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All posts tagged "review"


Monday, September 12, 2011

Engadget Takes on the Olympus PEN E-P3

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 03:30 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/29/...-camera-review/

"Olympus' PEN line has been a beautiful one from the start, but one that found itself out of consideration for many due to the poor value proposition. Even the newest PEN E-P3 isn't a bargain; at $900 with a somewhat versatile 14-42mm lens, it's well north of most entry-level DSLRs, and on-par with many mid-rangers. So, is it really worth splurging on a slightly more compact frame, devilishly good looks and "the world's fastest autofocus system?" Read on for our take."

As a Panasonic GF-1 owner, I've found myself peering over the fence and looking at the Olympus micro 4/3rds cameras lately. I've been looking for an upgrade to my GF-1, but the direction that Panasonic is going with the GF series isn't very appealing to me. I like the manual controls and buttons; I don't want just a point and shoot camera with a better sensor. One thing's for sure though: the above image showing a small body camera with a large lens is the kind of thing I want to avoid.

I'd actually be happy to give up the ability to change lenses entirely if I could get a camera like the GF-1 that had a slender 18mm to 55mm focal range (or thereabouts). Yeah, I know, I should just buy a Nikon P7100 or a Canon G12...


Monday, May 2, 2011

New MyPublisher Printing Options Added to My Giant Photo Book Review

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Talk" @ 02:00 PM

http://www.digitalhomethoughts.com/...ow/97676/8/1/15

A few days ago I updated my photo book review with two new books from MyPublisher. The first is the baby book done with a photowrap cover instead of the dust jacket they offered when I first did this review. The second is a vacation photo book I did with their new lay-flat pages and "super gloss paper" option. The photowrap cover put MyPublisher on the same footing as the other book makers in terms of the overall offering, but combined with the very high quality of MyPublisher's paper and print output, puts them near the top of the pack. The super gloss paper option puts them over the moon though - you have to see it to believe it, so check out my video.


Thursday, February 10, 2011

Nikon D7000 Real-Word Review

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Articles & Resources" @ 12:51 PM

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/0...kon-d7000-dslr/

"This is a quick review of the Nikon D7000, highlighting a real world usage scenario. It's not an exhaustive look at the D7000, but I hope it gives you a good idea of what it's like to use this camera if were thinking of buying it to take pictures at sporting events."

My friend Xavier Lanier and I are both fans of Nikon DSLRs and he purchased a D7000 recently. He's been enjoying it and wrote up a great article about using it to capture a tennis event, along with great examples of how a high frame-per-second shooting count can really make a difference when it comes to capturing the shot. I agree with him - shooting in bursts is a great way to capture the "perfect" shot. The D7000 looks like a great camera...but I'm holding out for the true replacement for my beloved Nikon D300.


Sunday, January 23, 2011

Tom's Hardware Reviews Premium Two Channel Speakers

Posted by Andy Dixon in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews...ml#xtor=RSS-182

"It's time to focus on basic PC audio with a two-channel speaker roundup. We look at the Altec Lansing Expressionist Bass FX3022, Bowers & Wilkins MM-1, Creative Gigaworks T40 Series II, and M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 to see what these systems can offer. Human beings come factory-equipped with five senses. Taste and smell are effectively ignored when it comes to PC technology (Ed.: unless you really screwed up an overclock, in which case your sense of smell might be assailed), and touch typically plays a limited role in interfacing with peripherals like keyboards and mice."

Jason recently linked to a comprehensive speaker review by Tom's Hardware for 2.1 speakers, and mentioned that he doesn't have subwoofers in his setup. Tom's Hardsware have now release another speaker review, but this time for those who don't need or want a subwoofer and just require good quality sound from the speakers on the desk. While I currently do have 2.1 speakers and a subwoofer on the floor, I am looking to replace this with ones without one as I look to relocate the PC and desk to a different area in the house, so this article has arrived at exactly the right time for me.


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

iLife '11 or Windows Live Essentials, Which is Better?

