Electrician - drill, lithium-ion

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I am a traveling service technician i purchased this drill to replace a corded hammer drill and a milwaukee cordless drill that i carried this tool does as good a job or better than the previous two did at less than half the weight i would purchase this drill again in a heart beat excellent drill sufficient as a hammer drill for drilling small to medium holes in concrete up to about half inches which is as big as i needed to go overall excellent milwaukee tool that i would not hessitate to purchase again if need be Bare-Tool Milwaukee 2602-20 M18 18-Volt Cordless 1/2-Inch Hammer Drill/Driver (Tool Only, No Battery)

I just ordered this contractor grade drill yesterday and have received it already in less then 24 hours later and didn't pay for extra shipping. Bravo Hardwaresales(dot)com, you earned another customer. I'm a professional Electrical Contractor an I'm very happy with this drill. I unfortunately misplaced my other one (probably up in somebody's attic) and needed to replace it. I've owned it since it's release and have put it through heavy electrical contractor use on a daily basis. I previously was never a fan of Milwaukee and had always used Dewalt. I now wouldn't trade this drill for two Dewalts. It has no problem handling a 7/8 auger bit, 2" self feed bits, 4" hole saws and Masonry bits. The LED light is excellent, battery life is great not to mention the battery life indicator light, weight and handling is good.

I'm known by my friends as a "tool snob" and feel this is the best performance drill and best looking drill on the Market. I own pretty much every other drill of professional grade on the market as well and this drill hands down is the best. This Milwaukee lithium line up has definitely made me a believer and has converted me to a Milwaukee fan. The line was definitely worth converting from the dewalt classic 18 volt lineup, which if you're in the trade, you know how difficult and expensive this is to do. It was definitely worth it. The bare tool option is also great at a excellent price.

If you are interested in buying this be sure you have the correct batteries first. Do not buy it to replace the prior model drill because it will not work on the prior Lithium 18V batteries. The batteries for this will cost over $100 each if purchased separate plus $35 for the new charger. This is great for an additional drill in your current set of the same tools.

I received a Milwaukee 18v Lithium-Ion drill for a birthday present three years ago. It was lightly used for a few home improvement projects. During the last project the battery life was short. Recently (last week) we started tearing down a deck to put up a larger replacement. I took one screw out of the railing and then the battery reported no charge and would no function. It had just come off the charger. Called Milwaukee to report that the batteries are no longer taking and holding a charge. They told me it was out of warranty and I could buy replacement batteries. Ridiculous!



The DeWalt I had before this drill lasted 13 years. I just bought a replacement for the Three Year Old Milwaukee, I bought a DeWalt.

this is my second time purchasing this drill the 1st time i got it i had it about a month and it burned out on me and stoped working. so with my warrenty and all i recieved a second 1 and that one after 2 months the drill wouldnt b able to lock or losen for any type of bits i hate it never again buy this drill. it is powerfull but doesnt last. I always had dewalt drill and i switch to this worse choice i made.

The Milwaukee M18 cordless hammer drill is a power and quick alternative to a larger SDS hammer drill for drilling small anchors into concrete surfaces. I run coax cable lines along homes for a living and this drill lets me fasten coax neatly across foundations with its powerful hammer drill setting. Makes for a professional finish. And you get a great driver on top of it all. Three drill settings over all. You can't go wrong. Great product.

This drill is awesome!!! tons of torque and looks great! I like that the handle grip is kind of rubberized or something. It has a cool led light so when you press the button it turns on when you drill. Awesome drill and product! I cant wait to get more milwaukee products! This is the best deal you will find this top of the line drill!! dont wait just buy it!! @ homedepot they wanted $299!! f-that im good with amazon!! thanks AMAZON!!

AWSOME DRILL!! This is my first Milwaukee drill, and I cant believe how powerfull!! I have had many B&D cordless but nothing like this!!! I still have a B&D 18v cause doing wood work its nice to have one drill set for pilots and one for screws. Comaring this and my 18v B&D; the Milwakee's chuck holds better, it has more adjustability, is a LOT MORE powerfull, lasts at lest 4x as long, & charges in an hour (rather than 6 !!)!! Not to mention the work lighting led and the hammer function are great extra functions!! The waranty is 5 YEARS (thats hard to beat!)but I will buy more Milwaukee tools. Basicaly if you are wondering if Milwaukee is worth the extra money, the answer is YES !! - Contractor - Drill - Cordless Drills - Lithium-ion'

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Play Wooden Kitchen - pink kitchen, kidkraft

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Pros:

1. It looks much like Pottery Barn's play set for a fraction of the cost.



2. Walmart is cheaper then Target. We had liked one at Target, but Target's is smaller in width than this one. Also if buying online Target doesn't have free shipping to store. Shipping alone would of been almost 50 bucks.



