Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Money Management For Women - personal finance, women and money
As a financial professional, I have generally been critical of personal finance authors because they struggle to condense their vast knowledge into a book that is readable for the average person. Thakor and Kedar succeed where others have failed. In this book, they manage to cover all of the basic principles of personal finance (savings, credit, insurance, budgeting, investing, retirement, major purchases, taxes and money in relationships) in less than 200 pages. The book flows more like a conversation with a friend than a textbook, which made it an enjoyable and quick read. Also, I was very impressed with the quality of the advice given in this book. The authors stick to tried-and-true principles that are both effective and simple.
I highly recommend this book. On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl's Guide to Personal Finance
On My Own Two Feet is simply the best personal finance book! I have tried to read a finance book cover to cover and could not get through one until this incredible book. The information is clearly presented, and what sets it apart, is the advice of Kedar and Thakor is highly actionable. Since reading the book I have made several changes and already feel better about my financial "health."
I was lucky enough to meet the authors of this book, Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar at a recent retreat at the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership. I was struck by three things: 1) their passion to educate young women about personal finances, 2) their snazzy dress sense, and 3) the fact that THESE WOMEN KNOW THEIR STUFF! Both are amazingly successful in the male-dominated world world of finance, and gave me the instant feeling that I could navigate it too, all I needed was some simple basics. Manisha and Sharon are able to look at money from the perspective of MY generation, the 18-35 year-olds who don't stay in one job forever, and will enter the work force with student loans, MySpace accounts, and only a brief window to start retirement planning. "On My Own Two Feet" handles the current reality of money and finance with pizzazz and spice, and a feeling of support from the "Divas of Finance". If you want to feel more financially secure, and do it soon, pick up this book now! Then send it to your girlfriends, cousins, sisters, mothers...and maybe even a man or two. After all, everyone needs some money help, sometimes!
Prince Charming is not a financial plan. That's the sentiment echoed by this author who wants women to stop looking for a man to rid them of their financial woes and instead, take charge of their own financial future. Understanding that financial matters can be intimidating to people, but especially women, she quickly gets to the point without bogging the reader down with boring or too complex details.
Below are the different subjects discussed in this book and the kinds of issues discussed with each:
SAVINGS
-- Why you should save
-- How much should you save
-- Where you should store your savings
CREDIT CARDS
-- What the true cost of credit card debt is
-- Why it's harmful to only making the minimum monthly payment
-- What the common credit card pitfalls are (like having too many cards or thinking your interest rate is set in stone, etc...)
-- Understanding your credit score
-- How your credit score influences your life
-- How to find your credit score
-- What your score is based on and how you can improve it
INSURANCE
-- The 3 critical types of insurance you need
-- Suggestions for purchasing insurance
-- Where to buy insurance
BUDGETING
-- How to make a budget (there's a great pie chart that shows exactly how to divide up your expenses)
-- What type of expenses you should expect
INVESTING
-- Why you should invest your money
-- How to invest your savings
-- What your investing options are
-- Suggestions on the smartest types of investment you should make
-- Q & A portion (like, "Is it wise to invest in real estate?")
RETIREMENT
-- What type of retirement is out there (employer sponsored and individual)
HOME
-- Should you rent or buy?
-- Making sure you don't buy a home you can't afford
-- Buying a home the smart way
CAR
-- Making sure you don't buy a car you can't afford
-- Should you buy new or used? Lease or buy?
INCOME TAXES
-- What types of taxes you owe on your income
-- When you pay your taxes
-- How to file your taxes
-- The types of documents you'll need when you visit your tax preparer
LOVE AND MONEY
-- Why financial compatibility is so important
-- What kind of money talk couples should have with each other
-- Deciding whether to have a joint or separate bank account
-- Deciding who will handle which financial chores
-- How often couples should do a financial check-up
-- How to protect your finances (especially for stay-at-home moms)
-- Handling sticky subjects like pre-nups
-- Why it's unwise to assume your Prince Charming knows more about money than you
Some women might be embarrassed not being as knowledgable about these subjects as they'd like, but in the last chapter, the author offer 4 empowering insights about money to make them feel better:
(1) Most people don't have a clue about money even if they pretend they do
(2) Things aren't always what they seem
(3) Literally millions are intimidated by money matters
(4) After reading this book, you'll know more than the vast majority of Americans
In the end, I thought the author did a great job taking an intimidating subject and making it more user-friendly for women. This book offers a great start towards achieving financial responsibility. - Personal Finance - Money Management For Young Peopl - Women And Money'
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Digital Camera - canon digital camera, compact camera
In short, this is a great camera in a very small package that produces good results! I wanted a small portable camera with HD video capabilities that I could take with me when I did not want to lug around my DSLR (Canon 40D + lenses) and this little gem fits the bill perfectly.
This camera replaced a Canon PowerShot SD780IS (Black) that I returned due to constant audio noise (hum) while recording video. Rather than risk getting another defective SD780IS with the same issue (many seem to report hearing the noise/hum), I decided to upgrade to the latest Canon PowerShot SD1400IS (Black). I am happy to report that this camera has no such issue with audio when video is being recorded.
The picture quality of the SD780IS and SD1400IS is roughly the same and on par with what one should expect from such a small ultra-portable camera. Going from 12MP to 14MP is a wash as the sensor is the same size and results are very similar. I have posted several shots of flowers under the "customer images" section of the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP (Black) and also uploaded several 100% crops of each image so pixel peepers can see the detail that this camera produces.
Let me be clear, anyone that thinks this camera is going to produce anything close to the quality of a DSLR is fooling himself or herself. There is no way that this small of a package (3.6 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches ; 4.6 ounces) can produce the same image quality as a DSLR. If image quality if paramount, one would be better off considering the Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera, but you will lose the HD video capability, some portability and spend more money. When I want extreme quality, I simply take my Canon 40D + lenses with me and shoot in RAW.
The Auto mode is smart and I think there is more happening behind the scenes than one would expect. If one takes the same image (same ISO settings, lighting, shutter etc.) in Auto and then in Program mode, the results are similar, but I think the Auto mode wins nearly every time. I have no way to confirm this, but the Auto mode seems to have different compression algorithms depending on the subject and can produce a less noisy image at higher ISO than Program mode can. Inside shots are good but I wish I could set an ISO range to force the Auto mode not to exceed 400 ISO.
Tip: If you are getting blurry images, remember that the minimum focal length is much less 5cm when at 28mm and significantly more 50cm when zoomed in to 112mm. So, if you are trying to get the camera close to your subject, be sure to gauge your zoom/subject distances properly otherwise your subject will be out of focus. Perhaps this would have helped the 1 star reviewer.
Final items of note:
1. There is no viewfinder and quite honestly, the small viewfinder on the SD780IS was useless so I do not miss having one. The LCD is bright and works great even on bright days.
2. There is no optical zoom while recording video, only digital zoom, so one has to decide on a zoom length before starting to record. This is a non-issue for me as many people overuse zoom and usually would have been better off just recording a static shot rather than making me dizzy with shaky-cam + zooming at the same time.
Bottom line: This is a fantastic pocket camera capable of decent images with HD video recording as a bonus. It is small enough that it will get taken everywhere enabling capturing of all those special moments. I would highly recommend it to anyone, so long as they realize the limitations inherent to ultra compact cameras. I hope this is review is helpful.
Update: I forgot to mention that one should be sure to get no less than a "Class 4" SD card (Class 6 would be even better) to prevent any video recording issues (missed frames etc.)