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (OS X)" @ 04:59 AM

http://lifehacker.com/5673681/

"High-powered hardware and slick looks are nice, but computers should actually make things. Apple and Microsoft both offer software to organize photos, make movies, and enjoy your computer. We compared iLife and Windows Live Essentials head-to-head from a first-time home user's perspective."

Both Microsoft and Apple want you to go digital, and that is the goal of these two packages. iLife '11 comes with every new Mac (or you can upgrade for $49.00 USD), while Microsoft has chosen to make their Live Essentials a free download, mainly to streamline Windows 7 and make it "leaner and meaner." You can also get pieces of Live Essentials versus iLife '11, which comes as an entire package. You can't make a full comparison of these two offerings, since they only have two areas (photo and video handling) in which they compete, but this is a nice article showing exactly what you get with each software suite and the unique programs each has that you can't get anywhere else. The big thing for Microsoft, according to the author, is making it known to it's users that Live Essentials is out there, and it's free. Anyone that uses a Mac has heard of iLife '11 but Windows users may or may not know about what Microsoft is offering them.


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Photo Book Luxury: Picaboo's Ranch Style Book Reviewed

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Printing" @ 07:00 AM

Product Category: Photo book
Where to Buy: Picaboo
Price: Starts at $299.99 USD (8.5 x 11") or $199.99 USD (6" x 8"); as configured in this review, $539 USD.
System Requirements: Picaboo X is an Adobe Air application that will work on Windows or OS X.

Pros:

  • Easy to use book-building application with lots of extras;
  • The Ranch book style is beautiful from start to finish;
  • Picaboo provides excellent customer service.

Cons:

  • Picaboo books tend to be expensive relative to other book printing companies, though this is mitigated somewhat via regular promotions;
  • Picaboo X has some stability and usability issues;
  • Picaboo X is not well-suited to computers with a weak CPU, and isn't multi-threaded.

Summary: The last time I wrote about Picaboo, it was as part of my mega photo book review - and they didn't fare very well. I was contacted by someone from Picaboo's marketing department shortly after the review went live, and they were gracious about the issues I pointed out with their system and final product. They offered me a chance to try one of their higher-end books, and to review their new Picaboo X software. I had a personal project in mind that would be perfect for this type of book, so I figured I'd give them another shot. How did they do? Keep reading to find out.

Note: This review was written prior to the 10.124P version of the software that adds in the very clever BookGenie option, so that feature isn't discussed. Read more...


Thursday, September 2, 2010

Photobook Canada's Big and Bold Square Photo Book: Some Strategy Required for Success

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Printing" @ 07:00 AM

Product Category: Photo book
Where to Buy: Photobook Canada
Price: $127.78 CAD as configured with the 216gsm Premium Silk/Gloss paper (prices start at $110 CAD for a 40 page book 11" x 11" book)

Pros:

  • Incredible paper quality with the upgraded paper option;
  • Impressive print quality on the cover and inside pages;
  • Reasonably easy to use software.

Cons:

  • Severe accuracy problems with front and back cover images;
  • Tech support is somewhat lacking;
  • Expensive, even with a discount coupon.

Summary: If you read my photo book review round up, you'll know that Photobook Canada fared quite well; with their upgraded paper option, the paper was superb, and the print and cover quality were excellent. At the time, they didn't support spine printing, and I further docked marks because the image on the back was printed right at the edge of the cover - but I was nevertheless impressed with the final product. Within a few weeks of my review going live, Photobook Canada launched version 5.0 of their photo book software, and guess what missing feature it added? Spine printing! Read more...


Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Displex display cleaner from Wirelessground.com

Posted by Don Tolson in "Windows Phone Accessories" @ 07:00 AM

Product Category: Accessories -- Display polish/cleaner
Manufacturer: WirelessGround.com
Where to Buy: WirelessGround.com
Price: Starts at $19.95USD (regularly, but may be on sale...)
Specifications: Comes in a 5g (0.175oz) tube, which should be enough for 8 to 10 screen cleans, depending upon how much you use. Note: this product is only for use on non-coated surfaces and plastics (i.e. the transparent part of the screen. Do not use on the painted portion. The product is non-returnable.