3. Makes noises but not loudly. This play kitchen has

3 knobs in the front that make clicking noises.



4. Nice compartments sizes. The door under the sink opens to a large space without a shelf which is a plus because wood play appliances could be stored in there or a large basket of play food.



5. It's made of wood and not plastic. All the wood is sturdy, solid and it was easy for my husband to put together.



6. HUGE hit with our 2 year old daughter and all her play date friends.



Cons:

1. Weird holes. I didn't like was there is holes the size of quarters drilled in on the back side and floor in the area below the sink in inside the compartment area. The same size holes are drilled in the very bottom area under the oven and yet again in the back areas of the refrigerator. Not really sure what the holes are for wish they were not there. But I probably still would of bought this play kitchen set because it is the best out there for the price and being real wood.



2. Plastic handles and knobs. At least their heavy duty would be extremely hard to break. I personally like metal hardware better. But its not a deal breaker.



Specific Dimensions:



Outside the sink stove part:

about 25.5 inches wide and 20.25 inches high. The back slash with the clock at it's highest point is 26.5 inches high.



The inside areas of the sink stove part:

Within the oven it's slightly over 9.5 inches high and slightly under 13 inches wide. The lower shelf is slightly over 3 inches high the top is right at 6.5 inches. The shelf area below the oven is right at 6 inches high and slightly under 13 inches wide. The are under the sink is 16 inches high and slightly over 11 inches wide.



Outside the refrigerator:

Is 29 inches high and 31 inches high on the highest point of the door.



Inside the refrigerator:

Inside the top door of the refrigerator it's a little over 15.5 high and the space is split evenly with a shelf making two compartments. The bottom door is 11 inches high.



The dept on the inside areas in all the doors of all pieces is exactly 11 inches in depth. The dept on the outside of all pieces is 12 inches.



If you want to see 2 pictures I posted the same review on Walmart's site with pictures of all compartments open.



Hope this helped happy shopping! :) Kidkraft Retro Kitchen and Refrigerator in Pink

We surprised our twin 20 month old daughters with this pink retro kitchen set for Christmas. We stocked it with pots and pans, dinnerware, felt food and the Kid Kraft coffee maker and mixing bowl set. It was a hit! I too was drooling over the Pottery Barn retro pink set--agh, but the cost! So we settled with this one. With twins you need more working space--and more storage. So I ended up buying the white pie cabinet from PB anyway to go with this kitchen set. It works like an accent piece. The quality of PB is much better--it's more solid and durable than Kid Kraft and you do not see the screw holes. PB uses solid wood--Kid Kraft is MDF board. The Kid Kraft set has only been mildly used since Dec 25 and I've already had to contact Customer Service for replacement knobs (clickers inside the knobs broke)and we've had to tighten the hinges several times as they continue to come loose. The CS dept is good and I'm awaiting replacements as I write this.

Bottom line: You get what you pay for.



A YEAR LATER: Well, we've had the set nearly a year now and it has brought the girls endless hours of fun and learning. It's held up beautifully except for those darn clickers in the stove knobs--the only sound feature. Not really a big deal in the end. Customer Service rocked, but call early on if something gives out. The Melissa and Doug cutting food set fits great in the open space under the oven

We liked the Pottery Barn Kids Retro kitchen but it was very expensive. This kitchen is very similar in look (a little smaller) and it extremely sturdy. It was easy to assemble (less than an hour). My 2-year old daughter loves it and it is high-quality and attractive enough to have 'out' in your house ... we use it as a cute piece of furniture for her bedroom. I would definitely recommend it! (A couple of the pieces arrived damaged, but there is a website where I picked the pieces from the part list, entered my address and received replacements for free in about 3 days.)

I have two girls, 2 and 4 years old. We got this for them last Christmas. We LOVE Pottery Barn Kids merchandise and were debating between their sets and this one. After reading reviews and more product info, this was the clear choice. Much cheaper and frankly now that I have it, better built. My two-year old tends to climb. She has climbed on this and bounced up and down and the kitchen is like a rock. Very sturdy! KidKraft always come through for us.

