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fatih on Sabtu, 30 Mei 2009
Have you ever had some problems cycling and listening to your mp3 player at the same time? It sounds dangerous, but here is a perfect choice which is offered by International’s Music Balloon making it possible to ride your bicycle while hearing what happens from the outside. Being colorful, this intelligent electronic gadget allows you listening to your favorite music safely.
Whether you use iPod or mp3 player, this perfectly looking gizmo can be a helpful for using on a daily basis. The Music Balloon features a battery capable to last for about 5 hours providing you as much comfort as possible.
The Music Balloon comes in five different colors ranging from yellow, red, pink, blue and black. You may easily connect your new gizmo into your PC’s USB port and start listening.
Being a plug and play gadget, The Music Balloon weighs just 20 grams while measuring 55 × 55 × 55 millimeters so it is an ultra portable device. These USB speakers can be easily charged via your PC’s USB port. Once charged, it can give you a new musical experience. The Music Balloon features a 3, 5 millimeters stereo audio jack. These small USB speakers can be bought for $ 76. Looking like a mike, it also comes with an amplifier of 0.7W.
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fatih
The Mini Notebook Family has grown up. HP launches new three portable stylish notebooks. Let’s look through them.
HP Mini 110 XP Edition is the first. The ability to satisfy HD picture fans is allocated at the first sight. Mini 110 XP Edition has Crystal HD Enhanced Video acceleration. Also the notebook has 1 GB of virtual memory and 160 GB hard drive. Thorough different possible connection can be allocated presence of WWAN.
HP Mini 110 Mi Edition is made for gourmet users. It is based on Linux operation system and has 2 GB RAM. Consumers can store their information on 250 GB hard drive.
HP Mini 1101 is a good choice for ordinary requirements. Consumers can buy Mini 1101 with XP Home, XP Pro or Vista installed. Also it has a two battery option for those who appreciate time.
The price of the HP Minis with XP or Vista installed is near 330 USD. The HP Mini 110 Mi Edition with Linux costs near 280 USD.
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fatih on Selasa, 26 Mei 2009
First think, Firmware is a term sometimes used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs that internally control various electronic devices. Typical examples range from end user products such as remote controls or calculators all the way to scientific instrumentation and industrial robotics. Also more complex consumer devices, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, synthesizers, etc., contain firmware to enable the device's basic operation as well as implementing higher level functions. how about
File Extension UPG ?
File Extension UPG itself is that it is a firmware upgrade file. necessary to facilitate the update or in other words to help us in treatment. there are some who can update the firmware itself, how many also require a firmware File Extension UPG to upgrade him. device that does not provide automatic upgrade firmare we can download it from the manufacturer website. and we will get Upgrade Firmware.
until this time there is no device that can open a particular file type. File Extension UPG that can be the first solution determine whether the file is distributed from the manufacturer. after you visit this new web site producer, to upgrade the firmware. File Extension UPG is needed to save our time, as well as assist us in all the work and activities.
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fatih on Sabtu, 23 Mei 2009
The ultrazoom category is a force to be reckoned with in today's market. Not only do these cameras offer a wide- to telephoto focal range; they cost less than a dedicated SLR. The Pentax X70 is a 12 megapixel powerhouse with a 24X optical zoom, the first entry from the same company that manufactures the formidable K-series of DSLRs.
The X70 has some interesting features jam-packed into a DSLR-like body, including a 12-megapixel CCD sensor, 24X zoom with a focal range from 26-624mm, high-speed continuous shooting of up to 11 fps, Super Macro Mode for getting as close as 1 cm from your subject, and HD movie capture at 1280x720 at 15 frames per second.
FEATURES OVERVIEW
The strongest feature of the X70 is the optical zoom range, giving you a pure, unadulterated 26mm wide to a super telephoto 624mm. What's also different about the X70 is the amount of user control it offers, including Manual (M), Shutter Priority (Tv), Aperture Priority (Av) and Program (P) modes to control nearly every aspect of the shooting process.
But to get into the nitty gritty of the camera, and some of the features that make the X70 unique, here's a run down of what it's got...
24X Optical Zoom: The most powerful feature of the camera is its optical power. The ability to zoom from 26mm, which will give you a nice wide landscape, to a 624mm telephoto, letting you hone in on subjects far from the camera, is a boon when you want to get both kind of shots with only one camera. The X70 allows you to do so.
Triple Shake Reduction: With such a powerful zoom range there usually comes a tradeoff -- blur at telephoto lengths. Pentax's proprietary Shake Reduction technology utilizes an image stabilization system that uses a gyro sensor to recognize camera shake and compensates by shifting the CCD to prevent blur. The second system in place is digital stabilization that works by bumping up the ISO. Both methods work well to keep camera shake from ruining a shot. The third SR is Movie SR, which is used for video capture.
LCD: The X70 has a large, high-res 2.7 inch TFT color LCD with anti-reflective coating and a 230,000-dot resolution, as well as an Electronic Viewfinder with an impressive 200,000-dot resolution.
Fast Continuous Shooting: Also impressive is a burst rate of 11 fps JPEG shooting up to 21 frames before the buffer memory needs to be cleared, allowing you to capture the action without missing a shot.
HD Movie: The X70 captures HD video at a resolution of 1280x720 at 15 fps, which is interesting, because most HD capture in compacts is 24 or 30 fps. The camera also captures VGA resolution video at 848x480 at 30 fps.
Face Detection: This feature captures up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds. Smile Capture detects when your subject is smiling, and Blink Detection will let you know if the subject's eyes are closed before you press the shutter. This function works great if you are shooting kids or a large group photo.
Exposure Modes: The X70 has four exposure modes, including Program AE, in which the camera selects the best aperture and shutter speed automatically for you; Aperture Priority; Shutter Priority; and Manual, allowing photographers to select their aperture and shutter speed.
Auto Bracketing: With this function you can set the camera to capture three simultaneous exposures, one that is under, one over, and one in between, so that you can choose the right exposure, or even stack them together later for high dynamic range photography.
Styling and Build Quality
The X70, much like other cameras in the ultrazoom category, is somewhat of a mini DSLR. That being said, it is not exactly a pocket camera. It is similar in design to offerings from both Olympus and Fujifilm in form factor and overall dimension, measuring 4.4 x 3.2 x 3.9 inches (WxHxD) and weighing in at 13.8 oz.
Ergonomics and Interface
Picking up the X70 is similar to handling a DSLR. It has a similar right-hand grip and a protruding lens that you would typically place your hand on to zoom with, except that with the X70 you obviously can't do this with the barrel.
The placement of the controls, including the mode dial on the top right of the camera, is very reminiscent of an SLR. The top of the camera features the mode dial which allows between movie and manual mode, the on/off button, the shutter with the zoom lever, and the Exposure Compensation button that lets you choose the compensation value, shutter speed and the aperture value. Also on the top of the camera is a button that lets you pop up the flash.
Display/Viewfinder
In most of the reviews that I have written for DigitalCameraReview, I have criticized the EVF as mostly a useless feature that is clunky and just takes up more space on the back of a camera. In the case of the X70, the 200,000 dot resolution viewfinder is fast, accurate, and very similar in responsiveness to the Panasonic G1 (which set the bar high for EVF because of its speed and accuracy). The X70's EVF works great, and displays all the shooting information through the viewfinder. The LCD also works well. Measuring 2.7 inches with a smudge resistant coating, it plays back images accurately with 230,000 dot resolution.