Update 2: Still loving this camera after six weeks of use, I particularly like HD video capabilities and use it all the time. The .mov video files make for easy import into Apple iMovie for editing and produces great results. At a recent event, I was able to get some very nice pictures in low light without using a flash in AUTO mode. I was really surprised at the quality achieved in such hard shooting conditions. Best results are had by not zooming too much as there is less light available (f-stop changes when zoomed). If you are noticing blurry shots, try to zoom less and get closer to your subject.
Update 3: I just ran across the recent announcement of the Canon PowerShot SD4000IS (Black) 10MP, it was just released and the list price is currently more than the SD1400IS but the new 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor looks very promising for decreasing the noise that is common in sub-compact cameras. The SD4000IS also has HD video capabilities with the addition of stereo sound and can be zoomed while recording video along with a new "Super Slow Motion" video function and a faster f/2.0 lens. It will be interesting to see what users think of this new camera in the coming months. I hope this update is helpful. Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) - Powershot - Digital Camera - Compact Camera - Canon Digital Camera'
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Screen Protector Foils
The quality of the screen protector is good, HOWEVER once placed on the unit you will notice the proportions are off. It is longer than the screen but narrower. The width is not so much an issue as the length. The length creates a small extension and visible air bubbles at the bottom of the screen.
This may not be an issue for some, but when the product meant to appear as if its not there it could be irksome, especially those who spend a lot of time looking at the screen. Halo Screen Protector Film (Clear) for HTC Thunderbolt 6400 (3-Pack) - Premium Japanese Screen Protectors
I am not sure what phone this is made for but it is NOT the thunderbolt. It is too narrow and too long. This brand got good reviews on other phones I read about but they dont fit the thunderbolt AT ALL! I bought a generic pack at walmart for six dollars and hand cut 2 screens for my 2 new phones so they would be protected until these arrived. I wish I hadnt taken the one I cut off.
Great price, great product. The screen protectors fit like a glove. I had no problem fitting the film onto my phones screen. I do have to wipe the screen to remove my evident finger print smudges, but that is as easy as using the inside edge of my cotton shirt or my sunglasses cleaner cloth. Definitely worth purchasing this product.
The product is terrible. You have two remove the top protecting film. When you pull the sticker to remove this film, the sticker comes off and the film does not. This wasn't just the case on one of the protectors but all three. Second, the item is not an exact fit.
The product seems to be made from good quality plastic and it is cut precisely for the TB. However, the first 2 that I put on had a defect in them which created a bubble when I put them on. This was not from the way I applied them because I was extremely careful putting them on. Also, I have owned smart phones for years (e.g. Treo 600, 650, 700p, 700wx, iPhone 2 and 3G, Nexus, Droid Incredible, and HTC TB), so I know how to apply a screen protector. The last one I put on worked just fine. So if you're thinking that you're getting 3 perfect screen protectors, then you may be in for a surprise. Even though one worked, it is still cheaper than the name-brands out there. However, in the future, I will be re-thinking spending more on the name brand screen protectors and saving myself some frustration.
one of the worst screen protectors i've ever used. it was too long for the screen and therefore had to be cut which is not what you expect when buying a product specifically tailored towards your needs. Besides that it was cheap and thin. Bubbles all over. TERRIBLE idea. DO NOT BUY! a waste of $$
The protective film is not quite the correct size. It is a little too narrow and a bit too long. I've kept it on until I can get one that fits. The feel is fine, it doesn't have the slightly tacky feel that some protectors have. But, it overhangs just a tiny bit on the bottom and the film collects dust where it hangs over so it looks dirty and each side has a little bit unprotected. Even for the price I would like them to fit correctly.
I have tried a few different brands of screen protectors,and these are by far the best I've found. It is true that they are slightly more narrow than the Thunderbolt screen, but I think acutally helps with application. It was easy to install and I have no visible bubbles on my screen. It really does prevent fingerprints on the screen, and it helps with glare. I would highyly recommend this product.'
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Swiss Army - sweet
Nice scent but it's like so many other fruity/citrus/flower scents which seem so popular. So if that is what you want it's nice and the packaging is cool. Yet it was my choice to buy it scent unsmelled wishing the woodsy description was what I imagined. Swiss Army Altitude By Swiss Army For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces
Let me start off by saying I own well over 30 colognes. This one is by far one of my favorites. It was gifted to me by my family on my birthday. I know colognes can be very subjective as individuals have different preferences.
This cologne is my go to scent. It's not only the design that is so attractive but the smell. It has a unique smell, with that of the outdoors, and a hint of wood. I really like it, it is very powerful so only use a little bit. The only complaint I've heard from friends is that it smells "too outdoorsy". In all honesty, that's what I was going for!
The design of the bottle can be just as important as the smell if you collect them. It has a very sturdy, heavy feel to the case, and travels very easily. The cap is very secure, and is easy to remove, and re-apply. Overall, the color design is very unique, and overall a nice look on a shelf.
Lastly, I will conclude with the obvious, the fact it is a name brand. Swiss Army is a name brand and very trust worthy. I would highly recommend this item if you have used their products before or if you want to add to the collection. It has a nice scent in my opinion, and the case itself is something to cherish as well. - Sweet'
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Gel Fuel
We purchased this to use in our screen porch as we didn't know if a propane based firepit would be safe. The Gel based fire bowl works great and as promised. The delivery only took a couple of days and the setup took about 5 min. We tested our new firebowl tonight and it was very simple to operate. We poured the gel into the two compartments and lit each side using a bic scripto lighter and the gel lit up instantly and created a very nice flame and crackle. We used one 29 oz bottle total split between the two sides and got approx 2 hours of burn. The firebowl looks great and works very well. The flames are not huge or create much for heat, but definitely create a nice "ambiance" fire for sitting around with friends or family. We would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a relaxing, no hassle fire in an area that doesn't allow for a wood or propane based fire. Real Flame Hampton Fire Bowl, Gray
My wife recently purchased the Real Flame Hampton Firebowl as a gift for me. While I'm thrilled with the product, I'm a little perplexed as to why the average gel-life span when in use is only averaging an hour to an hour and a half at best.
Gel is filled exactly as per instructions, however we are using the Real Flame Citronella Pourable Gel Fuel model #2165 Which requires about 1 and half bottles to fill both sides to the level.
If I want to use the fire-bowl for 2-3 hours the price of the fire gel becomes worse then buying toner for an ink-jet printer:
Price per Citronella Gel on Amazon based on package of 8: $8.63 per bottle.
1.5 Citronellas per 1.5 hours: $12.95
Use for 3 hours: $25.90
Use of Firebowl 2 days per week (Hey it's California, we spend a lot of time out doors, I'm being generous at only using on the weekends) $51.80 per week x Average of 4.3 weeks in month = $222.74 x 1 year = $2,672.88
Had I known that, for $2,672.88 I could have gotten a REALLY nice fire pit.
PS- To the person who's been waiting a month: We went through that too, Amazon cancelled our order twice. We finally just bought it online somewhere else for a bit more money.
UPDATE: SEPT. 2011: Due to some people pouring gel in while the Fire-bowl was still in use (which the manual clearly says not to do, and sounds incredibly stupid to me that someone would actually do it), the Manufacturers and Distributors have announced a Consumer Recall of Pourable Gel Fuel. So now I'm stuck with basically an expensive outdoor paperweight and incredibly frustrated making me move this rating to hating it.