I was really torn between the KidKraft Retro kitchen and several kitchen sets from Pottery Barn. Nevermind the opinion of my kids (age 3 and 2), the most important thing to me was to get something that would look good in our house. Ultimately I settled on KidKraft because of the price, but I was expecting ugly particle board and cheap construction. I just finished putting it together, and WOW! I'm really blown away by the quality! Very heavy duty. The paint job is really beautiful, and they even painted the screw heads that show, a detail my husband will appreciate. Assembly took me two hours, but I'm definitely not gifted in that area. Instructions were easy to follow, although I would have appreciated a little more detail on a few points.



For the Moms who are into interior decorating and like a nice looking house, you won't be disappointed with this PB alternative! - Retro - Kidkraft - Play Wooden Kitchen - Pink Kitchen'

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Dreamgirl - robes, sleepwear

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Bought this for my girlfriend and she put in on and absolutely fell in love with it. She looked hot hot hot in it. It looks like a expensive piece lingerie with a low price tag. Don't see any down falls except they should make them in more color options. ( I'd buy more ) Dreamgirl Women's Lace Intrigue Robe, Black, Large

Yes, it is sexy and men love it, but it i give it four stars for the material. The polyester part has a nice feel, though is not suitable for heat, but the lace part really irritates my skin, so i usually wear it unbelted. Well, the price justifies the quality.

It's an all-black silky robe with lace above the chest area extending up over the shoulders and down to the small of the back... sexy. Everything important is covered, but the lace just makes it Wow. I showed it to my husband on-line and he said GET IT. It arrived quickly, wrapped well and on a pretty black padded hanger. Like a typical robe it has the small inside tie ribbon and a wide outer ribbon through belt-loops at the sides to tie in front. The Dreamgirl Women's Lace Intrigue Robe is cut the same as my Victoria's Secrets O/S robe, but the Dreamgirl's belt is just a little bit shorter, making it harder to tie in a bow in front. Since the fabric is a quarter nylon (the lace), three-quarters polyester (the silky part of the robe), static cling can be a bit annoying. Personally I don't see any use for the thong that comes with it. I'm 5'10" with long-torso, so the belt ties more at the empire waist line and the bottom of the robe just barely covers the cheeks. Needless to say, husband couldn't be happier. I gave it 4 stars for the short belt and static cling, husband gives it 5+++ stars! - Sleepwear - Robes'

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Baby Proofing - baby proofing, door lock

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This is my first ever review on Amazon. I'm only writing because people need to be aware of the type of doorframe that will not accomodate this lock. This is a great item, but before you buy, please examine your doorframe. There is a narrow strip of wood that your door hits and pushes against when you close your door. (about 1/4") Look on the backside of this strip. If it is flat, i.e. parallel to the door (when it is closed), then you are OK to use this device. However, if it is more decorative with a bevelled edge, the door stop on this device will just slide over this narrow strip and the door will always open and be useless. This is hard to describe.

In order to get this to work for me, I need to find a narrow square dowel if wood (about 1/4" X 1/4" X 3-4"long) and nail it to the doorframe so that this device will pull against it and prevent the door from opening. My other option is to chisel out a section of the bevelled edge so that the door stop won't slide over it.



Also, please note that the door will only close completely if you have enough of a gap between your door edge and your doorframe to accomodate the width of the device. You need about 1/8" minimum. Otherwise, the door will always be open, or you will constantly "rub" the frame and put stress on the door hinges, just to close the door properly.



Someone also had a question about about whether or not you can have the lock such that a toddler cannot open the door at all, or does it only allow the door to be opened a few inches at minimum. My answer is that the door must have some "play" in it so that an adult can disengage it. It is impossible to have the door not open at all when a child twists the knob.



I will say that I think this is a good device but it has its drawbacks.



1. It will not work on some doorframes without modifications.

2. It may not allow your door to close "all the way" to the point where the knob latch engages into the frame.

3. If you must have your door completely, or near completely closed, and just want to prevent the child from fully opening the door, you run the risk of your child smashing their fingers. (There is a way to partially get around this, but it depends on measurements of your frame and pushing the gray latch in such a way that it still springs out when the door is opened)

4. The only real way both prevent the child from fully opening the door, AND prevent from smashing fingers is to always have the door partially open a few inches.

5. There is no way to prevent the door from not being opened at all.



Think of this item like one of the cabinet and drawer latches that you screw or stick on. The ones that come in two pieces. One that you put on the door and the other that screws to the cabnet frame. The child can pull on the door and the device on the door "catches" the device on the frame such that the child cannot open the door any further.