PERFORMANCE
Timings and Shutter Lag
While the X70 is not a speed demon, the lab testing gave us pretty standard results. AF was slow, especially with the lens fully extended, making the zoom lens creep to find focus. When you'd like to shoot an image quickly, this becomes very annoying.
Auto Focus
The X70 uses a contrast-based AF system with 6 different options. The Standard AF works for most shooting scenarios. The second AF mode, Macro, offers a focusing distance of 4 to 20 inches for close pictures of your subject. One of my favorite focusing options for the X70 is the 1 cm Macro mode, allowing you an extreme close up of your subject within a centimeter away. This is a unique and helpful option that gives you an incredible level of detail.
Infinity AF is optimal for taking images of distant objects and still being able to keep most the frame in focus. There is also a Manual Focus that lets you set your own focus, and an AF Area Selection that lets you select a specific area to focus the frame with 25 user selectable points.
Lens and Zoom
Although the X70 doesn't have the highest optical zoom power in its class (other manufacturers have models with 26X), it provides a wide range that appeases all types of photographers. Based on a 35mm equivalency, the camera's focal distance ranges from 4.6-110.4mm (26-624mm) with an aperture range of ƒ/2.8-5.0.
Flash
The X70 has a pop-up flash with various settings, including Auto, Auto with Red-eye, Flash on + Red-eye, Slow-speed Sync and Slow-speed Sync with Red-eye, which can be changed by clicking the left arrow button on the four-way controller. It has an effective range of 29.9-ft (wide, auto ISO) to 16.7-ft (tele, auto ISO).
Image Stabilization
Image stabilization is called Triple Shake Reduction (coined by Pentax), and uses a CCD-shift or another form of digital and a high-ISO setting to prevent blurring. Shake Reduction can be hit or miss in the X70, depending on your focal length. That being said, shooting at the wide end of the lens will produce less blur issues if there is enough available light. When using telephoto lengths, however, real problems crop up.
Shake Reduction can be accessed through the Rec. menu, and there is also a Digital SR option on the mode dial. Overall, the camera worked fine at the wider focal lengths, but at telephoto I encountered a few problems and ended up with some overexposed images.
I found the Movie SR for shooting video mostly useless because the video captured with the X70 is sub-par, but I'll get more into that later.
Battery
Battery life on the X70 depends on if you shoot video or stills. The X70 uses a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that comes with the camera, and according to CIPA-compliant testing, 170 stills can be captured if half of these images are used with flash. My field-testing, with only about 10% of my shots using flash rendered about 250 or more stills.
However, battery time drained quickly when the 11 fps continuous shooting mode was employed or when I shot HD video. Overall, field-testing was similar to Pentax's in-house testing.
CONCLUSIONS
The X70 offers a lot in the way of control and focal length, but is it worth the $400 price tag? Most ultrazooms are running at this same price point, and most have fared considerably well on this site, but the X70 is a great camera that offers a lot of control similar to a DSLR. Not only can the X70 take you from extreme wide-angle to super telephoto with one lens, it does so with the ability to take control of nearly every aspect of shooting.
In comparison with the Pentax K2000 DSLR, you can purchase this camera with two kit lenses, including the 18-55mm & 50-200mm for $649 from their Web store, giving you a zoom range of 18-200mm, which still can't touch the 624mm tele on the X70. For $250 more, you get a larger sensor, bigger camera and a larger quiver of lenses.
Depending on your experience with photography and your budget, the X70 is a worthy competitor in the growing ultrazoom market, and after using quite a few over the years, this camera by far exceeds where the others have failed. If you have the dough to move up to DSLR photography, then by all means do it. Nothing beats a good DSLR. If you're a dedicated shutterbug and want a camera with all the focal power you'll ever need in one place, the X70 is your camera. This is even a great intermediary camera for the casual shooter who wants to move up to a better class of camera than a typical point-and-shoot. All things considered and tested, the Pentax X70 is a worthy competitor in the ultrazoom market.
Pros:
* Good image quality and performance
* Exceptional focal range
* Great low-light performance
* Advanced manual control
Cons:
* Poor HD video quality
* AF is slow
* Overexposed images at longest focal lengths
* No RAW support
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fatih on Jumat, 22 Mei 2009
What happens when entry-level is no longer entry-level? We've been pondering this quasi-philosophical question for awhile - ever since the major players in the DSLR world went from building one camera under $1000 to rounding out a lineup with two or three models in this segment. By what standards do you judge a camera that sits squarely between the once-clear consumer and enthusiast categories? For that matter, what do you even call these new "higher than entry-level but not quite prosumer" cameras?
With two DSLRs already positioned squarely in the entry-level category, as well as a recently released prosumer model, we were a bit surprised to learn that Olympus would be the latest manufacturer to add a mid-level camera to their rapidly expanding DSLR stable. On the one hand, with all the buzz around video capture making its way down to this category, the recently announced Olympus E-620 may not strike a chord with gadget geeks looking for the latest thing. At the same time, the inclusion of a slew of new technology developed for Olympus's high-end E-30 suggests that this camera might just have a few noteworthy tricks of its own up its sleeve.
BUILD AND DESIGN
The technologies inside the E-620 will be most familiar to those who know Olympus's prosumer model, the E-30. Size-wise, though, the E-620's closest sibling in Olympus's lineup is the tiny E-420, coming in just slightly larger all around than Olympus's smallest entry-level model. In this way, Olympus's new model does what a lot of upper entry-level DSLRs do, taking key technologies from an advanced model and grafting them into smaller, lighter bodies. But with a footprint almost identical to the nearly pocket-size E-420, the E-620 takes smaller and lighter a step beyond most of its rivals - making it a good match against Panasonic's well-rounded Micro Four Thirds model, the G1, in more than one respect.
Ergonomics and Controls
With its striking similarity to the E-420 - as with basically all current Olympus models, the control layout follows a single system-wide basic formula - navigating the E-620's ins and outs will be simple enough for transitional Olympus shooters. In trying to get up to speed on the control layout, those unschooled in Olympus's user interfaces expressed concerns we've heard before about buttons that are too small and too numerous. Those with big hands may also find the overall ergonomic experience here unrewarding: in spite of the fact that it's both light and provides a much more ample grip area than older "flat front" Olympus DSLRs, the fact remains that there's simply not much unoccupied surface area for your fingers to rest on with this camera.
Even finding the camera's small size and even smaller buttons hard to come to terms with, I was able to quickly re-adapt to Olympus's way of doing business. As we've said over and over, serious shooters tend to come to appreciate what may seem at first blush like "button clutter" to the uninitiated: in the case of the E-620, button position is generally logical and accessible (though I will note that I don't like the fact that the flash settings button, which sits on the top deck to the left of the flash and prism, can't be actuated with your right hand), and having direct access to commonly changed exposure and performance settings is an asset rather than a liability.