I love this fire bowl. It is great because it comes with a cover and a snuffer to extinguish the flame. It looks like a quality product and looks great outside on my patio. I am planning to order another one.'
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37 Inch Lcd - toshiba, flat screen
I guess I'll break the ice and be the first to review this TV.
I searched for a decent 37" TV at a reasonable price and looked at several different brands. I almost bought a Vizio because of the price, but then I found this Toshiba for less than 600$. Here is what I can say about it so far:
This TV has a very good picture especially on the Directv hi-def channels. It has some interesting features that I have not yet used such as:
the ability to play picture files (like a giant digital photo frame, and
the ability to play MUSIC files, like a giant Mp3 player.
When I press the "mute" (to mute the sound)button, it will mute half way, then another press of the button mutes the sound completely.
It has a computer terminal for connecting a PC.
It has 4 HDMI inputs.
The reason I gave this TV 4 stars is the viewing angles--like most LCDs, you need to sit almost directly in front of the screen. If you try and watch it too far off to one side, the colors get a bit washed out.
For an auxillary TV, this one fits the bill. My home theatre TV is a 50" plasma, and that TV blows this one away. But if you just want a fairly large TV for everyday watching and not the whole "home theatre" experience, you will be pleased with this unit. I think Toshiba is a decent brand and most of the reviews on other Toshiba models have been pretty good. Toshiba 37E200U 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Black Gloss)
I just purchased this TV to replace my Samsung 27" tube HDTV which was an absolute beast (147 lbs!). This TV is WONDERFUL! It's the 3rd Toshiba LCD in my house (also have a 32" in my bedroom and a 19" in the home office). The picture is crystal clear with rich, bright, vibrant colors. I watch a lot of sports and play video games on this TV and it performs great for both. There aren't noticeable tracers when watching fast action. I wish it had a regular a/v sound output (red & white), but it only offers a digital audio output which doesn't work w/ my out-dated receiver (not the TV's fault). I compared this side-by-side to LG's similarly priced 37" model and it blew the LG away. The picture was brighter, clearer, and lost less quality at an angle. I've noticed some reviews that are critical of the TV's sound, but I'm not having any issues with it. I'm sure it doesn't compare to the sound quality of a home theatre system, but it isn't any worse than any other TV I've owned. If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck on a moderately priced lcd TV, this is the one.
I'll keep this one short and sweet. Ive had this TV for several weeks now, and couldn't be happier.
The picture is awesome. Our other TV is a Samsung 40 inch, which is another highly rated LCD, and I made my own comparison by watching a Stanley Cup Hockey game on both TV's and could not tell any difference. A Hockey game broadcast in HD is a very good test for your TV's clarity, and this Toshiba did not disappoint.
The dynamic aspect ratio works great.
The fact that Toshiba doesn't publish the contrast ratio should not be a deterrent for getting this TV. Contrast ratio is a marketing gimmick, and the determination should be that if you look at the picture, and it looks great to your eyes, who cares what the actual contrast ratio is? The blacks look black, and the whites look white, and there isn't much more to worry about.
Good price for a great TV!
I took ownership of this HD TV yesterday and all I have to say is this thing is great!
* easy to setup
* easy to program
* picture quality is incredible
* paid $483 USD for it and it's worth every penny
* More HDMI slots than devices to hook up to it
* setup the XBOX 360 on the port on the side panel with ease
This HD TV has to be comparable to a Samsung, with a much lower price point. I strongly recommend this HD TV.
Let first comment on the TV...its fantastic! Great picture in either standard or high def. The sound is great as well. I replaced a 4 year old 32in Westinghouse and this just blows it away. Absolutely no complaints about the TV.
Now, as far as shipping goes...I can't believe Amazon uses these people. The company is called Ceva Logistics. These people were the most unprofessional individuals I have ever delt with (when it comes to shipping companies). I see my package is due to be delivered on the 4th...ok sounds good. It didn't come. Fine, I now the estimates are usually just that...an estimate. So I check the status and I see that the package is at the destination location (about 7 miles from where I live). So, i figure it would come the next day (friday). Well, I'm at work and i get a call asking if I want to come pick up my TV from the distribution center...what?!? I ordered it online and wanted it delivered. That is what Amazon is all about...ordering from your computer to your door. Neither me nor my wife have cars (we rely on public transit and bikes) so picking it up was not an option. They tell me that since I can't pick it up myself that I'll have to wait until monday and schedule a delivery appointment....when asked why they couldn't just deliver it because my wife would be home they got an attitude and said "thats not how we do things". So I asked to schedule an appointment and he told me to call back monday....seriously, the TV had been there now for 2 days! So Monday rolls around and I call to make and appointment and they give me a four hour window between 10-2pm. So when does my TV get delivered? 2:45. I have never had so much trouble getting a package in my life....I hope Amazon stops using these people!
*UPDATE UNDER THIS REVIEW* I haven't even been able to watch my brand new TV yet. I plugged all of my things into it, turned it on, and there were all these horizontal lines going across it, making the picture all messed up. i called customer service and they had me call a local company to fix it. local company came by the next day to pick it up. they told me it was the screen, and that they'd have to order that in, which would take about 10 days. so Ive now owned this thing for about a week and cant even watch it until it gets fixed, which will be just in time for me to leave town for the holidays. im definitely not happy with this purchase. i sure hope i have no problems with it after i get it back.
*UPDATE*
I am returning this television today. Toshiba's customer service has been giving me the run around on getting this thing fixed, and I'm unable to put up with it any longer. I bought this on Cyber Monday, and still haven't been able to use it. Their customer service kept losing my paperwork, so no one has been able to answer my questions as to why I haven't been able to get my tv back yet. Finally I get a call back (after at least a week of being told that, whoops, we lost your paperwork, someone eill definitely be calling you back today) from a "manager" (unprofessional sounding and insincere) who told me that the part I need is on indefinite backorder. I asked her why they just won't send me a new once, since I didn't break it, and it didn't work from the very moment I plugged it in. She told me that isn't an option and I have to get it fixed by them. I told them I don't want a refurbished television when I paid for a brand new one. She wasn't really happy with my opinion. So, I'm sending it back to Amazon. I went and picked it up from the local repair company and it is on its way to Amazon as we speak. Thank you Amazon, for having no problems with this return, especially when I've gotten such a run-around from Toshiba. I will never buy another product from them again! - Toshiba - 1080p Lcd Hdtv - Flat Screen - 120hz'
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Podcasting - home recording, podcasting
Okay, I own a lot of microphones. I am very picky when it comes to sound and I would gladly waste $40 in gas to return a microphone that just didn't have the sound I expect. I was delighted to hear the quality of this USB mic! It has a great clarity to it, without being "tinny" or "crispy", and without sacrificing on the lows either. No "boomy" or "hollow" sound, just a nice clean and full-range quality that I expect from my $500-range microphones (but thankfully, without having to fool with an audio interface or goofy proprietary driver software!) What a great find... plug it in and it is ready to record!!
If you are looking for an intelligent, clean, affordable microphone for voice-over projects, podcasts, quick-and-easy live recording (with your laptop, of course), or open-mic music composition before dragging all the gear out to record a full-blown multitrack, this is the best money can buy in this category. Not to mention, it looks great sitting on your desk! BLUE has definitely convinced me to buy again, solid construction and solid sound (and no stupid drivers like Samson's USB garbage). Maybe next I'll get a Bluebird or Baby Bottle, this company is worth a closer look now that I've heard the very smooth sound of their entry level -- BLUE has got my attention!! Blue Microphones Snowball USB Microphone (Brushed Aluminum)
I've been using this Mic a little over a month and am very impressed with it. What I want to do is add some value to the many reviews that have already been posted. But first, let's get past the obvious good points:
This thing looks way cool. It's a nice techno-retro mix that I really like. It sounds great (with one caveat mentioned below. The price is very reasonable. The build quality is solid. They evey provide a heavy duty USB cable. If you need a mic and are looking for tremendous value this will fit the bill.