[...] Child Safety Latches, 12 Pack

If an adult wants to open the cabinet, you just push down on the spring loaded portion on the door to disengage it. You ever notice that your child can smash his/her fingers?



Then they came out with one that reaches a threshold beyond which the door cannot close any further.

Mommy's Helper Safe-Lok Cabinet Door and Drawer Lock

This lock is not designed for this, but if you carefully push in the gray bar without it "clicking" in place, you can get a similar effect. See #3 above.



This is a similar concept just that this door lock does not have two peices. You must have a doorframe that provides the "catch" portion of the lock. If not, you have to make you own "catch" like I have to.



I hope this review helps. Safety 1st Prograde No Drill Top Of Door Lock

This item clamps on your door and is tightened with an allen wrench (included). When the safety catch is engaged, the door cannot be fully closed (this prevents pinched fingers and allows the door to be opened from either side). It stays cracked open (maybe 2 inches) and offers just a short amount of travel. That may be annoying at first as your little one tries to swing the door back and forth, but they will probably tire of it quickly since they can do no more than get a hand through the opening. Safety catch can be easily disengaged when you want to close the door completely. Not ideal for all situations, but works for me (I have it on a laundry room door that provides access to the garage).

We bought this because our toddler kept going into the pantry. We put this lock on the door and it works great! The only problem with it is that sometimes when you're closing the door, the lock will catch and you can't close the door all the way. Then you have to push the gray mechanism and the door shuts easily. I would definitely buy this again.

I just installed this and it took all of 2 minutes. It works great. No drilling required. I like the ability to disengage the lock when my toddler isn't around. I like the feature that prevents the door from closing via the pinch guard. however this needs to be engaged manually. This is good if i were using this on a room door that requires access from both sides but i am using this for a pantry door so i would prefer an automatic spring feature on the pinch guard. Other than that I am pretty happy with this so far.

We bought this device because we wanted to prevent our daughter from jamming her fingers as she is learning how to close doors on us... turns out this product is really a door lock that allows a gap (not fully closed and still unable to open the door fully). My fault for not reading correctly, but i will review the product for others to benefit.



From the one stock photo it was hard to tell how this functioned, refer to the additional pictures I posted for more info.



First of all, this thing is big. I actually want to say huge.

It is unsightly, and though it "folds" away to be non-operational it is still an ugly sight IMO.



The construction seems sufficient for a child prevention device, but this is by no means a security device and is not made of such kinds of materials.



Now on to describing how it works...

The latch actually clamps onto the door and is held in place by using the allen wrench provided to tighten the clamp.

With the arm moved into position to function as intended, attempting to close the door results in a latch resting on the door jam preventing closure on precious little fingers - perfect.

However, attempting to then pull the door back open results in the other side of the device resting on the door jam preventing you from opening the door - not perfect.



What you are left with is a door that can't open past 3 inches, and wont close. It is locked in this manner until an adult is summoned by the helpless cries of their child locked in/out of a room. This is not really what we wanted.



If it were an ideal solution it would prevent full closure, but allow the door to be fully opened.

The configuration of this device will not allow such functionality.



Of note, another reviewer discussed the type of door jam you need for this to work, it worked with mine, refer to the pics posted to see if yours resembles my door jam.

Also, the gap between the closed door and the door frame should be at least 1/8'th inch, as the device takes up that space and may cause the door to be harder to close completely shut (if at all), and may cause the actual door latch to not fully engage without a firm push on the door handle.



As this does not fit our needs, i am returning it, but may work for your needs.

Rated good for the intended functionality, ease of install, non-permanent nature, and finger jamming prevention. - Baby-proofing - Baby Proofing - Door - Door Lock'

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Poulan Pro - chain saw, chainsaw

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Here's my review after compare the machine to the Wild Thing model....



I bought the Poulman Wild Thing saw for $149 at big box retailer. At first I thought it was OK. It did feel very light, and it seemed to start easily the first time (about 10pulls). After about 15min of use (cutting scrap highway bridge rail supports) it suddenly bogged down and died. I tried for 1/2 and hour to get again it to start to no avail. The engine's run characterstics seem to change drastically as the engine heats up. Perhaps they used too much aluminum in its construction, or perhaps the carb was mal adjusted. You cannot adjust the carb's settings so you're stuck with that. My guess is that it's a Chinese import. The pattern repeated the next day (starts, runs for a while, and dies) except that after about an hour of cool down, I finally got it to start and run for about another 5min before it died again. I contacted Poulan support, they gave some suggestions, none of them helped. Finally I returned it and upgraded to a Poulan Pro 18" 42cc for another $20 ($169). This machine is unbelievably better! I cut 5 times the wood in 1hour than I was able to cut in 3days with the "wild thing".