Menus and Modes
Continuing a theme from the previous section, Olympus menus can be a bit of an "acquired taste." The E-620's page menus can be a bit difficult to deal with in spots: things aren't always where you might expect to find them when it comes to the gray area between what's a shooting option versus a master or "setup" option, for instance. But while Olympus hasn't fundamentally reworked its UI structure, they did improve things by allowing you to turn off the advanced settings menu - significantly de-cluttering the menu structure when it's disengaged - as well as replacing the visually ambiguous wrench icons for setup menus with a more universally understood gear pictograph for setup options. And we can always hope that some small refreshers this time around on an interface that his been essentially unchanged for years signal a significant overhaul in the offing.
What continues to work well, though, is the E-620's shooting status display, which uses the LCD to provide a wealth of information about the camera's settings. As best we can tell, pretty much every conceivable option - from ISO to image size to noise reduction aggressiveness - is represented on this display, and you can use the d-pad to move around within this interface and change settings as desired. The sheer quantity of information in the E-620's snapshot view can be a little overwhelming, but this kind of quick access to major and minor functions tweaks alike sure beats digging into the menus.
Like most consumer DSLRs, the E-620's modes are a mix of novice-friendly auto exposure options and deep-level control for enthusiasts - with the added twist of Olympus's Art Filters technology. Olympus's latest in-camera processing and emulation system, Art Filters serve up six photo effects, including filters mirroring the look of shooting with a pinhole camera, a soft-focus filter, or on high-speed monochrome film. A complete list of the camera's shooting options is as follows:
* Auto: Camera selects all exposure values
* Program: Auto exposure mode with user control for flash settings, metering mode, etc.
* Shutter Priority: User selects shutter speed, and camera calculates aperture for correct exposure
* Aperture Priority: User selects aperture, and camera calculates shutter speed for correct exposure
* Manual: User selects both aperture and shutter speed
* Scene: Five scene presets - landscape, portrait, macro, action, and night portrait - each have their own position on the mode dial
* ART/SCN: Eleven additional scene presets, as well as the aforementioned art filters, are accessed via a menu from this position
Like most DSLRs, if you're looking for fun things to do with your photos in playback, you won't find those options on the E-620. Overall, while the camera's overall shooting experience clearly targets both enthusiasts and general consumers, the E-620's complex heads-up displays, many custom setup functions, and button-rich control layout will find more appeal with (and, at times, engender less frustration among) a slightly more serious and savvy set of photographers. At the E-620's price point, this camera serves up a whole lot of advanced tech, and while this is certainly a boon for serious shooters (especially those with a preexisting investment in Olympus gear), it also presents a steeper learning curve at the outset for shooters coming over from other systems or moving up from a point-and-shoot.
Display/Viewfinder
Comparing the E-30's 2.7 inch, 230,000 dot LCD to the simply fantastic screens on competitors like the Nikon D90 and Canon EOS 50D, we felt a little like Olympus had brought the proverbial knife to a gunfight. If the E-30's HyperCrystal II LCD was a little overmatched in the prosumer class, it's much easier to find praise for this same display on the E-620, compared to other entry- and mid-level consumer models. Specs are in keeping with current expectations in this group, and as before, the screen remains fluid in live view mode, and contrasty and vibrant everywhere else.
PERFORMANCE
On the surface, the E-620 appears to take one of our favorite approaches to the problem of designing a consumer DSLR: offer a compact but feature loaded camera at a price that's low enough to keep the model squarely out of serious enthusiast territory - which is to say, well under $1000. Users may have more choice than ever in the "step up" entry-level realm these days, but with so much technology carried over directly from the E-30, we approached the E-620 with the assumption that it would be a powerful camera fit for serious shooters, in spite of its size.
Shooting Performance
With performance numbers roughly equivalent to what we saw from the E-30 in most respects, the E-620 didn't top the list in terms of speed. No doubt the slower focusing 14-42mm kit lens played a role in the differential between the E-30 and the E-620 in our "straight from the box" AF tests. At the same time, there's a lot of solid performance to work with here.
CONCLUSIONS
When we reviewed the E-30, we liked just about everything about the camera - except the price. When the E-620 came along, it seemed like exactly the answer we - and, we're betting, a lot of other shooters - are looking for: the E-30's creative advantages for casual shooters and those who don't relish the thought of hours of post-processing, in a camera that's more in line with what your typical student or advanced family photographer is willing to shell out. Likewise, shooters with an investment in Olympus who want to see what the bulk of Olympus's new creative technologies are all about without making the major investment that the E-30 represents now have a low-cost alternative to consider.
It's in no way a sleight on the E-620 to say that this camera could fairly be marketed as "E-30 Lite." Even in an industry where we're used to derivative models and trickle-down technology, the E-620 impressed with just how closely its performance - from shooting speed to image quality - aligned with what we saw from the much more expensive parent model. The E-620 may not have an edge on its strongest competition in measures of raw performance, but with quick continuous shooting, a boatload of processing controls, a full complement of Olympus's latest creative features, and the ability to get plugged in with Olympus's legendary lenses, the E-620 also has some advantages that no competitor can match.
No, there's no video capture, and novice shooters may balk at the camera's many features and modes. But if you're a current Olympus system user, this might just be the backup body you've been waiting for.
Pros:
* E-30 technology for under $1000
* Very nice kit lens
* Creative features are fun, useful
* Wireless flash control is excellent
Cons:
* AF performance is hit or miss
* Live view experience still not perfect
* Noisier at high ISOs than competition
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fatih
The Olympus Stylus Tough-6000 is a semi-rugged digital camera designed for people who might destroy a normal camera. It offers shock resistance from falls up to 5 feet, a waterproof case to a depth of 10 feet, and still functions in temperatures as low as 14F. Sporting a wide angle zoom lens, dual image stabilization, and a 10 megapixel sensor, Olympus wasn't skimping on features with this durable camera. For our first thoughts piece, we'll take a look at how well this camera performs in not-so-normal operating conditions.
Rugged Case
Olympus designed the case for the Tough-6000 from the ground up with durability and ruggedness in mind. All ports and access panels are fully gasketed to prevent water intrusion, with the release clips mounted slightly recessed so you don't accidentally open one of them while the camera is in use. The case feels very durable in your hands, with no hint of flexing or creaking when you are holding it.
The plastics feel solid in combination with the stainless steel panels, although it is still comfortable to hold in your hand with the rounded edges. The camera uses a periscope style lens, instead of a telescoping lens which would make waterproofing much more difficult.
In our submersion tests the camera worked beautifully, capturing clear images and movies underwater. The flash gave odd results depending on how the light reflected off of the surface of the water, sometimes creating an overexposed or underexposed image. The microphone picked up underwater sounds clearly, but it was limited to clunks as our soda can bobbed in the water, not the surrounding voice.
User Interface
One concern with rugged cameras is how do you operate them if you are wearing gloves? With an operating range down to 14F, chances are you will have your fingers inside a mitten to shield them from the cold air. Olympus took this into consideration and included a tap recognition mechanism so you can hit the four sides of the camera to control different functions. Hitting the right side toggles through the flash settings, hitting the left side toggles the macro settings, hitting the top twice clicks OK, and hitting the bottom puts the camera into display mode.
Overall, our initial impression of the Olympus Stylus Tough-6000 is very positive. The camera feels solid and durable, takes reasonably high-quality photos in normal and abnormal conditions, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Stay tuned for our full review where we will continue our in-depth look at the Tough-6000.
