreen technology. You can touch the screen to select or change various settings and also you can touch the screen to set auto focus point.
Therefore, changing AF points in G2 is very fast. In regular DSLR camera, you might need to scroll around until you get AF point that you want. in G2, you just touch it. AF point could be also be enlarged or decreased for precision.
HANDLING
Panasonic G2 is nice to hold, thanks to the grip. It also has many dedicated buttons and switches. It has one main dial, camera mode dial, Release mode switch, Auto focus mode switch, metering switch, ISO button, WB button, Function button, AF/AE lock button, display button, delete button, live/lcd button, intelligent auto button, and video recording button.
As a result, control and handling is significantly better and faster than many entry level cameras where you need to dwell deep in the menu to change setting that you want.
IMAGE QUALITY
Image quality in low ISO setting is excellent. However, like all four thirds system camera, image in high ISO is not as good as regular DSLR camera that has APS-C sensor.
Image quality from ISO 100 to 800 is excellent. in ISO 1600, image starts to lose some details, sharpness and a bit of saturation. In ISO 3200, image starts to breakdown and 6400 is reserved only in emergency situation.
AUTO FOCUS PERFORMANCE
G2 is an very responsive camera. It shines in auto focus performance. AF speed is almost instantaneous whether in bright light or low light condition, I feel it can beat some beginner DSLR cameras. In G2, you can also touch the screen to set up AF point which is very convenient.
Auto focus tracking work well in slow moving subject, such as people walking, however, sometimes, it failed to track, especially fast or erratic movement. This is where the area G2 lacks compared to regular DSLR camera.
There are plenty to like about Panasonic G2
+ Small and lightweight relative to DSLR camera
+ Built-in high-res electronic viewfinder
+ Touch screen that allow you to change setting, set AF and flip image in playback
+ Swivel LCD screen help to compose photos in awkward angle
+ Fast Auto focus performance
+ Many dedicated buttons and switches
+ What you see is what you get (changing color balance, film mode shown in LCD)
+ Very good performance (responsive)
What I don't like about Panasonic G2
- Auto focus tracking is not reliable
- Image quality in ISO 1600 and above is not as good as regular DSLR
- Harder to achieve shallow depth of field (Defocus background)
- 1/2 to 1 second screen freeze after capturing photo
- Auto ISO is not very accurate and tend to stick with ISO 400
COMPETITORS
Samsung NX10 - Digital camera - prosumer - 14.6 Mpix - body only - supported memory: SD, SDHC - noble black
NX10 has bigger image sensor (APS-C) and higher-res (610k) AMOLED screen, however NX10 built-in viewfinder, body handling is not as good as Panasonic G2. G2 also slightly faster in auto focus performance.
Olympus PEN E-P2 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder
Olympus E-P2 has a smaller design and more appropriate to be compared with Panasonic GF1 instead of G2. The main advantage E-P2 has is it has built-in image stabilization, however, it falls short in many areas such as slow auto focus especially in low light condition, low res LCD screen, and no built-in flash.
CONCLUSION
Panasonic G2 is the best flagship micro four thirds camera in 2010 with many new innovative technology such as touch screen LCD and full HD video recording. It is fun to use and carry around. However, G2 still has the same problem that has plague many four third system cameras which is image quality in high ISO setting. Despite it offers up to ISO 6400, but I recommend user to stick with ISO 800 or lower.
Subjective rating relative to mirrorless camera system 2010
Image Quality : 4/5 (with 14-42mm kit lens)
Features: 5/5
Performance: 5/5
Body / Handling: 5/5
Value for money: 3/5
For image sample and iso comparison, please visit my blog. You can find the address through my profile page. Thanks for reading.

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Panasonic DMC-G2 Interchangeable Lens System Digital Camera (Black)

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Canon EP-EX15 Eyepiece Extender for EOS Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Yes it does extend your eyepiece out, but at what price? It's like looking through a pair of binoculars backward. Your view finder is about half the size.

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Opteka Universal Soft Screen Flash Diffuser for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, & Kodak On-Camera Pop-Up Flashes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a great little time saver for those times when you want to use your built-in flash. When not in use if fits easily in a pocket. I am very happy with my purchase, it is a nice compliment to my speedlite setup.