The Poulman Pro has many features that are better than the Wild Thing

1.) it does not leak oil everywhere when you sit it down like the wild thing

2.) Padded grips on the starter rope , not that that that matters much since it starts in 3 pulls!

3.) better chain adjustment (no tools required)

4.) heavier construction and smoother running. It's own weight is all I applied to cut through the rail posts in < 10 seconds.

5.) Cuts much better/faster than wild-thing (even though the dispacement is only 2cc more)

6.) Idles well without dying (wild-thing had to be 'petted' to keep it going, I didn't even realize that wasn't normal.)

7.) Mine came with a free extra chain! (that's almost worth the extra $20 right there)

8.) Springs between body of machine and handle to reduce vibration.



In summary, the Puolman Pro is a much better machine and gets more done, is easier to start and use and seems to use less fuel too all for $20 more. It also feels like a more solid machine and aggresively tears through wood without staggering. I'm able to completely cross cut through heavy 8" logs at 3/4 throttle, using full only occsionally as I hit knots and such. Stay away from the Wild Thing! It's a POC and sure to get you laughed at if you try to use it for any serious work!



I'm not comparing this machine to Stihl... if you are a logger or landscaper that uses chain saws as part of your livelihood, get a Stihl, but for the person that neeeds to cut a cord or 2 of wood every year, you'll be very satisfied with this machine. Poulan Pro PP4218AVX 18-Inch 42cc 2-Cycle Gas-Powered Anti-Vibration Chain Saw with Case

I bought a Poulan because of the price. Bad idea. You do get what you pay for. After a year of light use, starting it got very hard. Once it did start, it would run for a minute or two, stall out, and then could not be started until it was fully cooled down. I took it for service at a small engine shop I know and trust. When I went to pick it up, the mechanic told me he couldn't do much with it because the carb has very limited adjustability. He said the only fix would be a new carb, which he would not recommend because of cost, and because I would probably encounter the same problem again.

I have had my poulan pro for a couple of years now, I cut about 4 to 5 cords a winter. I did have some starting troubles, but that was due to a bad plug. I love this saw, it cuts just fine. I am thinking about getting a bigger husky, some of the trees that I am cutting down I have to cut from both sides now. I am definitely going to keep this saw for a backup and around the house. I would recommend this saw to anyone, especially for the $.

I have to be honest, this is my very first chain saw, so I'm no authority on the industry standards. The saw has tackled everything I've asked of it though, so I'm confident in at least saying that it's "good".



The pull-starter system get a "F" though. I was out cutting down trees for a food plot and just like almost everyone else, the pull string didn't recoil. Being an over-confident geek though, I decided to take it apart.



After looking at it for a while, I couldn't figure out what the problem was, but when I tried to put it back together, the "EPS Spring" wouldn't fit back over the plastic post. I looked at the spring more closely and found that it had been over-torqued and now had a coil in the middle that curved inward, instead of being in alignment with the others.



So I went to [...] and clicked on "Parts and Accessories". The parts schematic labeled that spring as the "EPS Spring" (I'm certainly not versed enough to know that off the top of my head). It was $3.50 or so, so I bought two -- grand total about $14 and change.



I also emailed Poulan customer service, which got me a response from someone at Husqvarna, which I assume owns Poulan. The service rep was helpful and conveyed opinion that I was right about the EPS spring, but they did recommend a "kit" replacement, which I think was $11, w/o shipping. I think the kit replaces the EPS Spring, some parts, and the flat, ribbon-like spring that sits against the wall/plastic. I passed on the kit.



The EPS springs arrived today, and while I haven't installed them yet, I'm ------ scratch that, I just went downstairs and installed one of my new EPS springs. Problem is solved!!!



It's really a piece of cake. There are 4 screws on the outside that hold the pull starter assembly onto the saw. There there is one screw that holds a plastic gear onto a post of the outer housing. Just remove that screw in the middle of the plastic gear and the EPS spring sits right there underneath the plastic gear. You don't have to mess with the the pull string or anything.



One thing to note, Husqvarna/Poulan customer support did recommend that I take the saw to an authorized dealer, as the saw has a 2 year warranty that YOU WILL VOID IF YOU OPEN UP THE SAW. Of course, I don't know how they would be able to tell that because I didn't notice any tamper evident tape on it -- but you've been warned!!!!