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fatih on Kamis, 21 Mei 2009
Canon is famous for offering series updates to its high-end imaging products rather than completely refreshing them. The latest example of this behavior? The Canon Pixma Pro9500 Mark II. A wide-format photo inkjet designed for working photographers, graphics pros, and serious hobbyists, the latest iteration of the Pro9500 builds on the original's success, with a ten-tank pigment ink system, borderless printing up to 13x19, and Canon's Ambient Light Correction system.
It all adds up to a serious printer with serious capabilities that should appeal to serious photographers or at least, to those who can spring for its serious price.
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fatih
Lenovo offers three lines of notebooks; the ThinkPad, IdeaPad, and the not-so-frequently-mentioned "Value line" series. The Value line currently only includes the G530, a 15.4” notebook offering either an Intel Pentium dual-core or Core 2 Duo processor and Intel integrated graphics. With a starting price of $429, is the Lenovo G530 value notebook worth considering? Read our full review to find out.
The design of the Lenovo G530 is simple yet stylish, having a black MacBook-ish appearance when the notebook is closed. The edges are rounded off and the lid has a matte black finish that is smooth to the touch. The interior of the notebook shares the same color as the lid, but is textured with a rougher matte finish similar to what you would find on unpainted sections of a ThinkPad. Lenovo took the back-to-basics route with the color scheme on this notebook, making it entirely black inside and out.
Lenovo Value line G530 Specifications:
* Intel Pentium Dual-Core T3400 (2.16GHz, 1MB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB)
* Microsoft Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (w/ SP1)
* 15.4-inch glossy 16:10 display (1280x800)
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
* 3GB DDR2 667MHz RAM
* 250GB 5400RPM HDD
* SuperMulti DVD+/-RW Optical Drive
* Broadcom WiFi (802.11b/g), 10/100 Ethernet, Modem
* 6-Cell 11.1V 53WHr Battery
* Limited 1-year standard parts and labor warranty
* Dimensions: 14.1 x 10.1 x 1.45
* Weight: 5lbs 13.9oz
* Price as configured: $499
Speakers and Audio
The onboard speakers are fine for occasionally playing music or watching video, but they were fairly unimpressive as far as notebook speakers go. Bass and midrange were lacking, but given the low-cost nature of this notebook it was expected. Peak volume levels were fine for a small room, but for the best possible audio quality a pair of headphones connected through the audio jack is the best option.
Performance and Benchmarks
System performance of the G530 was good considering it was equipped with an Intel Pentium T3400 dual-core processor instead of a Core 2 Duo like most of the budget models we review. Graphics are limited to integrated only, with the Intel X4500 chipset used in this notebook. While it can’t handle the latest games, it easily copes with standard applications such as Microsoft Word, Firefox, iTunes, and other media applications. It can also handle playing HD movies, but with only VGA out, external video connections are limited. Overall for basic small business or student use this notebook would work just fine.
Conclusion
Lenovo really made a great budget notebook with the G530. It feels solid and well built, something that isn’t usually the case when it comes to low-cost notebooks. Styling is very basic, similar to the Dell Vostro or HP ProBook line, and just like the ThinkPad comes in an all-black color scheme. System performance was fine for normal use, and could even handle HD content. Gaming is out of the question, but given its intended market that is hardly a concern. Compared to a Vostro or ProBook I think the G530 feels sturdier and given the price and configuration, the G530 is a better deal. Overall I think Lenovo should be pushing this notebook to small and medium businesses instead of the ThinkPad SL500, since the G530 feels like a much better machine.
Pros:
* Excellent build quality
* Good configuration for the price
* Comfortable keyboard
* Simple, let good looking design
Cons:
* No HDMI or eSATA
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fatih on Rabu, 20 Mei 2009
The one and the only Kerala Trance attract our attention with its new time-telling gadget which looks to be a futuristic oasis. The way the display operates is very impressive with it using a binary code. There is also an instructional booklet with all the technical information you will need. The timepiece is fitted with genuine leather band with 41-millimeter-wide stainless steel case.
Kerala Trance wrist watches are craftily designed with all its futuristic looks and LED technology innovations. The logo “01” is placed on the left part of a dial with two LED lights designed to show the time. Its black dial is absolutely stunning; with LED lights making this gorgeous wrist watch clearly visible even at night. The Kerala Trance watch is water proof up to 100 feet.
The Kerala Trance is all the rage weighing just 90grams is a perfect gift whatever occasion and appears to be very trendy. The Kerala Trance KT102B1 binary watch is made of top quality stainless steel making it looking unbelievably great. LED lights are used to show both hours and minutes with LED ON meaning 1 while LED OFF for 0. So it must be fashionable to have a watch with binary format displaying on it.
If you are about to use decimal, you can change your option with adding the numbers of the lit LED lights on upper row for telling hours while adding the numbers of the lit LED lights on lower row for telling minutes. Upper row include 8 - 4 - 2 - 1 while the lower one has 32 - 16 - 8 - 4 - 2 - 1. If button is pushed the time will be shown for about 5 seconds. This marvelous timepiece has a quality stainless steel black bracelet as well as a battery (CR2032). Its size is 38 x 30 x 11mm and features a one year warranty, so enjoy wearing it.
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fatih
The big news, obviously, is the launch of the Inspiron Mini 10v. Dell's Inspiron Mini series of netbooks has been largely popular thanks to the balance of mobility and affordability ... with several Dell Inspiron Mini netbooks priced below $300. The new Mini 10v will be available just in time for summer travel and lets students get an early jump on their back-to-school efforts.
Dell intends the Inspiron Mini 10v to be a lower-cost configuration of the original Mini 10. Like the rest of the Inspiron Mini family, this budget-priced ultra-portable laptop makes a great Internet companion to help keep students, bloggers or adult travelers connected in a more convenient form than a smartphone. Available in seven color options, the $299 Mini 10v will likely prove to be a popular netbook in the current economic environment.
Here are the key features and specs for the new Inspiron Mini 10v:
* New, larger keyboard – 92 percent of a standard full-size keyboard for comfort and ease of use
* Your choice of one of seven colors: Obsidian Black, Alpine White, New Cherry Red, Promise Pink (US), Ice Blue, Jade Green and new Passion Purple
* 120GB, 160GB hard drives and 16GB solid state drive (XP and Ubuntu); 8GB SSD (Ubuntu)
* 1GB RAM
* Availability of Ubuntu Linux or Windows XP operating systems
* Built-in webcam to stay in touch with family and friends
* Multiple connectivity options
* Optional built in Bluetooth connectivity
* Starting at $299 US
Stay tuned to NotebookReview.com for a full review of the Dell Inspiron Mini 10v coming soon.
UPDATE:
We spent some hands-on time with the new budget-friendly Inspiron Mini 10v yesterday and took a few photos to hold you over until our full review. The build quality is still pretty solid despite the use of more plastic rather than the alloy used in the standard Mini 10. The keyboard is certainly one of the better ones we've seen on a 10-inch netbook and rivals the excellent keyboard used on the HP Mini 1000 and HP Mini 2140. This may prove to be a popular netbook for Dell this year.
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fatih on Selasa, 19 Mei 2009
This futuristically designed men’s automatic watch from Issey Miyake collection is a water resistant model 330 feet coming with special case 44 mm in diameter. The men’s watch is made of high quality stainless steel including its bracelet. Its color and design will charm many watch connoisseurs.