The audio issue I had, and I'm not alone, is that while the quality is outstanding the output level is a tad low. I contacted Blue support and learned that a fix will be released soon. Until then it's a matter of speaking up a bit or turning up the gain on whatever audio processing software you're using.
Now, to address some issues raised by other reviewers... My mic was new stock, serial number 092xxx. I plugged it into my Windows 7 (64 bit) system and it "played" right away. The stand is fine. (If you want to replace it then the On Stage DS7200B Adjustable Desk Microphone Stand, Black seems like a nice option. However, I like being able to keep a pad of post-its on my desk below the stand :)
Finally, some suggestions. I've been using audacity, a free, feature rich audio editor. Windows recorder is fine and I can't see any reason not to use audacity instead. Also, while a replacement stand is a possible add-on to consider, you should first look into a pop filter. I use the Nady MPF-6 6-Inch Clamp On Microphone Pop Filter If you check out my audio/video review which accompanies the product listing (it's somewhere near the top) you can hear a comparison of the Snowball with and without the filter. You even get a chance to guess which is which before I tell you.
Another small issue besides the slightly attenuated output is the selector switch. There's a three position switch that allows you to select cardioid (directional), -10db cardioid, or omni-directional. Unfortunately it's labeled 1, 2, and 3. I wish the manufacture had done a better job of labeling that switch.
One final comment is it would have been nice to have an analog output available. I'm no engineer (actually, I am but not that kind) and don't know if it's possible. However, if it was it would be nice to have.
Those minor issues and my hallucination about the analog output aside, this is one fine mic and you would have to spend lots more to get something even approaching this level of quality.
UPDATE: I've been using this mic for several months and continue to be impressed. One "enhancement" I've used and suggest you consider is to replace the really nice looking stand with one that I've found works a bit better: On Stage DS7200B Adjustable Desk Microphone Stand, Black. It allows the mic to be raised a bit higher and also locks in place much more firmly.
BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews can take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and work hard to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and if there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.
I started a podcast series based on Shakespeare's works and on major works of English literature (SHAKESPodosphEARE) for my students in Cincinnati earlier this year, and I started with a cheap mic/headset. It did the trick for the early episodes; I was just exploring whether or not my students would find full-text readings and recorded lectures useful, and they did. As a result, I wanted to find a higher quality way to record both readings of his plays and my lectures, and the Snowball was the perfect solution. It's easy to use (plugs in to your USB port), can be transported from one locale to another easily, and is an economical way to get high quality audio recordings. I've used it mainly for voice, but I've since incorporated some music into the podcast, and it's done a nice job of picking up my acoustic guitar and students' vocals.
NB: I use Audacity (which is a free download), and an HP Tablet PC, and for some reason I needed to do a firmware upgrade because at first the Snowball wasn't picking up sound at a high enough volume. It is a pretty simple process if you're tech savvy. Go to Blue's website for details.
If you're interested in listening to the differences between a cheap headset and the Snowball, check out my podcast at http://www.bigcontact.com/shakespodospheare . Listen to one of the early episodes (early Sept. of 2006) on which I used the basic mic (what comes with most Desktops), and then listen to a later episode (in which I use the Snowball). I'd recommend listening to an early Othello episode (1.1) and then a later Julius Caesar episode. My shows on The Tempest (also recorded with the Snowball) include sound effects, which may make it hard to hear the difference.
I've liked the Snowball so much that the school itself purchased one to encourage our students to start creating their own podcasts.
Be sure to get the package with the USB cord and the tripod. When using the tripod, be sure to push the legs all the way down, or the mic will fall over a lot.
Have fun! - Podcasting - Microphone - Home Recording - Usb'
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Cell Phone Memory - 2gb, 2 gb sd card
I have been using this SD card for a GBA cart i have that takes Mini-SD's
which are a little more expensive so i decided to go with this card since it came with the adapters i needed
And all i can say is this is way better than the 1Gig San Disk Mini-Sd I have (not just in size but specs) that i got from walmart that was a little more expensive (like $3-4 more)
Size 2,012,000,000
Actual Size 1.87 GB (Storage Size)
Benchmarks from this card
Quick Bench (8M Zones) Using USB 1.1
Random Access: 1.1ms
CPU Utilization: 20% +/- 2%
Average Read 16.4 MB/s
Long Bench (32M Zones) Using USB 1.1
Random Access: 1.1ms
CPU Utilization: 24% +/- 2%
Average Read 16.4 MB/s Kingston 2 GB microSD Flash Memory Card with SD and miniSD Adapters SDC/2GB-2ADP
Over the last couple of months I've order two of these. The first came with the storage case shown in the customer picture, very cool, however the second had no storage case. If you need the case, you might want to consider buying locally. Amazon should consider, in the interest of customer service, a separate listing for the caseless version so customers know exactly what they will or will not get. No complaints about Kingston's cards, however. Great product!
Kingston 2 GB microSD Flash Memory Card with SD and miniSD Adapters SDC/2GB-2ADP
I'm happy with the Kingston cards themselves, but unhappy with the bait-and-switch tactics of Amazon in the way the visually present to the public what they are selling. The pictures clearly show a hard-shell case to keep all of the SD cards and adapters in (important if you have a few of these to be sure not to lose any). What I received was a simple package that just held the cards and no plastic case to store the cards and adapters in. Tried calling Amazon as soon as I received them, was told they would look into this and call/email me back but I to this date have not heard from anyone. This package that I received is definitely a cut-down version of the product, less quality than what I was made to feel I would be buying by the image presented to this day on the website. If this is the way Amazon is going to handle customer and selling their products, advertising a higher quality product and shipping a lower quality product, then they have seen the last business from me for sure!!!
My wife purchased two of these for me as a gift, and they worked fine. A few weeks later, I ordered three more myself, also from Amazon, the identical item, but they did NOT work. The two that worked were marked "CHINA" and the three that did not work were marked "TAIWAN" and the plastic was a slightly lighter color. I don't know how to tell in advance which you're getting. Note my application is specialized, booting embedded Linux in a Zipit Z2. Most people may never know the difference because both varieties seem to read and write normally; the only problem was system bootup.
Update Jan.25 2011: The "Taiwan" card had about 4% less memory, but passed a complete memory test cycle and was actually slightly faster.
Kingston 2GB SD card stats from WinXP properties:
"China" Capacity: 1,973,059,584 bytes 1.83 GB (FAT, after format)
"Taiwan" Capacity: 1,898,708,992 bytes 1.76 GB (FAT, after format)
"China": Write: 8.80 MByte/s Read: 16.7 MByte/s
"Taiwan": Write: 9.92 MByte/s Read: 16.9 MByte/s
(using IOGEAR GFR209T USB Reader; H2testw v1.4 flash test by Harald Bögeholz - No errors)
This will be short and to the point.
I read the reviews when I needed a Micro SD card for my Blackberry.
This one fit the bill in terms of cost and features (why anyone buys this kind of accessory at Big Box Yellow and Blue store and spends twice as much I'll never understand).
