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Posts Tagged ‘Image Quality’

Philips BDP5010 Blu-ray / Divx player drops below $70 at Target

Believe it: $70 at Target takes home a new Philips (eh hem, Funai) BDP5010 Blu-ray player that once sold for as much as $250. Hell, it’s listed for $139.99 right now on Target’s online storefront. If you do manage to track one down in a real life Target store then you’ll be getting DivX support, a SDHC card reader, BD Live, and HDMI CEC convenience. While a quick search returns a bevy of mixed reviews (image quality is only so-so), really, for $69.98 you really can’t complain if you’re looking to finally make the jump to 1080p physical media.

[Thanks, Keith B.]

Philips BDP5010 Blu-ray / Divx player drops below $70 at Target originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Nikon’s D300S?

Nikon’s D300S isn’t exactly tailor made for D300 owners, but for those waiting patiently to jump into the semi-pro DSLR game, it offers up a pretty delightful array of specs. Boasting SD and CF slots, a 720p movie mode and 12.3 megapixels of sharp shooting goodness, this here cam received overwhelmingly positive reviews late last year. Strategically positioned between the full-frame D700 and the lesser-specced D90, we’re sure the D300S found its way into quite a few hearts (and under quite a few trees) between then and now. If you’ve been firing off snaps with one of these for a few months now, we’re curious to know how you’d tweak things if the power were yours. Does the “S” really add enough to the D300 package to warrant the boost in price? How’s the image quality? Is the video mode a-okay for your purposes? Spill your heart out in comments below — we’re here to hold your hand if necessary.

How would you change Nikon’s D300S? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung NX10 made official — APS-C sensor and AMOLED screen crammed into hybrid DSLR body

Samsung has just announced its NX10 “hybrid DSLR,” which aims to give you all the uncompromising image quality of a full digital SLR within a somewhat more pocketable body. A 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor is a good start on that road, while “fast and decisive” contrast AF and a snazzy 3-inch AMOLED display keep the momentum going. There’s 720p H.264-encoded video recording as well, but naturally you do have to make some tradeoffs for the reduced size. The mirror box is gone — leaving you with only an electronic viewfinder — and the brand new NX lens mounting system means you’ll have to purchase your favorite lenses all over again. We’ll wait and see whether the NX10 shows any appreciable advantages (such as price!) over the slightly smaller Micro Four Thirds shooters out there, but with a spring 2010 release date and a CES appearance on the cards, that wait shouldn’t be too long. Go past the break for the full PR and spec sheet.

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Samsung NX10 made official — APS-C sensor and AMOLED screen crammed into hybrid DSLR body originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh GXR review roundup

Ricoh’s GXR certainly isn’t the most stylish camera out there, but it’s certainly one of the most unique. Boasting an ability to support interchangeable lenses and image sensors, this one offers up flexibility that few other shooters on the market can match. We’ve scrounged up a litany of reviews and hands-on impressions, and by and large, most everyone who got their hands around one enjoyed the experience. Photography Blog noted that the camera was “a remarkably mature first-generation product in an intriguing new photographic system, with excellent handling and image quality that will instantly appeal to all photographers who want to take pictures first and talk about gear second.” Unfortunately, it seems that praise quiets down a bit once you leave the bright outdoors and head inside, as the low-light performance was said to be less than awesome — though, to its credit, the built-in flash was deemed one of the better ones out there. We still aren’t seeing loads of evidence that ditching your starter DSLR setup for this is a smart move, but if you’re just now looking to upgrade from a P&S, you’d be doing yourself a solid by poking around in those links below.

Ricoh GXR review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 reviewed: as good as ‘a loaf of plain white bread’

It’s hard to imagine complaining about a stylish compact camera that packs a stabilized 28-128mm zoom range and does 720p video capture at 30fps, but Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FP8 didn’t garner any raves from the crew at PhotographyBLOG either. Image quality was found to be decent in well-lit conditions and no more than ISO 800 — typical limitations on cameras with such tiny lens and body. Little is said about the video quality but we were adequately pleased with the sample videos linked from YouTube. The only major flaw indicated was the “permanently exposed” lens, but we can’t imagine it being a deal breaker for most of you nice folks out there, right?