Pros:

  • Easy to apply;
  • Very gentle abrasive, so unlikely to do damage to the screen on most applications.

Cons:

  • Regular price is a bit high;
  • You'll need a number of applications to see results;
  • Probably won't remove deeper scratches.

Summary:

Getting scratches in your screen display is always annoying -- especially when you remind yourself that you had meant to get that screen protector installed, but never got around to it. There are numerous 'old wives tales' about using toothpaste, etc. to remove scratches, but it's definitely better to use a product that is specifically designed for the job. Displex, from WirelessGround, is sold as a display polish. But how good is it at taking out scratches? Let's take a look.

Read more...


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Engadget Reviews the New Dell Mini 10

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Articles & Resources" @ 04:03 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/25/...lerator-review/

"Michael Dell may not be a fan of netbooks, but you wouldn't know that from the newest Mini 10. Joining the current Mini 10v, Dell's completely overhauled the chassis and added Intel's new Pine Trail processor. But that's not all: come February the little laptop will be available with Broadcom's Crystal HD accelerator, which promises full HD playback on a high-res 1366 x 768 display. But does the $425 package rid us of our tireless complaints that Atom can't handle HD, and does it rival netbooks based on NVIDIA's Ion platform? And perhaps more importantly, can we count on the Mini 10 to be a valuable member of the growing Pine Trail netbook fraternity when it comes to battery life and ergonomics? Read on to find out!"

I've got one of these on order from Dell, and am still waiting for it, but the gang at Engadget snagged one and put it through its paces. The most notable changes? It's a bit chunkier than the previous Mini 10, largely to incorporate a 6-cell battery into the chassis without having the hump out the back. That's a big leap forward - but there's also no longer an HDMI port (apparently the Intel Pineview chipset doesn't support it) which some may consider a loss. I'm not sure I like the white chassis - and it sucks that Dell is still charging $40 to change the colour of the lid. What do you think about the design?


Friday, December 11, 2009

HP's dm3 Laptop: Looks Great, Worst Touchpad Ever

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

If you haven't already watched my unboxing video of the HP dm3, be sure to check that out first.

This is my two-part review video of the HP dm3 [affiliate]; the dm3 is a new laptop from HP that's an evolution of the dv2 - it's thin, light, and not very expensive. It uses the AMD Athlon Neo X2 dual-core processor, a semi-low power processor that uses 18 watts of power, but delivers better performance than the Intel Atom processors found in netbooks. This particular model has 4 GB of RAM, uses a 320 GB 7200 RPM hard drive, has a memory card reader, ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, four USB ports, and HDMI out. The 13.3 inch wide-screen display is 1366 x 768 pixels in resolution (driven by an ATI Radeon 3200 GPU), and it has a built-in Webcam and microphone. The keyboard is full-sized, and the laptop features Altec Lansing speakers.

The 6-cell battery is rated for up to six hours of battery life, though in my initial battery test playing back a ripped copy of the Lord of the Rings extended edition, at 100% screen brightness with WiFi off, it was down to 5% battery life after finishing the movie at 2 hours and 51 minutes. That's not a small feat though - many other notebooks I test can't finish that movie. Dropping the brightness down to the lowest setting - which makes it so dim you'd have to be in a dark room to have the screen be viewable - allows the dm3 to have 20% battery life after the LOTR test. I discuss my other battery tests in the first video, but even with my most basic of tests - the "Surf 'n Type" test at 50% brightness - I could only eek 3 hours 55 minutes from the battery. I don't know where HP is getting the six hours of battery life - my guess is minimum brightness, WiFi off, and the laptop is doing nothing - but they're not alone in an industry rife with the over-quoting the battery life. Can't the industry come up with some sort of reasonable test that they'd all use as a benchmark? Read more...