For me personally, $14 (which gives me an extra spring if this happens again) makes a lot more sense than wasting my time dropping off and picking up the saw at a service center. - Chainsaw - Chain Saws - Chain Saw - Pp4218avx'

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Digital Camera - photography, digital camera

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I tired of carrying my DSLR and associated lenses, etc and decided to go to a Point and Shoot (P&S) camera. I had read a great deal and having owned a Nikon D-60 DSLR for a period of time, was concerned primarily with picture quality in going from a DSLR with large sensor to a P&S with much smaller sensor. For 3 solid months, give or take, I diligently, researched all P&S cameras as well as "mirrorless cameras" currently on the market. I went to 'handle' the cameras I was interested in (see below) and to Flickr on the internet and queried some groups regarding the cameras I was considering. I am a hobbyist when it comes to photography but, I was obsessed with getting as close to the superior photo quality of a DSLR as possible in a P&S. I finally decided on the Leica due to (what I believe to be) superior photo quality and excellent in-camera jpeg processing. I looked at the Nikon P7000...mixed but generally lower reviews within this group (I have owned a number of/and greatly respect Nikons); Panasonic LX5...which many say to be the same as the Leica (with the exception of jpeg processing); Canon G-12...which seemed ok with the exception of handling RAW production and the Canon S95...not as good in the lens department and photo processing. Both the Leica and Panasonic have a larger sensor than the rest of this group. Granted, I could have purchased any of these really good cameras, at a much lower price; but, I found the color and overall photo quality of the D Lux 5 to be best of the group I researched. I have never owned a Leica before and I while I expected it I am still shocked at the sticker price and cost of accessories. I'll not debate the pros and cons of the Panasonic LX5 versus the Leica, there is enough information in that regard published by professionals and labs, all over the internet. The warranty and the inclusion of Lightroom 3 were nice additions, to help soothe the price pain. A word about the warranty, depending on what you read the warranty goes anywhere from 2 years (what was in my box warranty) and some (see Steve Huff's excellent analysis) say 3 years. I'll admit the whole warranty process was/is confusing. I bought my camera from B&H Photo in New York and was confused when the salesman said that there was no warranty with the Leica during checkout and that I should buy an additional warranty for 2 years. Everything I had read previous to my purchase, said Leica provided a 2 year warranty and so I passed on the B&H offer, hope I am right. I am very happy with this camera. It is easy to operate, provides excellent stabilization, in-camera menus are outstanding, shoots in RAW format and is easy to carry/handle. Leica accessories are expensive though. Many of the items that fit the LX5; also, fit the Leica. The viewfinder, although with mixed reviews, is a must if you shoot in bright daylight or snowy environs. The Panasonic viewfinder is around $200.00 less than the Leica brand and supposedly fits/works the same on the D Lux 5...we'll see. My decision to buy the Leica boiled down to quality of build/pictures and reputation. Good sites to go to: stevehuffphoto.com; DPReview; CNET; bhphotovideo.com; snapshot.com; youtube and if you want to look at actual photos, taken by everyday users of the Leica D Lux 5, see the Leica groups on Flicr. Hope this helps. Leica 18151 D-Lux 5 Digital Camera

My first Leica that is affordable. I was going back and forth between this and the Panasonic LX5 as they are essentially the same camera as I've read. I wanted something for travel and as a backup to my Canon dSLR. This is smaller than I expected which is actually great because I can fit it in my pocket!



As for price, if you think about it, the copy of Adobe Lightroom and the 3 year warranty basically means it costs about the "same" as the LX5 if not getting a better deal IMO. Yeah, I like the red dot too...and the build is really solid for this camera..and a beautiful one at that. The menu is pretty intuitive. The manual isn't all that informative.

Picture quality looks great, I like the different formats..I can take square pics or wide angle..



The special effects aren't as robust as the Olympus Pen, but I use graphic editing programs anyway....gets a little noisy above 1600 but again, I have noise reduction software..but for its size and convenience and the fast 2.0 lens, available light photography is great. I use this mainly as my street photography/photojournalism cam.



I would've given it 5 stars if it had a viewfinder...I really wish these companies producing these compact cameras, 4/3 cameras and the like would have a built in viewfinder..it only makes sense. Also, don't get the Dlux4 battery for this, it won't fit. I have to wait about a month before they release the ones for Dlux5 and exchange the Dlux4 battery.