Got it shipped quickly, came with the adapters. Can't remember the packaging but really, who cares as long as the card works!
And work it does. I installed it and formatted it on my Blackberry 8310 Curve - No issues whatsoever. Loaded up a bunch of pictures and music very easily.
I've recently had to sell the Curve (my company prefers having us waste time with Windows Mobile phones) but I removed the SD card and am using it for other toys (camera) with no problems.
It has been surpassed in capacity with HC cards now, but 2 GB is still a lot of storage.
BOTTOM LINE: Can't beat the price and features - (buy enough from Amazon bundled with other items and get free shipping).
If you get the Taiwan one, return it. The Japan one works very well. If speed doesn't matter, these are both ok.
Kingston (Taiwan)
Write Speed - 3.90 mb/s
Read Speed - 3.95 mb/s
Kingston (Japan)
Write Speed - 10.2 mb/s
Read Speed - 18.9 mb/s
QUICK SUMMARY: Amazon Prime customers especially will find this microSD card to be a good value with the included adapters. The item works, is competitively priced, and arrives in two days for free if you're a Prime customer. Recommended!
Background: I bought a new Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS to use this summer. This GPS can take a microSD card to store map data, but that's a separate purchase. After spending a lot of time looking at my options, I chose this item because: 1) It's competitively priced, 2) 2GB of data storage will hold the road maps for all of North America, and 3) I get the item shipped for free in two days because I'm an Amazon Prime customer.
Performance: It works; not much else to say. I especially liked that this item came with the microSD card adapters, which I won't likely use with my GPS microSD card, but which I can use to swap data back-and-forth with my cell phone, which also uses a microSD card. It's handy to have a few adapters like this lying around so you've got one when you need one.
Conclusion: Great value, competitively priced, fast shipping, Amazon-backed customer service makes this product a real winner. Recommended! - 2gb - 2 Gb Sd Card - Adapter - Minisd'
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Dvd Wallet - dvd wallet, dvd binder
I have yet to find an ideal CD storage system, but this is better than most. It means you don't have to keep all those jewel cases. It is well-made and ideal for home storage. If you want to take your favorite CD's on your travels, you might prefer to buy a smaller version that will hold just enough CD's to keep you entertained while you are away from home. This case, when full, might be too heavy and bulky for travel convenience.A major disadvantage is that it does not hold any of the paper so it is necessary to store the booklet and backing separately. Also, because the rings holding the wallets are sealed, you cannot rearrange the wallets as you expand your collection. This makes it difficult to organise your CD's so that they are easy to find. Everybody can find their way round that problem, but it would be handy to have rings that open like normal ring files.I am still hoping that somebody will produce a really good storage system that caters for large CD collection at an affordable price. In the meantime, this will do. Case Logic CDW264 Nylon 280-Disc CD/DVD Wallet
I have this bag and just ordered another. It is really made well. The zipper is steel and I have no trouble opening and closing my year old bag and the handle is excellent. The pages are securely attached and I don't worry about them falling out when I carry the bag around even if it isn't zipped closed, or opening it on my lap. It opens easily and completely, even completely full. There is plenty of room to flip through all the pages to look through the book. There is even room in the very back of the bag to hold a couple of my CDs that I need to keep in the jewl case. I do have a bag by mainstays that I like better but they don't hold this many discs and the bags are hard to find anymore. The only things I don't like about this bag are the pockets that hold the CDs or DVDs are real tight so you have to slide the CD, on the rough service, in and out. I'm always concerned I'm going to scratch the disc. (The mainstays sleeves are larger with a flat that goes over the top of the CD to keep them from ever falling out so you don't have to slide the disc against the back service to get it in and out.) Also, the matterial that divides the CDs front to back, seem rough to me, instead of soft and protective, though I've never damaged a CD yet, but I worry about sliding my CDs in and out too often. I think it's a good buy and the bag is so well made that it makes up for the draw backs.
I have owned this CD "wallet" for about a year and a half now. I purchased it in anticipation of my little daughter discovering my CD tower and the impending destruction that would follow.I chose this one because at the time it had the combination of the largest capacity and the best rating. My one complaint with this product is the weak zipper broke within a month. I have a small CD wallet that holds 20-30 CDs with a zipper three times as burly as the one that came on this.I suppose the zipper is not truly an essential part of the product, but it could be improved GREATLY by simply upgrading this one thing.
There are cheaper brands out there, but in my experience, quality is the true measure of any product. This is especially true when it comes to large CD wallets like Case Logic's CDW-264. As you can imply by the name, this wallet stores up to 264 CDs. I've seen cheaper products that store about the same amount of media, but they aren't as sturdy as this one. This CD wallet uses 2 large plastic slats to hold the each of the 33 pages. (Each page holds 8 CDs.) Other large CD wallets often use flimsy binder-type plastic rings, or the pages are held to the wallet by stitching. Flimsy binder rings can break with age, and stitching can come apart when put under the weight of so many CDs. The CDW-264's flat plastic slats are large and strong enough withstand the wieght of 264 cds easily. I've filled it almost completely with CD-Rs, and it's still sturdy enough to carry by-the-handle (the handle is attached to the spine of the wallet). Even when unzipped, you could easily carry this large CD wallet around without fear of the pages breaking loose. And naturally, the CD pages are smooth and won't cause scratches. What's more, its a great online-buy because it's typically 10-20% less when compared to most retail stores. My only complaint is that the zipper can be difficult to "start" since it rests along the spine. This is where the zipper can make contact with the pages, and you often have to make sure it's clear before zipping the wallet closed. Of course, most people shouldn't find this much of a problem as the over all quality of the CDW-264 wallet is excellent. If you're looking to store a large amount of CD or DVD media, this is should be on the top of your list. It holds a lot of media, it's very sturdy, and it's usually much cheaper online.
I've got several kinds of CD-Wallets from differing brands and this CASE LOGIC is by far the best quality. This is basically a sort of binder with large plastic bands that function as the "rings." These bands are quite sturdy and better than other CD-Wallets that I've used. The bands hold the pages of the CD-Wallet. Each of the 33 pages has 8 pockets (4 pockets on each side of a page). The pockets are made of a woven fiber material that is smooth and won't scratch CDs. Furthermore, the pockets can also fit liner notes. (While most liner notes should fit, thick ones maybe more difficult to insert because the pockets are rather tight.) A zipper on the outside of the wallet closes it neatly. There's also a handle on the outside for easy carrying. I bought this product to store my DVD-Rs and CD-Rs (which were cluttering my work space). It works great. CASE LOGIC tends to be a bit more expensive than other brands, but it's worth it. They're products tend to be consistenty strong and worry free, and this one is no exception. Other, cheaper brands are often made of cheap material; and fall apart with the shear weight of the CDs. If you plan on storing a lot of media (CDs, DVDs, CD-R, DVD-R), then this 264 capacity CASE LOGIC should be on the top of your shopping list. It's strong, can hold a lot of media, and you can carry it easily. - Dvd Wallet - Cd Wallet - Media Storage - Dvd Binder'
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Fireplace Gloves - barbecue leather gloves, fire tending gloves
I heat my home primarily with a woodstove. I often have my hands near high heat. With these gloves I've experienced no discomfort or difficulty manipulating the wood. Plus the leather and lining are quite malleable.
These gloves are great for the money spent. First thing I would like to talk about are the pros and later I will discuss the cons.
The Pros of this product are numerous.