This wonderful timepiece has a deployment clasp with 25millimeters band, stainless steel dial as well as bezel which appears to be very stylish. Two stick hands placed on separate parts of the dial rotate about each other.
Optionally, you will be able to choose a durable mineral crystal, so this is not only cool and stylish but also gorgeous and incredible.
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fatih
The Toshiba Portege A605 is a 12.1" ultra-portable notebook designed for business travelers who want something small and lightweight, but don’t want to make any compromises when it comes to features. The A600 series notebooks offer an on-board optical drive so users can enjoy movies or install applications on the road, eSATA to expand storage, and a power saving Intel Centrino 2 platform to squeeze out as much battery life as possible. In this review we find out how well the A605 stands up to the rigors of day-to-day use, and if it is worth purchasing this notebook over a netbook or other ultra-portable notebooks.
Toshiba Portege A605-P210 Specifications:
* Processor: 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 (800MHz FSB, 3MB Cache)
* Graphics: Intel X4500 Integrated Graphics
* Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium with SP 1 (32-bit)
* Screen: 12.1" diagonal WXGA LED-Backlit Display (1280x800)
* Memory: 3GB PC6400 DDR2 (1GB onboard, 2GB in slot, 5GB Max)
* Storage: 320GB Hitachi SATA HDD (5400rpm)
* Optical Drive: LabelFlash SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
* Intel 5100AGN WLAN with Bluetooth 2.1 w/ EDR
* Power: 6-cell Li-Ion 5800mAh battery, 45W AC adapter
* Dimensions: 11.3" x 8.8" x 1.2"
* Weight: 3lbs 1.8oz (3lbs 11.9oz travel weight)
* Warranty: 1-year
* Price as configured: $1,399.99
Build and Design
The Portege looks very classy for a business notebook, with glossy piano black keyboard bezel and screen cover along with a matte silver base. The port and button layout appears to be very well thought out with effort put into things as simple as the power and activity indicators. The silver keyboard contrasts the black finish, with a nice matte finish with black lettering that is easy to read.
Build quality is hit or miss depending on what part of the notebook you are looking at. The quality of the finish is excellent, with a thick layer of glossy black paint that appears to be scratch resistant. On the flip side, the plastic used to construct the notebook suffers from abnormal amounts of flex--a side effect of its lightweight construction. The palm rest and lower half of the case flex inward when you grip the notebook to carry it around, and even resting your palms on the palm rest makes them bend in slightly. The screen cover shows similar flex and when gripped firmly makes the display show signs of color distortion around the edges and center. The screen itself also has some issues in how it is mounted, showing a pressure spot in the bottom corner that "flashes" when the screen jiggles on your lap or desk surface.
Conclusion
The Toshiba Portege A605 offers good looks and a small form factor, but compromises build quality to achieve its very low weight. The palm rest, keyboard, and screen all exhibit a good amount of flex, which doesn’t bode well for thoughts of durability. Looking past the flexible chassis, the notebook does offer a built-in optical drive, and still keeps the overall weight to just above 3lbs. For a business traveler who only cares about that, this notebook falls right in the weight range of most netbooks. With the current list price of $1,399 it is priced against the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 or about double the price of an HP Pavilion dv2. Overall I think the Portege A605 offers a lot potential for a customer interested in a good looking business notebook, but it has a few areas that could see some improvement.
Pros:
* Weighs in at 3lbs, even with built-in optical drive
* Good battery life
* Cool operation
* Very small power adapter
Cons:
* Slow charging rate while the notebook is powered on and charging at the same time
* Flexible chassis
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fatih on Senin, 18 Mei 2009
Tissot PR50 Chronograph T34.1.428.52 watch is something special with its dial being made of black steel and appears to be a trendy men’s showpiece to telling the time beautifully. Tissot PR50 model has a fixed bezel, quartz movement as well as black leather bracelet. The brand new master piece features Arabic numeral hour markers as well as scratch resistant sapphire crystal as it is highly protective to make its appearance perfect.
Having a stainless steel case, it has a case with diameter amounting to 38 millimeters while its thickness is 9, 87 millimeters. Tissot PR50 has a date displaying at 4 o’clock, buckle clasp and is absolutely new model with water resistance up to 50 meters.
This first quality watches come with a two year warranty having its alternate model number T34142852. As we can see, long standing Tissot traditions are vivid with Tissot watch makers being the first engineers to construct watches from wood, stone and other materials.
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Brand new stylish timepiece Joshua and Son are here to blow your mind while you are wearing this master piece. You may witness the product of Joshua and Son watch making which fall you in love with this unique watch. This groundbreaking timepiece comes with a warranty and incorporates automatic self winding movement.
The material to be used was a stainless steel with 22 jewels while its design is impressive. Joshua & Sons represents a new style of how the modern watches should be like. The model is embedded with a date pointer which is operated by a pusher at 4 o'clock. Joshua & Son timepiece is reported to be water-resistant up to 50 meters which may be the best choice for divers.
Month is operated by pusher at 2 o'clock while day of the week is operated at 10 o'clock. JS-04-04 model comes with second time zone, blue dial as well as silver hands numerals and hour markers. Joshua & Sons timepiece has scratch resistant mineral crystals in its front and back while main time hours seconds and minutes are operated by chief crown at 3 o'clock.
Joshua & Sons model made of stainless steel with moon or sun display for AM/PM time. There is a rubber strap with J&S logo as well as tang buckle being made also of steel. The dual time watch has a silver white dial, silver Arabic numerals, and screw-in case back. Speaking about case dimensions, it has 48 mm in height, 42 mm in width and 15 mm in thickness while bracelet dimensions are 27 mm in width and 10 inches long, so you are able to wear it even if you have a big wrist.
Joshua & Sons men’s wrist watch can be comfortable with from 7.5 inches to 8.5 inches wrists. The model has mineral crystals on both its front and back including dial window. It is a self winding model with self winding technique due to your arm moves. Nevertheless, the watches are recommended to be wound manually at least one time every two weeks.
Additionally, you are recommended to check and adjust your time once a month since automatic movement can be some minutes imprecise after being operated for a month. The model is absolutely new and is factory sealed. It does function without any battery being able to operate automatically. Also, there is day-date-and-month-moon-phase.
Joshua & Sons men’s wrist watch is able to tell time in three different time zones at the same time and is a product of advanced watch making technologies. If you need to emphasize your personality, this timepiece is ready to make your dream come true.
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fatih on Minggu, 17 Mei 2009
Welcome to a new world of design and performance, the automatic watch Invicta 8928 from pro diver collection. This classic model comes with two-tone gold-plated and silver-tone stainless steel case and is seen to be a nice timepiece. This men’s watches have a bezel as well as bracelet strap and are safeguarded by an anti-reflective crystal, dial showcases, high readability hands and markers including a new display positioned at three o’clock.
These sporty style watches come with automatic mechanical 21-jewel watch movement which is not only shock resistant but also trustworthy to stand out of the crowd. Being a diving style model, the timepiece is water proof up to 200 meters. If original, you will be able to get it with a one-year warranty. You may be diving with it and be sure they will stay in operation for a long time.