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 reviewed: as good as ‘a loaf of plain white bread’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung TL225 / ST550 review roundup: some smiles, some frowns

Incredulously enough, no other major camera maker has come out and mimicked Samsung’s front-facing LCD approach found on the TL225 (or ST550 in some areas), so if you’re in the market, it’s either this one or the lesser-specced TL220 (ST500). If you’re considering picking up the former as a bang-up gift for your special someone, you’d probably do yourself a solid by taking a peek at a few reviews around the web. The long and short of it is this: the camera’s dual LCDs are well implemented, and they actually do come in handy for those looking to handle the “self-portrait” duties in the relationship. Beyond that, however, there wasn’t a lot of praise to go around. For starters, the camera relies only on microSD memory, so those spare SD cards you’ve got laying around are no good here. Then there’s the so-so image quality coupled with the staggeringly weak battery life; Photography Blog was only able to squeeze out around 100 shots while making heavy use of the touchscreen. Everyone seemed to agree that the cam wasn’t for everyone, so be sure and take a look around before committing.

Read – Photography Blog
Read – About
Read – Photography Bay
Read – Digital Camera Info
Read – CNET
Read – Steves Digicams

Samsung TL225 / ST550 review roundup: some smiles, some frowns originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax’s entry-level K-x DSLR receives glowing review

Pentax’s K-x has been shipping in various corners of the globe (in various hues) for a hot minute now, but at long last the entry-level DSLR has found itself on the test bench. The good folks over at Tech Radar were able to take the $650 shooter for a spin, and with few exceptions, they absolutely adored it. Image quality was deemed fantastic, and without qualification, that’s easily the most important aspect of a camera. Critics also appreciated the build quality, rear LCD and ergonomics, though they did note that the 720p movie mode was “hit and miss.” They found it to be a good fit for novices and amateurs, and while they did feel that it was somewhat less comfortable to wield than Nikon’s D5000, they still maintained that it’ll be a great bargain when the street price falls just a bit. Tap the read link for the full skinny — but only if you feel compelled.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Pentax’s entry-level K-x DSLR receives glowing review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Microvision’s laser-based SHOW WX pico projector shines at CEATEC

Microvision just struck a deal to start shipping its PicoP-based SHOW WX pico projector in Asia, and while the size may not blow any minds, the image quality just might. With a native 848 x 480 resolution (WVGA), this one pumps out more pixels than pretty much any other pico projector on the market today, and with enough darkness, it can actually spit out an image that’s around 100-inches in size. We stopped by the company’s booth here at CEATEC in order to have a look at what makes the world’s first laser-based pico PJ so special, and we can honestly say the picture was pretty stunning (considering the device we’re talking about). We got a lecture on just how amazing the innards actually are (hear for yourself after the break), but it’s the estimated $500 price tag and 2010 US ship date that really had us intrigued.

The company also confessed that it’s toiling away in an effort to miniaturize its PicoP engine even further, and while it wouldn’t come right out and say it, we got the feeling that it was jonesing to get that very device into all sorts of other gizmos in the near future. In the meanwhile, you can expect the SHOW WX to ship with support for pretty much any input via a composite adapter, while an iPod / iPhone connector is apt to be bundled in as well. There’s also a 3.5 millimeter audio passthrough, 10 lumens of brightness, a 60Hz refresh rate (trust us, the lines you see in the video aren’t seen by the naked eye) and a built-in battery good for two hours on a charge. Oh, and this thing’s ability to refocus instantly as you move it closer and farther from the wall is pretty swank — just sayin’.

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Filed under: Displays, Portable Video

Video: Microvision’s laser-based SHOW WX pico projector shines at CEATEC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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