But I'm happy so far and hopefully I'll be able to update to the M series someday.

I'm very happy with this camera.



The only up side to having my D-Lux 3 stolen this past summer was that the D-Lux 5 was soon to be released. I use a camera for my work - which is mostly point-and-shoot locations stuff - but I also want the ability to take beautiful pictures when I have the time.



This camera gives me what I need.



I love the simplified menu, the rear dial, the hot shoe for my viewfinder and flash, but most of all I love the quality of the pictures I can get whether it's a quick snap-shot or a nicely composed portrait.



It's not a pro camera but it's a great camera for someone (like me) who carries a camera with them at all times looking for that great image.



Warranty is great and Light Room is a nice addition. As for concerns over the price difference between this and the Panasonic version c'mon, you spend that much for premium cable every month.

I purchased this camera a few weeks ago to try it out after hearing much about it. Quite frankly I'm not sure what the hoopla is all about -- other than it has a red dot on it. First of all I AM a photogapher. I shoot with a Nikon D700, d300, a bevy of Nikon glass, as well as medium format Mamiya film and digital. So yes, I do know what I'm talking about and this is not a casual review.



The Leica is an incredible piece of metal. I love the heft, and the feel of it. The lens is superb at F2.0. Love it. I LOVED the 1:1 ratio which gave me square images -- one of the reasons I still shoot 2/14 film on occasion. The video option was also awesome. I shot several movies in B&W which was so neat and also in the 1:1 ratio I loved it. They were crystal clear in HD.



My problem, and this could only be my problem, not yours was the image quality. I shot a total of 263 images with the little gem and was extremely disappointed in the image quality. I shot mostly at ISO 80 which is the lowest; I also chose an aperture between the F2, and F4.5 or 5.6 depending on the light. I used a tripod for many of the shots but I just couldn't get over the smudging of the noise reduction. Oh, I shot in both jpeg and raw format, which is how I shoot my D700, and D300 100% of the time.



Anyway I shot and I shot away. I had several designers I work with look at prints I made (11 x 14) and at 13 x 19 and they noticed the noise and/or the smudging. Since I shoot for stock, working with several on line sites, as well as "real" agencies I submitted a batch of images to them all. Each and every image was rejected from three online sites, and my agents due to "overall lack of focus and detail due to excessive noise reduction" (which smudged the images). Even when viewing them on screen in Lightroom at 100% they were awful. I did submit the out of camera jpegs, as well as jpegs that I processed from the raw files in LR3. Neither was accepted by anyone. Since that is pretty much my bread and butter I decided to return the camera. At $799.00 it's way overpriced (IMHO) as a piece of equipment that I can carry wherever for "the shot" when I don't have my dSLR's with me. I believe the Panasonc Lumix, which is essentially the same camera without the red dot, is $300.00 less. Even at the Panasonic's $399 or $499 price point it's still way overpriced due to the lack of resolution/sharpness even at the lowest ISO of 80. I don't get it. I played with every option in the menu's trying to get it to shoot correctly; shot the highest quality jpegs, and simultaneous raw file to no avail. At this point I'm 99.9% certain it wasn't me causing this.



If I were an amateur, and just wanted to capture atypical "I was here" shots, and videos I might be tempted. It is a gorgeous camera. But my being so nit picky about noise, grain, and image quality I just could not bring myself to keep this camera.



On a side note Amazon and J&R Music World were fabulous to deal with. Shipping was fast, return processing was fast as well and I was given my full credit as of last night. - Compact Camera - Wide Angle - Digital Camera - Photography'

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Prime Cuts: Remind Me (with Carrie Underwood), Love Her Like She's Leaving (with Don Henley), Toothbrush



Over the years, many have attempted to give definition to country music. But no one has had the audacity to name their record "This is Country Music." Not until Brad Paisley. With such an overarching and dauntless title, Paisley has a lot to live up to. And over the course of these 15 tracks he rarely disappoints. If country music is defined as songs that deal with the issues of life, then these songs past muster. Just like his previous albums, Paisley rarely disappoints. On one hand, he continues to wax eloquence about his romantic felicity with great attention paid to details. Yet, on the other hand, he has the ability to keep things light and engaging with his wily take on some of life's keening observations. Watch especially for the ways of how Paisley can take a cliché, a thought, a cultural trend or an urban myth and turn them around into a song of fun and even of acute inspiration. And just like his previous 9 albums, producer Frank Rogers is again on the helm keeping the production lean and lanky, yet bringing out the consummate guitarist in Paisley is supernal ways.