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Sekonic L-308s Light Meter (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This meter is dead easy to use, largely because it is not cluttered with features most of us don't need often if ever. This meter is one you put at the subject location or hold in the sun to obtain a single reading. If you want to read various locations in a scene and have your meter provide an "average" reading, this meter is not for you -- you'll have to figure the average in your head.
It has the advantage of using easily obtained and relatively cheap batteries, which in a pinch can be pirated from other devices most of us have around the place, such as small flashlights and TV remote controls.

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The pocket-sized Sekonic L-308S FLASHMATE is the smallest and lightest digital light meter in the Sekonic line-up. Designed to read ambient or flash exposures in either reflected or incident modes, the L-308S delivers accurate exposure readings in full, half, or third-stop increments to mirror the exposure displays of most popular cameras. When set to full-stop mode, exposures are displayed in tenth-stop increments with a repeat accuracy of +/- 0.1 EV.Reflected readings capture at a light receiving angle of about 40-degrees, or slightly wider than the viewing field of a normal lens. For incident readings, a small, built-in Lumisphere slides over the silicon diode sensor. For flat-field incident readings, a Lumidisc (included) snaps over the sensor for metering flat artwork or measuring contrast and/or exposure ratios within a scene. Electronic flash exposures can be taken with or without a PC cord.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After using this camera for a few weeks I am amending my rating and giving it 5 stars. This camera is truly incredible. The intelligent automatic is amazing---I only move it to manual for a few special situations. The only real complaint is that I occasionally inadvertently hit the video button. Otherwise it is simply amazing.
It handles difficult situations with grace. Sunset with sky and foreground properly exposed. Delivery room newborn with no flash and low ambient lighting. Black and white is fantastic. Couldn't be happier.
This is a great camera for a beginner---Point and shoot. Lots of control for advance photographers. I'm sorry to say I don't lug around a camera bag and tripod anymore. Just slip this in my purse.
I waited a long time to upgrade from the first generation Panasonic Lumix TZ1 (complete with dangling lens cover & 5MP) Glad I did. The best improvements are the quick power-up and lack of a shutter delay for catching fast action. If you leave it in the completely automatic mode it does an impressive job---and if you need control there's plenty and then some. Lots of programs plus aperture and shutter priority or complete control.
Other notable improvements are in the macro end of things where capturing very fine close-ups are greatly improved---my TZ1 was always focusing on the background if I could get it to focus at all. This does an incredible job! Almost too much detail (if that's possible) Every speck on the petal of a flower is exposed. This camera is slightly smaller and has a larger display screen. Most of the functions and dials are similar and I find easy to use but that may be because they are familiar.
Flash is improved over the first generation.
The zoom on the original was 10X. 12X even better. I took incredible photos of bullfrogs 15 feet away. Unbelievable detail.
This camera isn't perfect and no camera will ever be. It would be nice to have a more powerful flash and nice if you could shoot in lower light with less noise without flash and it would be nice if it had a 20X optical zoom and a faster lens but for what it is its an incredible piece of engineering. AND don't forget the Leica lens which is just plain beautiful.
All cameras have limitations and this is no exception. However it will get you a great photo most of the time. The wide angle to long telephoto range is why I bought my first Lumix. This flexibility makes for great travel photos. I did side by side comparisons of a Sony, Canon, Nikon and the first Lumix in the store and then we printed them out on the spot. No comparison. No ghosting, better color correction, better macro. And I like the ergonomics. I always place the wrist band over my wrist and hold onto the camera with fingers and pad of thumb and it feels secure. Some of the ultra small cameras are almost too small for me. (Didn't compare to current models)
What is truly awful about this camera is that the manual is on a disk and covers this camera and its 2 predecessors making it a bit (if Not totally confusing at times). It also does not come with MAC compatible editing software which is really not a big deal for me. One person asked if it is MAC OSX 10.6.3 compatible and it is. The only problem I've encountered is in using Aperture (a MAC program)it doesn't want to import directly into a project that has other images from my other Lumix camera. Make a new project and problem is solved but irritating. (Manual software and downloading from card to MAC is compatible)
Haven't tried uploading video yet.
DO purchase an extra Panasonic Battery DMW-BCG 10PP. Make sure it has the PP (It won't work without it) Also you'll need a SD Card. It's not necessary to go to the Class 6 cards unless you are shooting HD video. A SDHC 4GB card will hold 700+ photos at full MP.For most people this will be more than adequate. I carry two cards in case one goes south. You can always find them on sale for under $20. I also like the Caselogic TBC-302 Ultra Compact Camera Case for under $8.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Silver)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 Point & Shoot Digital Camera - 12.1 Megapixel - 3" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD - Silver DMC-ZS7S Digital Cameras