1. As long as you are wearing long sleeves, the comparatively short gloves are completely sufficient at protecting your wrist and forearm.
2. Durable in high heat
3. Comfortable inside lining
4. Rather stylish
The Cons are.
1. When gripping metal at around 800 degrees Fahrenheit (roughly 400 C) These gloves start to melt a little bit and are not sufficient at keeping out the heat.
2. It is hard to clean the inside lining. Especially if you are grilling with raw meat and a rub. So wash your hands first. I know this is a bit of a hassle but you don't want to tear your inside lining, which can happen when you clean it.
The cons are only applicable in certain circumstances which is why I would recommend this product. It is going to rock the gloves off your basic oven mitten :-)
I was looking for something to use with my propane grill that would allow me to remove various cooking utensils (mostly skewers and my fish-grilling basket) from the grilltop with more dexterity than the usual oven mitt. These gloves are handsome looking and very comfortable, but are nearly useless when it comes to heat resistance. If I grip a hot skewer for the 5-10 seconds required to remove meat or vegetables from it, my hand becomes very uncomfortable and I have to shift the skewer from one hand to the other. After just three uses, the fingertips of both gloves have partially melted and show the imprints of the round skewer heads on them. I have cotton oven mitts that are more heat resistant than these gloves, which is a shame because the gloves are very reasonably priced and seem nicely constructed. I would not recommend these for use with a barbecue grill. I am amazed that other users have given them such high praise; maybe the manufacturer has cheapened them or I got a defective pair.
I bought these gloves on Amazon for $19.96, and they were well worth it. They are sturdy, long enough in the cuffs and thick enough in the hands to protect from the heat of a fire. They look good, too. The black color of the glove part doesn't show the dark soot from burnt logs and ashes. The red cuffs do show a bit of dirt, but it's not that big a deal, in my opinion. Overall, these gloves are a good value.
The heat resistant fireplace and barbecue gloves do a great job, I use them for my fireplace,they keep my hands clean as well as protected form the fire and heat. Go Gloves got them to me very promptly .I look forward to making many winter nights fires in my fireplace.
I have had these gloves for about a year and they work very well for adding logs to my fire place. I have manipulated hot logs and have not felt any discomfort. They might be a bit bulky for grilling, though.
These are great gloves for bbqing. Picking up and moving hot grates and moving any hot bbq equipment for that matter is no problem.
They're good enough where you might find yourself feeling confident enough to pick up a hot, lit, coal. It'll be ok for a few seconds but then you'll feel it. I guess that's what tongs are for.
As the proud owner of a new Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 inch smoker, I wanted to make sure I had an excellent pair of gloves for handling the various heavy parts of this smoker, especially when they're hot. (Picking up a heavy smoker filled with precious pork butt and ribs with thin gloves will make your arms feel like Kwai Chang Caine from the old TV show "Kung Fu" carrying that "arm-be-que" thing... not good.) These gloves are well made with tight stitching throughout, the interior is lined with a soft cotton-like material,they fit my somewhat large hands comfortably, and they insulate extremely well. And at about $20.00 and free shipping (arrived in 4 days), you can't go wrong. - Gloves - Fire Tending Gloves - Fireplace - Barbecue Leather Gloves - Fireplace Gloves - Smoker'
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Cordless Tools - portable audio, cordless tools
I heard high praise for the Milwaukee 2590-20 M12 Worksite Radio. Incorporating DSP technology, its FM was supposed to be stellar in spite of a measly 6.5-inch rubber-coated telescopic antenna.
My radio, costing $99 with free shipping on Amazon, arrived yesterday. I took the small radio out of the box. Yes, it's small, measuring 7 inches in height and 10.5 inches across. With Gotham City flares and a unabashed red color, a construction worker should be able to spot it amidst the dust and rubble of a jobsite.
The first thing I had to do was get a Phillips screwdriver and remove the back-up battery compartment on the bottom. A single AAA battery keeps time and presets when the radio isn't powered.
I played a few stations around 8 P.M. and was impressed that the weak KPCC 89.3 came in loud and clear regardless of the position of the FM antenna. Was it the DSP technology compensating for the lack of antenna size? I can't say for sure. Other FM stations came in loud and clear with the exception of 88.9 KXLU, perhaps the weakest station on the dial. The DSP proved futile in the face of this lethargic college radio station and I got a lot of static. So for hard-to-find stations, let's be clear: The 2590-20 is no FM powerhouse like the Grundig/Eton S350DL or the C Crane CSW. But to be fair, I don't listen to 88.9 and I'm sure the 2590-20 will meet 99% of people's FM needs.
On AM, I got excellent reception but, ironically enough, the strongest AM station 640 showed up with a little background hum. Rotating the radio minimized the unwelcome sound, but I could still hear it. Go figure.
The speaker sounded loud and clear. I was very happy with the sound on both music and talk. So far so good.
But then the presets. They're a drag. The same odious presets on the C Crane CSW, which I had just happily sold. You get 10 presets (numerals 0-9) for both AM and FM. But there are no individual preset buttons, just one preset toggler that you scroll and you can only scroll upward. This isn't a pure preset system. This should have an industry-wide name. Call it SEMI-PRESETS. So readers be warned.
Comparing the Milwuakee 2590-20 to the Tivoli PAL
I decided to wait until the next morning and compare the Milwaukee Worksite radio to another commonly used "on-the-job" radio, my analog Tivoli PAL. I also wanted to see differences in day and nighttime reception.
Funny, the notorious aforementioned KXLU came in with surprising clarity on both the 2590 and the PAL. I'd give a slight FM edge to the 2590, which grabbed 89.3 with no antenna adjustment. With the analog PAL, you spend a lot more time locking in FM stations.
AM was almost a draw. I got slightly better reception on 640 with the PAL, but the 2590 had better reception on 710 ESPN. Also I should add here that background noise on 640 was less evident in the morning than it was last night. Other AM stations were about equal. Both radios barely received 1260, which on a scale of 1-10 I ranked a 4 for both. In contrast, using my Sangean PR-D5, with a 200mm ferrite, as a benchmark, I ranked 1260 with a 9 score.
Both the PAL and the 2590 are capable performers on both AM and FM and should meet most workers' reception needs.
Both the PAL and the 2590 have an auxiliary for playing an iPod or some other MP3 player. The PAL has a headphone jack; the 2590 does not. The 2590 has SEMI-PRESETS and the PAL does not. Let me say, the worst thing about the PAL is finding stations and locking them in.
Speaker Sound
While the 2590 gets loud and sounds good on both talk and music, I have to say it fell short of the PAL sound. The music tones were far warmer and richer on the PAL. Of course, sound is subjective, but there was a bit of tin and chilliness in the 2590 that I might not have noticed had I not done a side by side sound comparison with the PAL. However, in general the 2590 produces a lot of sound for such a small radio and I believe it will meet most people's listening needs. Also, the 2590 has an equalizer, which the PAL does not, and the cold tones may be the result of too much treble. I got up from my computer just now, reduced the treble and did "warm up" the 2590's sound a bit.
Price
The PAL comes with a rechargeable battery but the price is $220 on Amazon.
The $99 2590 does not include the M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion, which costs about $40. Also you must by the 12 V charger, which costs another $44. So with a slightly better speaker sound, is the analog PAL worth $42 more than the 2590? Putting myself in the shoes of a construction worker, I'd buy the digital Milwaukee 2590 over the PAL unless I could find a new PAL for $150 or so.