Invicta 8928 timepiece from the pro diver collection features 21 jewels. The model incorporates a 43mm in diameter case made of stainless steel with 18kt gold plating. Hands are clearly visible even at night since they are luminous. It has a round face shape and can be optionally gold with screw-down and sapphire crystal. Additionally you it will get a safety clasp, so keep enjoying your diving style.
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fatih
Another release for today. Now it is T-Mobile’s Sidekick LX 2009. The handset hasn’t brought any big news with it as it has recently come out. Major part of Sidekick’s of specs was known even a couple of months ago but some of those are still argued as more and more people are getting in touch with the phone. Along with it LX 2009 is constantly being compared with its predecessor and the results the newest model scores show the very same basic bias against browsing, messaging and social networking.
T-Mobile’s plan to make Sidekick LX 2009 a Internet-appointed gadget worked well especially with introduction of 3G. 3G Internet is intended to be used for social network apps from Twitter, MySpace and Facebook to Photobucket. That of course is somewhat teenagerish, but the previous Sidekick was and is still popular among youngsters. So should the LX 2009 be. However every now and then we hear about how it is more mature, more grownup. Concept is the same nonetheless – navigation keys at the sides and a nice and easy to use QWERTY under the hood. Display’s response time for changing layout is immediate and the display itself is just gorgeous. Mind you it is a 3.2 inch WVGA and camera shots 3.2 Mpix pictures and records video. One the issues appears to be the battery life – five and a halve hours of talk time and eight hours of standby combined in everyday routine result in two day of intense use at best. These are first impressions though.
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fatih on Sabtu, 16 Mei 2009
Called the Citizen BJ7000-52E, this timepiece is a very elegant model coming with stainless steel case and bracelet as well as a black dial. Wearing this watch will never be boring as you will not have to change batteries constantly. Citizen BJ7000-52E watch measures about 1.6 inches in diameter. It also features low charge indicator window, luminous markers for easier readability as well as silver bezel.
It is obvious that this timepiece will please you pampering all the watch lovers. Power reserve amounts up to 180 Days. The amazing model belongs to NightHawk collection. The watch is water resistant up to 200meters has power saver function, screw-down crown, screw back case, time reset advisory, dual time, date display, luminous hands, none reflective crystal and other features.
When there is a low-light visibility, luminous markers are ready to work with more readability provided. Its case measures 41milimeters in diameter by 12 milimeters in thickness. Citizen timepiece is fascinating with tricky design, slide rule function, quartz movement, stainless steel bezel, selector button & case back, none reflective scratch-resistant mineral crystal, fold-over push-button deployment clasp. Enjoy wearing the best!
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fatih
After a few months of waiting after CES 2009 LG has finally prepared their new Blu-Ray Home Theatre fro sale. The announced device is a 5.1 surround system with built-in Blu-Ray player, numerous sound effects, and, what’s more pleasant to hear, a Apple iPod dock right on it. As we heard from today’s event in Korea, LG will start selling it there first, its serial number for Korean market is HB954TBW. The price for a piece at Asian market is 1,299,000 KRW. Release data for Europe is also known, but things however are a bit different here. No info for other markets yet.
European release will take place later this moth and the gadget will have different serial number - HB954PB. In rest it’s all the same. LG Blu-Ray 5.1 system features nice champagne glass speakers, DTS, VSM, Dolby Digital and Dolby Prologic sound effects. That is good but the best thing about it is still iPod dock. At LG they say that it is compatible with all iPods out there. Price for Europe is 780 EUR which today is slightly over than 1,000 USD.
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fatih on Jumat, 15 Mei 2009
Sony officially presents the world’s smallest HD video camera. It is made especially for security industry. The MCB1172 module has a high-definition 8.3 megapixel camera and can record video at 30 frames per second at 720p. The size of the module is 9.5mm by 7.1mm and it can be surely named as the world’s smallest video camera.
The MCB1172 module has all that is needed in security. It has face detection and movie stabilization. And it can also work in low-light places. It is provided by an integrated high-sensitivity mode. Also the lens has 16x zoom.
The Sony’s MCB1172 is indispensable in security industry. It is expected in the markets later this year.
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fatih
Hold your breath as you watch this men’s wristwatch of the model 5130R. A well known watch maker Patek Philippe represents its unique World Time series wrist watch called 5130R. Coming with 18 karats rose gold casing, this fabulous men’s wrist watch has a leather bracelet and features a silver dial. It is an absolute enjoyment to wear this staggering wrist watch with fixed bezel.
There are some important features as scratch resistant sapphire crystal as well as deployment clasp and self-winding movement. The diameter of its case amounts to 39.5 millimeters while sapphire crystal has an anti reflective property. These marvelous watches are water resistant up to 100 feet with 48 hours long power reserve. The model is a brand new watch to be a replacement for the original ref. 5110 watches.
Among things to be changed, you can see there is an indication of 24 time zones, enlarged dial size with more readability while the watch comes with a new guilloche pattern in the centre. The model has 3.88 mm in thickness, 8.0 inches in length with engine Patek Caliber 240 HU. There is a two ears long warranty for a watch. It has 239 parts, 33 jewels with 21 600 vibrations per hour. It functions with hours, minutes, small seconds so be satisfied!
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fatih on Kamis, 14 Mei 2009
Sanyo launches first 802.11n Wi-Fi-enabled projector. It is the LP-WXU700. Now you can play not only slideshows. The fastest wireless data projector provides playing video via Wi-Fi. The LP-WXU700 works with WMV and MPEG-1/2/4 video formats. Its maximal resolution is 1280x800 pixels and it has 500:1 contrast ratio. The LP-WXU700 has a USB port and an HDMI input. Also you can connect it via LAN port to your PC. And this is not all. For more simple connectivity the wireless projector includes composite video, VGA port, S-video. Audio connectivity is provided by a 3.5mm audio jack. Also a powerful 1W speaker is included.
The interface of the projector is user-friendly. It has 0.74-inch LCD panel. For better quality of the image the projectors lens has 1.6x optical zoom ratio.
The price of the LP-WXU700 is near 6430 USD. And it will be available in Japan markets.
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fatih
Motorola launches a new version of mobile phone for active people. It is Motorola W7 Active Edition. The phone has built-in sensors that help to control heart rate. Also the W7 has a built-in accelerometer. It makes switching music tracks or answering incoming calls easier. Consumer can simply shake his phone left or right to change the track or just shake the phone upside-down to answer the call.
Let’s look inside the W7. Consumers can make video calls using front VGA camera. Also the phone has a 2 megapixel camera. Built-in stereo Bluetooth helps sportsmen to listen their favorite songs during the exercises. Also the phone supports up to 8 GB memory.
So Motorola W7 Active Edition is the first step to a healthy way of life.
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fatih on Rabu, 13 Mei 2009
Apple iPhone 3G is one of the best examples of a successful combination of function and design. For its function improvement we have the upcoming 3.0 OS, but what about its looks. Day after day it gets worn out, scratched and bumped against stuff in purses. The remedy seems to be obvious – a plastic case. I won’t recommend however. Partly because it ruins the design and partly because it may change touch experience. Guys from ZAGG have a patented coating substance which works better than every case out there. In addition, ZAGG can offer tangle-free iPhone headphones with a mic and volume control.
iPhone case by ZAGG is derived from military equipment. Reviewing gadgets, we have come across such things earlier. All of them have been very tough. So is ZAGG's invisibleSHIELD™. The best thing about it, apart from scratch protection, is that it doesn’t change touch experience and there is no telling it is actually on. In rest, invisibleSHIELD™ is easy to install and needs less than 12 hours to dry out. Doesn’t add any bulk or weight to the original device. Really looks like an extra iPhone skin especially after watching the scratch test video below. In fact ZAGG Company is so sure that invisibleSHIELD™ will never let you down that they even provide all their customers with lifetime warranty. ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD™ is also cheap – only 24.95 USD for full coverage.