One reason why Paisley excels as a songwriter is that he doesn't resign himself to singing the vanilla "I love you and I need you" songs. Rather, when he describes about the need to keep his connubial bliss alive, he does it by giving us so many practical ways in the power duet with Carrie Underwood "Remind Me." Expanding his scope of duet partners to Don Henley, on "Love Her Like She's Living" Paisley sits on the Dr. Love seat in diagnosing how to make love last. While on the Western swing-styled "Toothbrush" Paisley chronicles the development of a love affair with so much imagination and creativity. Calling to mind Paisley's "Little Things," "New Favorite Memory" is gorgeously romantic as Paisley gets into specifics why he likes his paramour. These are the details that will save floundering relationships. Adorned with some really appetizing fiddles and some sapid steel guitars, the regretful "I Do Now" is indeed a slice of traditional country done with modern sensibilities.



Though Paisley has often been noted for the humor in his music, but often they are jocular because they are social burlesques. "Working on a Tan," for instance, is a satire of how people have become so obsessed with their bodies that they would go to the extremes to look "tanned." With the call and response chorus and some delightful piano riffs, "Camouflage" deals with the issue of self image amidst its party sonic backings. On the spiritual invigorating "A Man Don't Have to Die," Paisley puts his finger on our society's problem: how our souls erode without Jesus. This is soul piercing stuff done in a way that is engaging without sounding judgmental. And on certain tracks, Paisley just lets loose. Though it has some really cheesy pick up lines (such as "I love to be the book on your chest"), Paisley could get away with it on "Be the Lake" as it is such an infectious hook that he'll have no trouble getting his fish. Being a traditionalist, on "Eastwood" Paisley even convinces Clint Eastwood to do a whistle of a Morricone melody on a spaghetti Western instrumental.



There are a couple of odes to country music per sec. Not the most original in its concept, the title cut and lead single "This is Country Music" is stacked with many other songs that tries to give definition to the genre. It's not bad just not one of Paisley's best. The same can be said of "Old Alabama" which is a tribute of sorts to the country group Alabama. Other than these quibbles, "This is Country Music" is dogmatically as good and as bold as the title suggests. Another solid effort from this neo-traditionalist. This Is Country Music

Without a doubt, Brad Paisley IS the voice of country music in this decade. Every song on this album is phenomenal, and exemplifies the very core of the genre. I would be hard pressed to say that there is a single bad track in the bunch, indeed there are MANY single worthy numbers here. Camouflage, Remind Me, Love Her Like She's Leavin' and New Favorite Memory could easily be top 10 performers. This is country music at its finest.

I don't care for the new country music in general. It reminds me more of pop music from by-gone decades.

Brad Paisley is different. His music sounds a lot more like traditional country. He reminds me of a few country icons from the past that play guitar as well as they sing, something along the lines of Merle Haggard or Marty Stuart(who contributed on the last track).



The title track leads off an exceptionally strong cd. The song lyrics are something a lot of country fans can identify with personally. It winds down with Paisley listing some great song titles from country's past such as "I Walk The Line" and "Stand By Your Man" and more.

The guitar licks are well-played and flawless. This song is my favorite of many from Brad Paisley.



"Old Alabama" serves not only as a tribute to the band but also includes them performing. A very nice touch and a great song!



Another song that made an immediate impression was "Life's Railway To Heaven". It's a bluegrass song and I'm really happy that Paisley included a song from that category!



As always, he includes some "tongue-in-cheek" part humor,part love ballad tunes as only Brad Paisley can tastefully put them together."Toothbrush" and "Be The Lake" seem to fit the bill on this cd.



A gem on this cd that might get overlooked among the other songs that get a lot of airtime on country radio is "A Man Don't Have To Die." The gripping lyrics about everyday life for so many in these trying economic times make a sad point that Paisley didn't overlook.

"See a man don't have to die to go to hell.No you don't have to die to go to hell."



This cd is typical Brad Paisley featuring his versatile guitar skill on a Telecaster and his voice. I have come to expect those two qualities in his music and he never seems to disappoint those of us that really appreciate the traditional sounding country. This is my favorite Brad Paisley cd to date.

His lyrics are witty,sometimes funny, and always as entertaining as his guitar pickin'.

This cd is as versatile musically as the rest of his releases.

If you buy a cd from this year, it definitely should be this one!!! - Country Music - Pop - Music - Mp3'

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