I'd give the 2590 five stars if it had a better preset system, so 4 stars. Milwaukee 2590-20 M12 Radio
My compliments to the exhaustive comparative and contrasting discussion of the the previous reviewer. Having said that, one cannot have too high of expectations of a radio designed to get beat up, and costs a mere $99. I own an a Tivoli Audio product, the iPal, and I put these two radios in totally different leagues. A worksite radio, a dedicated worksite radio that is, is designed to do two things: 1) Play loud, and 2) do so in a harsh environment. I believe the Milwaukee does both reasonably well. The Tivoli iPal? Well, it sits on my desk and plays beautiful public radio offerings.
The only other worksite-type radio I have to compare the Milwaukee 2590 to is my second generation Bosch Power Box. Instead of the cheesy 6' wire aerial, I held out for the rubber duck style antenna. When I think of Bosch, I think of the phrase, "You may find better, but you'll never pay less," phrase. Knowing Bosch's history of fine German engineering, I will say that their Model 4410 10" SCM saw is if not the best, the heaviest. As an aftermarket accessory, I sprang for the while plastic pod that attaches to the side for protecting my various iPods.
The 2590's sound is adequate and the styling is very attractive. I like the front hatch area for stowing my iPod Touch when I want to play tunes through the radio, especially when working in basements or other areas that are not so RF signal friendly. If one keeps the radio's utility use in mind, then I'd have no probem recommending it to a friend, no problem at all.
My only criticism of the Milwaukee 2590 radio is that although there is a 12V power supply (it's one of those ugly black cube thing transformers that plug into the wall), someone at Milwaukee totally forgot to design the unit to charge an M12 battery at the same time as the radio is playing off AC power. Like the dual 110AC/18V new-ish Dewalt fluorescent work area light, you can either run off battery until it dies, or you can plug the unit in and run off shore power, but you can't charge an M12 battery.
For me, this single lack of battery charging issue keeps the Milwaukee 2590 worksite radio from getting all five stars. Other than that, the 2590 is the Mini Cooper of jobsite tune shooters.
That's what I think. - Portable Audio - Cordless Tools - M12 - Boombox'
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Mower Sharpener - sharpener
There does not seem to be a lot of options for sharpening mower blades at home if you don't have a bench grinder.
This product works with the limitations being holding the drill steady and keeping it at the correct angle. Arnold BSK-1 Lawn Mower Blade Balancer & Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener Kit
Plastic guide ensures proper angle. Might take a number of passes with a drill because of the low RPM's, but should work fine.
I happen to own a RotoZip (with a larger chuck attachment), and the sharpener fits perfect. This setup gives me a much higher rpm range, and allows me to put a perfect edge in just a couple passes. Much more control than a grinder, and less heat into the blade which can weaken the metal on the cutting edge.
Balancer works great. I balance the blade using low RPM's, or a hand file.
Great product!
I purchased the Arnold Corp. mower blade sharpener because I inadvertently hit a rock while mowing my lawn and dinged the blade. The design of the sharpener makes it easy to maintain the correct angle of the blade when sharpening. The mower blade balance was useful and critical to insuring the blade was balanced after sharpening. I would recommend this item to anyone wanting to fix a dinged lawn mower blade.
It has done its job in filing but I can see that the plastic bottom piece will probably wear down really soon. Also the cone in the picture doesn't do a great job in balancing the blade. A nail on the wall would do a better job.
This Sharpener is Kinda bogus. The stone isn't coarse enough to grind the blade without going over it at least 20-30 time then it is questionable. I ended up using my file & bench grinder to finish the sharpening job. The Balancer works great. - Sharpener'
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Digital Camera - canon 7d, canon eos
No, but it's so good that one starts to contemplate this question, which was never the case before the 7D was introduced. Both systems, crop and full frame, have their pros and cons and place in photography. But before I get into that let me say I have not been as excited about a camera since the introduction of the 5D MK I four years ago. That's because the 7D raises the crop camera bar to the point where crop users will not feel at a disadvantage to full frame camera users, especially if coupled with awesome ef-s lenses such as the 17-55 f2.8.
How so? The 7D sets a new standard in four major ways.
1. It produces whopping 18MP pictures, which are just 3MP shy of the current top of the line full frame Canon cameras. Just few years ago most pros were producing stellar results using the 1Ds MKII 16MP camera. Now you have more MPs in a crop sensor, that's a major achievement. This achievement translates into bigger prints and, perhaps more importantly, cropping power. Out shooting wildlife with a 300mm instead of 400mm? You can crop the 7D files down to 50% of their original file size and still obtain sharp pictures. It's just not that easy with the 1D MK III 10MP files.
2. Many worried that extra MPs in small crop sensors would translate into nosier pictures, but the amazing thing is that this camera produces images with what seems to be less noise than the 1Ds MKII. The noise level is very good. At ISO 1600 I still prefer pictures coming from my 5D MKII, but below ISO1600 they are very close. Frankly, I can go with either camera because most of my professionally shot portraits and product pictures are shot at ISO100. At ISO100 both produce very clean files and are practically indistinguishable.
3. Focus is the one area that was lacking on the previous 1.6 crop Canon cameras and this camera changes that. It's not a 1D in focus speed and accuracy, but it's the next best thing compared to them. It's faster than the Canon 5D MKII, which is known to be slightly faster or around the focus performance range of the 50D and 40D.
4. The drive chain is fast, so fast it's beyond anything I needed in my professional work in portrait, commercial, and product photography. Going through pictures taken at 8fps produces very little difference from frame to frame. One probably has to shoot a very fast moving subject/object to see the advantage of such fast drive system.
There are obviously many other things that I have not covered in this review. But based on the above, all I can say is that this camera has really raised the bar for all cameras and made it much more affordable to obtain a professional level camera for all types of photography. If you were considering buying the 5D MKII as an upgrade give this camera a test because it might be all you need.
As for the advantages of crop cameras I always find it odd that casual users who shoot many things but focus on landscape think they need a full frame to realize their potential. Crop cameras such as the 7D and 50D are fine for most users and offer many advantages including:
1. greater depth of field at lower aperture for landscape photography
2. greater tilt and shift effect because of sensor size relative to effect (8mm in shift is greater in effect relative to a 22mm sensor compared to a 35mm sensor)
3. greater magnification with micro lenses and extension tubes because of smaller sensor (1:1 in full frame equals 35mm, 1:1 in crop equals 22mm)
4. smaller lighter lenses with wider aperture that achieve greater reach (such as the 17-55 2.8 vs the 24-70 2.8 similar reach but much lighter and smaller)
Traditionally the three areas full frame cameras outshine crop cameras are a bigger brighter viewfinder, shallower depth of field for portrait photography, and better ISO performance, which on the last point the 7D has proven not be an issue anymore.
And for the second point really, most beautiful low depth of field portraits are done around f2.8-2.0 in full frame (going wider will make depth of field too narrow to place two eyes in focus). Hence, if one is using a wide prime, a crop sensor will produce the same depth of field at 2.0-1.4. Considering an affordable 50mm f1.4 lens on crop has the same field of view as 85mm lens on full frame there is really no reason to discount a crop camera any more as the 7D levels the playing field. Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-inch LCD (Body Only)
The Canon EOS 7D is Canon's new semi-pro / enthusiast digital SLR and competes primarily with Nikon's recently updated D300s. It's a terrific SLR that shines in photo quality, control placement, speed, and viewfinder size and coverage.