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fatih on Selasa, 12 Mei 2009
On the surface, the arrival of the D5000 was only a matter of time. According to figures released from Nikon, sales of the entry-level D40, D40X, and D60 cameras account for roughly 80 percent of all Nikon DSLR sales. It's no wonder that Nikon was so eager to take the new high resolution sensor and video mode from their mid-grade D90 and put it into a lower-priced entry-level DSLR ... the new Nikon D5000.
We'll explore the D5000's video performance at length, but rest assured, if you liked the video quality from the D90 then you'll feel the same way about the D5000.
FEATURES OVERVIEW
The D5000 features the same 12.9 megapixel (12.3 million effective pixels) APS-C (or DX format, in Nikon's nomenclature) sensor and Nikon's latest generation EXPEED processor found in the D90. It also inherits the 11 point AF system with color and distance tracking as well as optional viewfinder gridlines from the D90. The viewfinder magnification is slightly smaller than the one in the D40X/D60, but the extra AF points and viewfinder gridlines make for a superior user experience.
The most noteworthy feature on the D5000 is the all new tilt and swivel LCD display used for a standard status display as well as live view and image/video playback. The only other new features of note are the new higher-capacity EN-EL9a battery and the optional MC-DC2 remote cord. Overall, the total package is pretty impressive for an advanced consumer camera like the D5000.
The D5000 shares the same 200 to 3200 nominal ISO range (with ISO 100 and 6400 options available), and the ability to use "Active D-Lighting" (Nikon's proprietary feature that boosts shadow details and helps prevent overexposed highlights so you don't have to spend as much time editing your photos after you take them).
There's built-in image sensor cleaning, a continuous shooting rate of "up to" 4fps, and live-view with contrast-detection auto focus. In addition to the typical DSLR manual exposure modes, there are five advanced scene modes that can help ease the transition worries of folks coming into the camera from more fully automatic compact digitals. The D5000 also has automatic and selectable D-Lighting to provide a wider dynamic range, 3D Color Matrix Metering II with scene recognition exposure system, a built-in flash, and a shutter tested to more than 100,000 cycles.
The D5000 uses SD/SDHC memory media and Nikon includes a rechargeable li-ion battery, quick charger, eyepiece cap, rubber eyecup, USB and A/V cables, camera strap, monitor cover, body cap, accessory shoe cover, and CD-ROM of software with each camera.
There are seven primary shooting modes:
* Auto: An automatic "point-and-shoot" mode with virtually all camera settings determined by the camera according to conditions; flash will fire automatically if the subject is poorly lit. The Picture Control (PC) menu, which provides a wide range of sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue adjustments, is disabled in this mode.
* Program: Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure
* Aperture Priority: User selects aperture, camera determines shutter speed
* Shutter Priority: User selects shutter speed, camera determines aperture
* Manual: User selects shutter speed and aperture
* Scene: The D90 offers portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, and night portrait scene presets in which the camera optimizes settings according to the mode chosen
* D-Movie: HD video capture is available at up to 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) and 24 fps in Motion JPEG format; we'll go into more detail about the D5000's video in the "Image Quality" section of the review
With regard to the close-up mode in the list of scene presets, this option adjusts camera settings and sets the AF point to the center of the image, but does not otherwise invest this camera with any particular close-up capability: it takes a lens to do that. Fortunately, many Nikon zoom lenses have reasonably impressive close focus capabilities, and the 18-55mm VR and 24-120mm VR lenses used during this review did a pretty impressive job ... allowing me to get close enough for some simple flower shots.
FORM, FIT, AND FEEL
The design of the D5000 looks strikingly similar to the D40X/D60, but the D5000 is noticeably larger than the D40x (seen below) since the new camera has to make room for the tilt and swivel LCD. It's not as large as the D90, but if you enjoy the size and weight of the D40X/D60 then you may find the D5000 just a little too big.
Styling and Build Quality
While not as physically small as the entry level D40/40X/60 models, the D5000 features similar plastic construction and is obviously less rugged than the D90 or D300.
Ergonomics and Interface
Despite being more compact than the D90, the D5000 is packed with plenty of controls on the top and back of the body, even adding a few extra buttons compared to the D40X/D60.
Display/Viewfinder
The D5000 features a 2.7 inch, 230,000 dot monitor with the first tilt and swivel mount used on a Nikon SLR. The monitor offers 100 percent frame coverage and is adjustable via internal menu for seven levels of brightness.
The screen is a pleasure to use for image review in good lighting conditions, and the adjustable brightness settings help when using the monitor for composition outdoors in direct sunlight. Live view can be used for still image capture and must be used for movie capture, but if the monitor had a higher resolution it would be easier to confirm focus using the monitor.
The viewfinder is something of a disappointment on the D5000. The viewfinder offers the same 95 percent frame coverage used on the D40X and D60, but the magnification is now only 0.78x compared to 0.8x on the D40x and D60. The diopter adjustment for individual eyesight helps you see through the lens in correct focus if you're wearing glasses and shoot without them.
PERFORMANCE
The D5000 is intended to replace the D60 on the consumer end of Nikon's SLR offerings. That said, the D5000 features several performance improvements over the D60 that make the D5000 closer to the mid-level D90. Is the D5000 really good enough to challenge a "prosumer" camera like the D90? In the right hands ... yes. The D5000 has most of the features seen in the D90, and if you're willing to use only AF-S lenses and can handle 4 fps burst shooting instead of 4.5 fps then the D5000 is essentially just a cheaper D90.
In fact, although the D5000 is limited to only 4 fps in continuous/burst mode, it can capture up to 63 JPEG images or 11 RAW files while the D90 is limited to just 25 JPEGs or 7 RAW files.
Timings and Shutter Lag
Like most current-generation Nikon SLRs, the D5000 is ready to go as soon as you hit the power button. Likewise, shutter lag and auto focus lag aren't an issue. Here are a few figures showing the timings in our lab:
Auto Focus
The D5000 uses the same version of the Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 AF Module found in the D90. Its 11 focus points include the "rule of thirds" locations in the frame for folks who practice that form of composition. Single-point AF is suggested for static subjects, dynamic-area AF for moving subjects, auto-area AF for spontaneous shooting, and 3D-tracking (11 points) AF when changing the composition after focusing on a subject. This is a huge step up from the 3-area TTL Nikon Multi-CAM530 AF module in the D60.
I found auto focus performance extremely good in bright lighting conditions, and most of the time the D5000 even managed to acquire focus rapidly under dim light. The timing numbers seen in the previous section suggest just how rapid the system is – right at the front of the pack for a non-pro camera.
The dynamic-area AF in the D5000 performs pretty well on moving subjects. Again, this is essentially identical to the D90, so holding focus on moving subjects like athletes or wild animals should be extremely easy for even novice photographers.