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XPRO 36"x36" Studio Photography Light Tent - Dome - Cube - Box Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)03/01/2008 Since Amazon allows one review per product, I had to replace the old review with the new.
The people at XPRO never cease to amaze me with the level of quality product they manufacture. I received a phone call from them last week offering to upgrade the first generation light tent I bought a couple years ago. The word upgrade got me thinking, "what more features can you possibly add on a light tent?" Boy I was wrong after I received the upgraded tent.
Hands down this is probably the best tent you can buy for the money. Believe me, the price is inexpensive. Tents not nearly as nice as the 2nd gen XPRO tent cost three times or more in the store. The bad quality tents sewn together around filmsy metal wire cost a little less than the XPRO tent online.
Here are the new features that impressed me the most.
1. The tent is constructed with high quality nylon shell and P.U. fabric interior.
One of the problem of using the light tent is using the right light source. If you use multiple bulbs or high wattage lights, the diffused light may be too harsh and unevenly distributed inside the tent causing the object to wash out. If you use low wattage or less bright lights, your camera may not pick up enough light or ample f-stop for desired picture quality. The new Nylon shell material outside of the tent diffuses the light and the P.U. interior distributes the light evenly. Problem solved.
2. Elastic tabs.
There are two rows of elastic tabs located on the upper right and the upper left side of the tent. I actually ran in a local craft shop and purchased the clear plastic rods recommended by XPRO. Along with a spool of fishing line and some paper clips, I was able to suspend some of the light weight objects during my last catalog photo session. The rods and the fishing line cost me less than $10. A close competitor of XPRO light tent charges $30+ for a couple rods and a small spool of fishing line.
3. 4 Background included
The colors are: White, Black, Blue, and Grey. Most of the light tent on the market comes with 1 white background or none at all.
4. Easy zip top.
It allows you to open up the top of the tent. If you happen to photograph a heavy inmobile object. Just unzip the top and turn the tent over. If you need to suspend a heavy object inside the tent. Just upzip the tent and run the line down the tent.
In conclusion. I am more than pleased with the new added feature on the 2nd gen XPRO light tent. I doubt anyone would ever have to use the 30 days money back guaranty offered by XPRO. I got three other name brand tents from the manufacturer for free and I paid for my XPRO tent.