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Corel's WinDVD Pro 2010 Reviewed

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Software" @ 07:00 AM

Here's the scenario: I have a computer in my office connected to a Dell 26" LCD TV, and I use it as my master media computer, including handling the task of recording standard-def TV shows. I often watch movies on it while I work on editing photos or videos. It doesn't have a Blu-ray player on it, but since I still have the dv2 on loan from HP I decided to connect the USB-based Blu-ray drive. It worked like a charm, but even with Windows 7 installed, I can't play Blu-ray discs without added software. I asked the nice folks at Corel to let me take WinDVD Pro 2010 for a spin. I tested this software on a machine with 4 GB of RAM, an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU at 2.4 Ghz, and an Nvidia 7950GT video card.

WinDVD Pro 2010 sells for a hefty $99 USD; it seems anything related to Blu-ray is expensive, from discs to players to software. It's likely in no small part to the royalties and codec licensing required to play that juicy 1080p video, but when entire computers cost $299, $99 seems a bit steep for software to play movies.

After downloading the 110 MB installer, I ran it and was surprised to see it had to install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package and Microsoft DirectX 2008 package. Really? A C++ package from 2005? On a Windows 7 computer? The EULA was a bit different than normal - the first paragraph was in bold text and it stated that the install was good for one copy on one computer only. That's not something I normally see, but given the expensive Blu-ray licensing fee involved, I can see why they do this. Next it asks for a region selection, and after the install is complete, it offers to be the default player not only for Blu-ray discs, but also for AVCHD and M2T/MTS files - and audio CDs as well. I said yes to the former, no the latter, and was then prompted to install the QuickTime player. It seems every MPEG4-based product out there leans on Quicktime in some way, which is frustrating if you don't want Quicktime installed on your computer. Read more...


Friday, September 11, 2009

Dell's Adamo Laptop: A Looker, but Light on Power & Speed

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:00 AM

This is my review video of the Dell Adamo laptop - please check out my unboxing and first impressions video if you haven't already. This is easily the most impressive Dell product I've ever looked at from a design perspective - if you took the name Dell off the laptop, you'd never know it was created by the world's second biggest computer maker. The materials, the design, the build-quality, the fit and finish, the attention to detail: all are mind-blowingly excellent. But the hardware performance and price tag that comes with it? Much less impressive.

This is the "Admire" model, which features a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (SU9300), 2 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD drive, Windows Vista 64-bit, a 13.4 inch 16:9 aspect ratio 1366 x 768, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth 2.0, a back-lit keyboard, two USB ports, one USB/eSATA combo port, gigabit Ethernet, Display Port out (it comes with an adaptor for Display Port to DVI), 802.11n WiFi, built-in speakers, and a 40-watt hour battery that's rated to last five hours. As you can tell from my video, five hours would only be possible if the display was so dim it would only be readable in the dark, and you couldn't actually use it for anything during those five hours. Read more...


Friday, June 12, 2009

dpreview.com Reviews the Nikon D5000

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Articles & Resources" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond5000/

"The Nikon D5000 aims to be a lot of things to a lot of people - stepping in above the D60 as an offering designed to attract upgraders from older entry-level DSLRs, as well as lending a welcoming hand-up to DSLR ownership for compact camera users looking to get more involved in their hobby. And, on the whole, it performs both tasks pretty well. The features and technologies passed down from the D90 make it a very capable camera but the difference in feature set - low-res LCD, smaller viewfinder, single control dial, fewer direct-access buttons, smaller battery and more limited lens compatibility - should mean it doesn't tread on its big-brother's toes too much."

One of the biggest advantages that the D5000 offers in terms of pure photography is the move from three focal points on the D60 up to 11 focal points. I have a D60 and that's one thing that I always have to adjust do - going from the 51 focal points on my D300 down to three...it makes a big difference with how I take pictures. dpreview does the exhaustively deep dive I've come to expect from them - their JPEG comparisons in particular are great in terms of helping you compare the D5000 to other cameras. The D5000 comes out with a "Highly Recommended" rating, and coming from dpreview.com, that means quite a bit. You can buy the Nikon D5000 from our Amazon.com affiliate store.


Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 Reviewed

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:00 AM

This is an in-depth review video of the Dell Inspiron Mini 10. A couple of months ago I did the unboxing video, and after some heavy use here's my full review - it's the longest video review I've done to date. As configured from Dell Canada, it cost me $559 CAD in March 2009 - and now, in May 2009, the same configuration is available for $499 CAD. It goes to show you how often Dell changes the prices on their products, and how the only way to find out how much a Dell computer costs is to go to the Dell Web site yourself and configure one. This Mini 10 is cherry red in colour, uses the Intel Atom Z530 (1.6 Ghz) CPU, has 1 GB of DDR2 RAM, uses Windows XP Home SP3, has a 10.1 inch 16:9 aspect ratio screen (1024 x 576 resolution), a 160 GB 5400 RPM 2.5 inch hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel Webcam, a 802.11g WiFi card, and is powered by a 3-cell 24 WHr battery.

As I mention in the video, since I purchased the Dell Mini 10, Dell has come up with a new model: the Dell Mini 10v. The 10v is puzzling, because if I configure a 10v to match the specs of the 10 I configured above for $499 CAD, the 10v comes out at only $409 CAD - and the only difference is that the 10v uses the Intel Atom N270 rather than the Z530 that the regular Mini 10 uses. Both CPUs run at 1.6 Ghz, and both are on a 533mhz bus. The only difference I can see is that the N270 uses 2.5 watts of power under load while the Z530 uses 2.2 watts under load. In other words, not much of a difference from a consumer's point of view. Equally important is the fact that Dell is now offering a 1366 x 788 screen option, and a 6-cell battery - both choices that weren't available to me when I ordered mine. Read more...


Thursday, March 26, 2009

Reviews: Best Cameras of 2008

Posted by John Lane in "Digital Home Articles & Resources" @ 08:00 PM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0812/0...iastroundup.asp

"Our selection was made based on a variety of criteria, including popularity (best-sellers), price/feature balance and worldwide availability...For the purpose of these group tests we've abandoned most of our studio based tests, partly because the small differences between the various models won't impact on the typical user, partly because otherwise it would be next holiday season before we finished them otherwise. Instead we've concentrated more on the real world use of the cameras and on how they compare when used as they're intended to be - for standard sized prints (6x4 or 5x7 inches) or viewing full screen. Our photographic tests include studio comparisons and real world shots in good light, at night and in a typical social situation using flash."

DPreview.com has divided the compact digital cameras into 5 groups and then reviewed the best models of each group and given their recommendation on the best of each. The 5 groups are:

DPreview does a great job because they show you real world examples of photos taken from each camera, side by side. That way you can see what they like, but still make up your own mind. Check them out!


Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Real World Reviews: The Vivienne Tam HP Mini 1000

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:00 AM

This is a new type of review that I'm experimenting with - rather than me doing an exhaustive review of a product, I'm giving a a product to someone else for a couple of weeks and asking them about their experience using it. I think there's a lot of value in real-world testing of products by people who aren't experts, because as much as I try to put on my "Everyman Hat" when I'm testing a product, I still carry bias with me. In this case, it was my wife Ashley who was given the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition netbook to use over a period of a month, because, hey, it's made for women so who better to test it?

Q: Let's start with first impressions. What did you think of the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition when you first saw it?

A: I loved it! I had no idea that any laptop companies had even thought of partnering with world class designers to make the laptops they were selling more aesthetically appealing to their customers - specifically women. Everywhere I take my HP Mini, I get tons of compliments and people asking me what it is and where I got it! It's definitely a great conversation piece.

Q: So beyond the initial impact of the design and colour, what did you think of the size and weight?

A: Again, I love this about it: it's so small, light and compact. I could put it in my purse and carry it with me to a meeting if I needed to. The only downside is the comparatively huge power brick and cables. With such a small device, it would sure be nice to have an equally small power brick! Read more...


