Product Category: HDR Software

Manufacturer: Oloneo SAS

Where to Buy: Oloneo's Website

Price: US$149

System Requirements: OS:Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (32-bit or 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit or 64-bit)

Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit) Hard disk: 200MB of available space CPU: 1.6 GHz Intel or AMD with SSE2, dual-core recommended RAM: 1.5GB Screen: 1280 x 720.

Specifications: Complete Feature List

Pros:

• Great-looking and pleasing HDR images in just a few clicks;
• Fast rendering live preview of changes;
• Offers a high level of control for the advanced user.

Cons:

• Auto-alignment for handheld HDR shots not perfect;
• Active noise reduction controls not present.

Summary: Oloneo's PhotoEngine may be the most expensive, but it is easily the best HDR software available in the market currently. Its ease of use with beautiful and natural results makes it hard to beat. It also has an additional neat trick in the form of HDR ReLight. There are a few minor issues, but for a 1.0 product, they do not overshadow the positives as a whole.

[Editor's Note: Today we bring a special review, written by a top professional photographer with well over a decade of experience. Jed Wee will be reviewing Oloneo's PhotoEngine, which made a splash when the beta was first released back in 2010. Now that the product is shipping, how well does it live up to the early promise? Join Jed as he puts the software through its paces!]

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"If you have kids, you probably know this already, but lots of stuff needs batteries. Remote control toys, Wii remotes, laser pointers (well, that is for me), flash lights, even Nerf guns. For me, I have found the best place to pick up batteries is at one of these “dollar” stores. Sure the batteries are cheaper, but are they any good? Who knows. Let’s find out."

Like any person that likes electronics, I tend to go through a lot of batteries. From remote controls, to cordless mice and keyboards to cameras. While many of these toys use rechargeable batteries, some even custom ones, I find myself using a steady supply of AA and AAA batteries. Yes, I know there are rechargeable batteries in those sizes like Eneloops and even regular NiMH, but they involve a high upfront cost, something that is not always feasible. For those of us who still find use for disposable batteries, Wired has a good review. An update has been added noting that the store-branded batteries tested were of the "heavy duty" type and not alkalines that the premium brands sell. If you buy disposable batteries, be aware of this. Heavy Duty and Super Heavy Duty batteries are not the same as Alkalines, and will always offer less power. While they may suit for very light use, like remote controls, if the device is something that needs more power, like a flashlight, or a smoke detector, you will want something with some degree of staying power.

"Nikon's entry into the mirrorless interchangeable lens market late last year was widely anticipated, but the products that were finally announced took a lot of people by surprise. Nikon has created an entirely new system based around a relatively small sensor, that's about 30% of the size of those used in the company's DX-format SLRs. The system is spearheaded by two cameras - the Nikon 1 J1 and 1 V1."

DPReview's verdict is not the highest praise, and I still think they are a bit lenient there. When I tried both cameras, I found their UI to be absymal. Fixed function button that controls a useless feature? Check. Lots of menu scrolling? Check. Using a rocker instead of the more intuitive command dial to control manual functions? Check. It is not better for casual users either. Lack of contextual information for newcomers and casual shooters? Check. No clear indication what is the full auto mode? Check. Overall, for enthusiasts, it is a pain to use, and for casual shooters, there are other cameras which are easier to use. Then there is the price, which is more expensive than many of the Micro Four Thirds cameras. I will be waiting for version 2.0 of the product. Sorry Nikon, you need to do better than this.

Product Category: Camera Bag

Manufacturer: Manfrotto

Where to Buy: Best Buy, Amazon

Price: $50 - $99 USD

Holds: DSLR with lens attached as well as 1 to 2 other lenses, 17" Macbook (15.4" laptop) and personal effects.

Specifications: Product Height 12.2", Product Width 7.5", Product Depth18.9",Product Weight 2.2 lbs.

Pros:

• Lightweight;
• Cost Effective;
• Lots of Storage Space.

Cons:

• Shoulder Pad is not Comfortable;
• No Regular Tripod Attachment;
• No Easy Access Side Pockets.