Lens Mount
The D5000 uses the same modified Nikon F bayonet lens mount used on the D40/D40X/D60 cameras, which means about 40 million Nikon lenses dating back to 1959 will mate to the camera. Unfortunately, like those other entry-level Nikon cameras, there is no AF motor built into the body, meaning only lenses with autofocus motors (such as Nikon AF-S lenses) will AF on the D5000.
Flash
The D5000 has a built-in flash that is virtually identical to the one used in the D60 and D90 with a range of about 17 feet at ISO 200. Additionally, the camera is equipped with a hot shoe to accept more powerful flash units should the user so desire. Color rendition was good, and flash recycle times were speedy – the flash was ready to go almost instantly in normal conditions and within 4 seconds after a full discharge. With flash enabled the D5000 won't let you take another photograph until the flash is fully charged.
Image Stabilization
It's a Nikon, so image stabilization is built in specific lenses that carry a "VR" designation, like the 18-55mm kit lens supplied with our review D5000.
Battery
The D5000 uses a revised version of the battery from the D40 and D60. It's backwards compatible and can be used in the older cameras and with the same charger. The new EN-EL9a has an increased capacity of 7.8Wh, compared to the 7.2Wh rating of the old EN-EL9.
Nikon rates the D5000's EN-EL9a lithium-ion battery for 510 shots ... which is more than what the old battery delivered in the D60, but considerably less than the D90's 850 shots using the EN-EL3e. Battery life looks to be in the CIPA ballpark based on my experience with this camera, but it's always prudent to carry a spare battery for all day shooting treks.
Nikon doesn't offer a multi power battery grip for the D5000, but if history is any indicator then various third-party manufacturers should develop a battery grip for the D5000 before the end of the year.
IMAGE QUALITY
Although I use cameras and lenses from a number of different manufacturers, Nikon SLRs consistently deliver images with solid color, good white balance, and excellent metering. Since the D5000 packs essentially the same sensor as the D90 and D300, it's easy to assume you'll get similar image quality out of all these cameras.
Images made at default settings with the D5000 were pleasing to my eye in terms of accurate color reproduction, contrast, and sharpness. Granted, sharpness and brightness could have used a little boost, and I often found myself using a minimal increase in exposure compensation (+0.3EV). The only other change I made to the camera settings was to increase the saturation in some of the flower images. Overall, the Picture Control menu offers fantastic control over sharpness, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue. The Active D-Lighting feature (which is on by default) does a fantastic job of bringing out shadow detail while preserving highlights. That said, if the Active D-Lighting feature is on, you cannot adjust contrast and brightness in the Picture Control menu.
Video Quality
If you just want a quick overview of the D5000's video quality, rest assured that the video capability of this camera is quite good. If you're used to the video quality in a compact point-and-shoot camera, then the D5000 will certainly impress you in terms of color, smoothness, and detail.
The D5000, like its big brother the D90, can capture movies at 1280x720, 640x424, or 320x216 sizes, all at a 24 fps (the same speed as theatrical film). The fact that many different Nikon lenses can be used with the D5000 to shoot video means that the D5000 actually has a substantial advantage over consumer-grade video cameras. Zoom lenses can be zoomed while capturing video, fast prime lenses allow you to shoot in extreme low light, VR lenses function to reduce camera shake.
The only major limitations to using the D5000 as a video camera are that videos are limited to 5 minutes in length or a maximum file size of 2GB and you can't use auto focus. That's right. The camera won't auto focus while shooting video – you use the AF sensor to lock focus before you start recording video and you hope that the camera-to-subject distance remains constant ... otherwise your video will be out of focus. Of course, you can manually focus, but most average consumers don't enjoy using manual focus.
The other thing to keep in mind is that video has to be done via Live View mode (using the monitor). This isn't inherently good or bad. Folks who've shot video with compact digital cameras may feel right at home (at least until they have to go to manual focus). Still, it's a safe bet that at least a few seasoned SLR users will want to shoot video with this camera using the viewfinder.
The next potentially negative issue about the video performance of the D5000 is the effect of what's known as rolling shutter when capturing video. The "rolling shutter" effect essentially causes vertical objects to take on a distorted tilt when a camera is panned across a field of view, such as tracking a running subject against a stationary background.
Exposure, Processing, and Color
The D5000 is now the least expensive Nikon to offer the 3D Color Matrix Metering II with Scene Recognition System found on higher-priced Nikon cameras. The 420-pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering II system works with the Scene Recognition System to evaluate various elements of the scene to produce a near perfect exposure. This isn't as good as the 1005-pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering system found in high-end Nikons, but it's identical to what is used in the D90.
My experience with the D5000 suggests the camera is prone to slight underexposure in difficult, high contrast situations in order to preserve highlight details. This is essentially the opposite problem that the D90 had, which tended to overexpose slightly during our tests. For those photographers who don't want to use the 3D Matrix metering, center weighted and spot metering options also available.
In addition to the standard Picture Control menu options for changing the way the camera processes images, the D5000 also offers a Retouch Menu, including D-Lighting, red-eye correction, trim, monochrome, filter effects, color balance, small picture, image overlay, quick retouch, straighten, distortion control, fisheye, and NEF (Nikon Electronic Format) processing – Nikon's RAW file format. The in-camera NEF processing is particularly valuable if you're using non-Nikon software to edit your images. NEF processing allows the user to make a JPEG copy of these files in camera while retaining the original NEF files for later editing.
CONCLUSIONS
When Nikon released the D90 consumers quickly fell in love with the video capability built into a full-featured DSLR. Unfortunately, the largest market interested in shooting video with a DSLR is the entry-level consumer market ... and the D90 is just a little too large and expensive for entry-level enthusiasts. Considering that entry-level DSLRs make up about 80 percent of Nikon's DSLR sales, the D5000 is an obvious evolution. That said, the minor size, weight, and price increase over the D60 might be enough to prevent potential D5000 owners from making a purchase.
The vast majority of entry-level DSLR owners use their DSLR like an advanced point-and-shoot camera with only one or two lenses, so making a larger, heavier, and more expensive camera probably isn't ideal for the entry-level market. That said, the D5000 is essentially a cheaper version of the D90 ... so if you can live with using only AF-S lenses and a smaller viewfinder then the D5000 is a great low-cost alternative to the D90.
In the end, the biggest complaint I have with the D5000 isn't related to performance or features – it's all a matter of positioning. The D5000 should be a direct (though slightly improved) replacement for the D60, but in reality it fits better in the Nikon line up between the D60 and the D90. If the D5000 was $100 cheaper I'd have an easier time accepting it as a replacement for the D60. As it stands now, the D5000 is a great camera that isn't quite sure if it's an entry-level camera or a "prosumer" camera.
Pros:
* Good image quality and performance
* HD video capability
* Essentially a D90 for less money
Cons:
* HD video time limited
* No AF for video
* Too expensive for an entry-level camera
Have you ever had some problems cycling and listening to your mp3 player at the same time? It sounds dangerous, but here is a perfect choice which is offered by International’s Music Balloon making it possible to ride your bicycle while hearing what happens from the outside. Being colorful, this intelligent electronic gadget allows you listening to your favorite music safely.