Friday, November 21, 2008

The Acer Aspire One: Your Next Netbook?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 04:20 PM

This is my review of the Acer Aspire One, a popular netbook with some fairly typical specs: a 1.6 Ghz Intel Atom CPU, 1 GB RAM, an 8.9 inch screen, a 120 GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, a 6 cell battery, and running Windows XP Home. Pricing varies - I paid around $439 for this, but Acer has changed the product slightly - they're now shipping it with a 160 GB hard drive, and there are several version of the Aspire One on the market, including an entry-level unit with Linux. I shot this review over a month ago, so keep that in mind when I mention not having the MSI Wind yet.

I should mention that my primary complaint about this netbook has apparently been addressed in the form of an updated BIOS: I found the fact that the fan was constantly running at high RPMs to be quite irritating, but I've been told that a new BIOS update addresses this issue by slowing down the fan when it's not needed. If that issue has been properly addressed, I'd have no trouble recommending this netbook to someone looking for one - it offers a lot of value for the dollar.

Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog. He seems to have better hearing when it comes to fans than most people.

Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.


Monday, November 17, 2008

Dell Inspiron Mini 9: Not The Netbook For Me

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:27 AM

This is my review video of the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, Dell's first step into the world of low-cost netbooks. The Mini 9 that I ordered has Windows XP, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, 16 GB solid-state flash storage, 1 GB of RAM, a 4 cell battery, and an 8.9 inch at 1024 x 600 resolution. The Linux-based versions start at $349 USD, and the XP-based versions start at $399. If you get the XP-based version with every option, it's about $480 USD.

There's a lot to like about the Dell netbook, but it's not without significant shortcomings from my perspective. On the plus side, the build quality is top-notch. In fact, I'd venture to say that it's the best-built Dell notebook I've ever had my hands on. It feel very solid and durable, with a fit and finish that's light years above other netbooks. Considering how cheap most other netbooks look, you might think that's not saying much, but holding the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 in your hands just feels...good. The keyboard is a bit on the small side, but that's not unusual for a netbook with an 8.9 inch screen. Read more...


Friday, November 14, 2008

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook Unboxing and First Impressions

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:50 AM

This is an unboxing and first impressions video of the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, Dell's first step into the world of low-cost netbooks. The Mini 9 that I ordered has Windows XP, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, 16 GB solid-state flash storage, 1 GB of RAM, a 4 cell battery, and an 8.9 inch at 1024 x 600 resolution. The Linux-based versions start at $349 USD, and the XP-based versions start at $399. If you get the XP-based version with every option, it's about $480 USD. Check out the video below, and watch for my review to follow shortly.

Please rate the video and subscribe to our channel. Thanks for your support!

Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog. He's still searching for the ultimate netbook.

Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.


Friday, November 7, 2008

Canon's "Girly" PowerShot E1 Reviewed

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Articles & Resources" @ 04:23 PM

http://www.photographyblog.com/revi...owershot_e1.php

"The Canon PowerShot E1 is the newest addition to the company's popular PowerShot line, within which it represents the starting point of an entirely new sub-range, allegedly "designed by women for women". The main point of differentiation is a curvaceous design complemented by hip colours - the E1 is available in an eye-catching pink, cyan and white. The Canon E1 also features a 10 megapixel sensor, a 4x zoom lens with optical image stabilisation, a 2.5" LCD screen, an optical viewfinder, Face Detection, 17 shooting modes including VGA video capture at 30fps, an Infinity Focus mode for enhanced responsiveness and a Macro mode that lets you focus on subjects that are just 3cms away from the front lens element. Retailing for $199.99 / £159.99 on launch, Zoltan Arva-Toth found out if the Canon PowerShot E1 also appeals to the male photographer..."

Designed by women for women? Well, these definitely do look different from any other camera I've seen - but will they appeal to woman? I think so - I could see my wife liking the design, though I think for any woman the ease of use and ease of carrying matter more than the colour. The buttons look like they're a reasonable size, which might be a result of feedback - I know some of the buttons on my point and shoot cameras are so small it would be hard for anyone with nails to manipulate them. Of course, not all woman have long nails, so not every woman would care about that. Gee, it's hard to generalize about a gender isn't it?


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