First, let me tell you a little about myself so you can gauge what my expectations for the camera are. I'm strictly a hobbyist photographer and use my camera a couple of times a month at museums, outdoor parks, and vacations. Besides photos of my dog, my photography consists primarily of static subjects. This is my second SLR.
Enough of me, onto the camera. The 7D is a fairly bulky SLR and dwarfs "entry level" models such as the Olympus E-510 (see my photos), though it's no bigger than Nikon's D300s. With that said, it's not uncomfortably large and is easy enough to carry around all day. Build quality is terrific and the camera has a solid, luxury feel to it. The 7D fits very well into my average sized hands and, with the kit 28-135 lens, is nicely balanced. All the buttons are easy to reach and, if you've used a Canon camera before, easy to figure out. The magnesium body is sealed against moisture and dust. The shutter button is well placed and has a nicely defined halfway point. A control dial is on the back of the camera and behind the shutter button too. There is also a joystick-like toggle on the back of the camera as well.
A large (3") and high-resolution (920,000 pixel) screen is on the camera back with a secondary status LCD display on the top (with backlight). The screen is a pleasure to use when reviewing images for focus, and when manually focusing in magnified live view mode. Compared to the 3-inch 420,000-pixel screen on my Panasonic LX3 it's a definite upgrade, and makes a noticeable difference.
The viewfinder is huge and bright and has 100% coverage. Coming from the Olympus, which has a very cramped and tunnel-like viewfinder, it was a revelation, and was one of the reasons I decided to step up to the 7D. Also, by using a transmissive LCD on the viewfinder the only markings you see until you confirm focus are for the selected focus method (for instance, a single box when using one focus point, or brackets when using the auto select autofocus method). Moreover, a composition grid can be imposed on the viewfinder. The information display on the bottom of the viewfinder is large and bright and contains lots of shooting and camera information.
The camera is very responsive and turns on almost instantly. The sensor cleaning occurs when you turn the camera on or off but can be interrupted during power up. Focus speeds with the kit lens are very speedy, even in dim light (two 40 watt lamps and a television as the only light sources in a 17' x 11' room). The 19-point all cross type autofocus is uncanny at picking the correct subject. If it doesn't get it right the first time it will the second. I usually set all my cameras to center point autofocus, but the 7D does a great job picking out the subject, so I leave it on fully automatic mode. Live view focusing is not a quick, especially in low light, and I only use live view when I need to shoot at a weird angle and I can't shoot looking through the viewfinder. Live view can be used with a mirror flip or contrast detection. The contrast detection mode is fairly pokey, while the mirror flip mode is quicker, but introduces a brief break in the view. Continuous shooting is available in both a high and a low setting. High is 8 FPS, while the low speed is 3 FPS. The shutter sound is nicely subdued and not nearly as noisy as the Olympus' is.
Photo quality is terrific. There are various Picture Styles you can choose to alter the contrast, sharpness, color tone, and saturation of the photos. At any rate, 99% of the time, colors are natural, exposure is accurate, and dynamic range is great. At this level of camera, that's expected though. What I really love about the 7D is the high ISO noise, or lack thereof. The luxury of feeling confident while shooting at high ISO is priceless. I've taken a good number of shots as high as ISO 3200 and have no complaints. Of course there is a bit of noise, and the mushiness that noise reduction brings, but for an 18 MP image at ISO 3200, I have no complaints. The ISO speeds above 3200 are OK as well, but I'll reserve those for emergency use only, they get fairly processed looking. The relatively large APS-C sensor not only allows for low noise, but also allows me to produce nicely blurred backgrounds and great depth of field. I couldn't achieve the same degree of that effect with the smaller 4/3 sensor in the Olympus, and I certainly couldn't do it with my point and shoot cameras unless I was in macro mode. There is an Auto Lighting Optimizer feature that attempts to correct photos that are not correctly exposed (e.g. subjects are too dark or highlights are lost). It works well for the most part, but, depending on the subject, the differences are very subtle.
The HD movie mode is nicely done as well. You set your focus, either automatically or manually, before you start recording. You can refocus during recording but you'll definitely notice it. You can adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO in manual movie mode as well. There is a monaural microphone on the front of the camera, or you can plug in a stereo microphone. By pressing the shutter button, you can interrupt the movie briefly to take a still photo, similar to Canon's S series super zoom cameras.
The kit lens is nicely constructed and fairly sharp from corner to corner. Purple fringing is not much of a problem in my photos. The field of view is kind of narrow though. The lens starts at 44.8mm with the 7D's 1.6x field of view crop factor taken into account. Without a wide angle it's not an ideal all around lens, but I do feel it's worth the extra money for the kit with this lens. You end up getting a nice, ultrasonic motor, image stabilized, 4.8x lens for a minimal cost.
The only things I don't like about the camera so far are that in auto ISO you can't limit how high it goes. I find the 7D wants to jump up to ISO 3200 fairly quickly in low light when it doesn't need to go nearly that high. When it jumps to ISO 3200 I find I can dial it down to ISO 1600 manually and still get an acceptable shutter speed, so the Canon is being very cautious jumping up so high. The other thing I'm not fond of is the fact that when you're in playback mode the most you can zoom out is a 9-image grid. With such a large high-resolution screen I would appreciate an index grid playback mode that showed more photos. Lastly, I find the process for setting the custom white balance a bit long winded. You have to take a photo of a white reference object then go into the menus to choose that photo as the reference photo. On other cameras, even Canon's point and shoots, the process is much faster, and it doesn't save the reference photo to your memory card. It's not the worst system, and I have become very quick at it, but it could be better.
All in all... a phenomenal semi-pro SLR. The Canon 7D covers all the bases.
12/17/2009 Update: I found a nice case for the 7D which fits the camera with kit lens quite well. It doesn't fit much more than that, but it's a good case if you don't carry too many accessories with you. It's the Lowepro Topload Zoom case.Lowepro Topload Zoom 1 Camera Bag (Black)
12/19/2009 Update: You can change the depth of field preview button to switch to another autofocus mode when you hold it down, instead of doing a depth of field preview. I find this very useful since I hardly ever use depth of field preview. Now if I find that the autofocus is consistently not picking the right subject for a shot, I simply hold down the depth of field preview button to have it temporarily switch from auto select mode to spot focus mode. Very convenient.
01/04/2010 Update: Just got back from a trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The 7D was a joy to use. I took about 160 photographs. Of those only 4 or 5 are out of focus due to camera error. The low light performance continues to impress me. I took many photos at ISO 1600 through 3200 and all of the photos are completely usable. In the large "Sea Life" and "African Mammals" rooms I was able to take sharp pictures of these very dim rooms while shooting handheld at ISO 3200 and no flash (see pictures). Anyone who has visited these exhibits knows how challenging they can be to shoot.
10/20/2010 Update: I am still loving this camera. No problems to report. In fact, I was a little miffed when Canon introduced the 60D because it seemed like I could have saved some money by buying that, however, one of the students in my digital photography class bought one, and while it is a nice camera, the build quality and design are nowhere near the standards on the 7D. Still happy with my purchase.
04/05/2011 Update: Still no problems to report with the camera. I took it out after a recent snow storm when it was still flurrying and it survived just fine.
P.S.: Sorry for the long review. There is a lot to cover, and even so I may not have gotten everything. If you'd like to know something I didn't cover, feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer it as quickly as I can. Also, I will update this review as needed based on any new experiences I have with the 7D. - Canon Eos - Digital Slr - Photography - Canon 7d'
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