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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Red) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After using this camera for a few weeks I am amending my rating and giving it 5 stars. This camera is truly incredible. The intelligent automatic is amazing---I only move it to manual for a few special situations. The only real complaint is that I occasionally inadvertently hit the video button. Otherwise it is simply amazing.
It handles difficult situations with grace. Sunset with sky and foreground properly exposed. Delivery room newborn with no flash and low ambient lighting. Black and white is fantastic. Couldn't be happier.
This is a great camera for a beginner---Point and shoot. Lots of control for advance photographers. I'm sorry to say I don't lug around a camera bag and tripod anymore. Just slip this in my purse.
I waited a long time to upgrade from the first generation Panasonic Lumix TZ1 (complete with dangling lens cover & 5MP) Glad I did. The best improvements are the quick power-up and lack of a shutter delay for catching fast action. If you leave it in the completely automatic mode it does an impressive job---and if you need control there's plenty and then some. Lots of programs plus aperture and shutter priority or complete control.
Other notable improvements are in the macro end of things where capturing very fine close-ups are greatly improved---my TZ1 was always focusing on the background if I could get it to focus at all. This does an incredible job! Almost too much detail (if that's possible) Every speck on the petal of a flower is exposed. This camera is slightly smaller and has a larger display screen. Most of the functions and dials are similar and I find easy to use but that may be because they are familiar.
Flash is improved over the first generation.
The zoom on the original was 10X. 12X even better. I took incredible photos of bullfrogs 15 feet away. Unbelievable detail.
This camera isn't perfect and no camera will ever be. It would be nice to have a more powerful flash and nice if you could shoot in lower light with less noise without flash and it would be nice if it had a 20X optical zoom and a faster lens but for what it is its an incredible piece of engineering. AND don't forget the Leica lens which is just plain beautiful.
All cameras have limitations and this is no exception. However it will get you a great photo most of the time. The wide angle to long telephoto range is why I bought my first Lumix. This flexibility makes for great travel photos. I did side by side comparisons of a Sony, Canon, Nikon and the first Lumix in the store and then we printed them out on the spot. No comparison. No ghosting, better color correction, better macro. And I like the ergonomics. I always place the wrist band over my wrist and hold onto the camera with fingers and pad of thumb and it feels secure. Some of the ultra small cameras are almost too small for me. (Didn't compare to current models)
What is truly awful about this camera is that the manual is on a disk and covers this camera and its 2 predecessors making it a bit (if Not totally confusing at times). It also does not come with MAC compatible editing software which is really not a big deal for me. One person asked if it is MAC OSX 10.6.3 compatible and it is. The only problem I've encountered is in using Aperture (a MAC program)it doesn't want to import directly into a project that has other images from my other Lumix camera. Make a new project and problem is solved but irritating. (Manual software and downloading from card to MAC is compatible)
Haven't tried uploading video yet.
DO purchase an extra Panasonic Battery DMW-BCG 10PP. Make sure it has the PP (It won't work without it) Also you'll need a SD Card. It's not necessary to go to the Class 6 cards unless you are shooting HD video. A SDHC 4GB card will hold 700+ photos at full MP.For most people this will be more than adequate. I carry two cards in case one goes south. You can always find them on sale for under $20. I also like the Caselogic TBC-302 Ultra Compact Camera Case for under $8.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Red)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 Point & Shoot Digital Camera - 12.1 Megapixel - 3" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD - Red DMC-ZS7R Digital Cameras

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CowboyStudio 2275 Watt Digital Video Continuous Softbox Lighting Kit BOOM Set with Carrying Case - 2 Light stands, 2 Softboxes, 1 Boom Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When i saw the price i wasn't sure if this set is as good as $1200 ones... but because of my budget i decided to give it a try anyway. Is set is perfect! very good quality, i actually expected to see something like "a baby toy made in china that would break in a day" :) but i was totally wrong! it feels solid, materials seem to be good quality and it is simply very good light. the lights produce very even beautiful diffused white light - actually the very first day i took couple test pictures and i couldn't believe that my non professional camera actually can take very professional pictures! quality of the pictures are UNBELIEVABLE! if you have no lights like this there's no way you can light up your subject or object to make it look perfect. seriously, i saw VERY notable difference. Now i cannot live without this set - whatever picture i take at home - i use this set. I love the thought that these lights have 5 switches for each lamp so you can adjust the amount of light - PERFECT!
I originally bought this set for my green screen (home) production and it looked really really good. but now as i already said before i use these lights for everything else - Photo, Video, i even use this set to light myself when i have webcam conferences at work and everyone amazed how great i look (duh! LOL) they have no idea i use this set. anyway, i totally love it. Also, i had to contact the seller with a question i had so i emailed (i thought calling them would be difficult) but the guys responded back shortly after and asked me to call them so they can explain details since it would be easier to explain over the phone rather than by using email, i was actually pleased by their response and timing! they sound like very great guys to deal with. thanks for that as well.

Click Here to see more reviews about: CowboyStudio 2275 Watt Digital Video Continuous Softbox Lighting Kit BOOM Set with Carrying Case - 2 Light stands, 2 Softboxes, 1 Boom Kit

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