Summary: The Manfrotto Unica VII Messenger Bag is a great camera bag for photographers on the go or who travel frequently. It is stylish and has an easy access top zipper that lets you get to all your gear in a hurry. That same zipper makes it easy to grab your laptop out for airport security checkpoints and, yes, the whole bag is carry-on friendly for both domestic and international flights.

The ability to carry a pro body with a battery pack attached and a 17 inch laptop along with other lenses and equipment without weighing a ton or requiring you to stop and find a place to sit your bag down in order to access your equipment is a lifesaver. The messenger bag style makes it easy to carry around all day and doesn't scream "I have an expensive camera in here!". The price point on this can't be beat - at $50 - $100, it easily compares to bags twice the price. Read more...

Product Category: Home Router / Wireless Access Point

Manufacturer: Amped Wireless

Where to Buy: Amazon [Affiliate]

Price: $119.99

System Requirements: A computer with Ethernet for setup.

Specifications: Band: 2.4GHz, 80211b/g/n. MIMO. 300Mbps. Security: WEP, WPA, WPA. Output power: 29dBi. Antennas: dual 5dBi removable. Ports: 4 10/100Mb and one 10/100Mb up link.

Pros:

• Excellent wireless coverage;
• Fast data transfer;
• Easy setup.

Cons:

• Ethernet ports only 10/100Mb (Gigabit model coming soon);
• Single 2.4GHz band (dual band model coming after the Gigabit version).

Summary: If you have spots in your home with poor wireless coverage, or find streaming HD video often breaks up, the high powered Amped Wireless R10000 router may be a better solution than adding one or more additional access points. Our tests show this device really does provide wide coverage and high speed.

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"As you can see, the PowerShot S100 got a bump in resolution, zoom power, and continuous shooting performance -- plus it now has a GPS receiver. The S100 retains the compact metal body and customizable lens ring of its predecessor, plus full manual controls (with RAW support), an HDR mode, and larger-than-average sensor. The PowerShot S95 was one of my favorite cameras from last year. Will the same be true for the S100? Find out now in our review!"

The S100 is a nice upgrade from the S95, unlike the S95 itself, which was a small bump in terms of specs from the original S90. The 24mm equivalent wide-angle is a highlight for me, and the images have a smoother look to them compared to its CCD predecessor. All-in-all, I think this is the small compact camera to beat.

"Now, with the NEX-7, Sony is specifically targeting those advanced users with a camera whose key spec reads like it's come straight off an enthusiast's wishlist. First up is the 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor, shared with the SLT-A77, that enables true 1080p60 video recording."

The Sony NEX-7 has been one anticipated camera, and the delay caused by the floods in Thailand have probably made the anticipation even higher. Luckily it does not seem to disappoint, with DPReview giving it a pretty good review. I personally do like the design of the camera, but I still have some concerns with the sensor, and I also think the lenses are too big and too few - the NEX system currently is just too tiny to support enthusiasts. Now if Panasonic and Olympus do try something like this for their Micro Four Thirds, that would be something really worth getting.

"We’ve decided to tackle this rather tough job by compiling a list of our favorite cans. We can assure you that all listed here sound great, are very comfortable and fill specific needs for listeners. Of course, if you don’t see your favorite headphones listed, please feel free to add your top pick in the comment section below."

Whether they be earbuds or headphones, both are great ways to keep the music flowing without subjecting everyone around you to your Bieber fix. Of course, good headphones do not come cheap. While you may be able to pick something up from the dollar store that sort of, maybe, kind of does the job, laying down some real coin for higher quality cans can make a huge difference, especially if you are no longer using 128kbps mp3s. And really, you should, because if you are going to appreciate music, Bieber or not, hearing them the way it was meant to be heard is a wonderful experience.

"So, which one is right for you? Well, here’s what I’ve found in my years of watching Internet TV on my television. These days I use an Apple TV, a Roku 2 HD and a pair of Internet-enabled Sony Blu-Ray players for my TV watching pleasure. Indeed, a few months ago I cut the cord to my cable company and now the only TV I watch comes up either the Internet or from one of my own network media servers."

Despite what they say, I consider Internet TV to still be in its infancy. Yes, if you live within the United States, you get a wonderful selection of options, though that seems to be dwindling. If you live anywhere else, your choices are less than stellar. Until Apple releases the rumored Steve Jobs dream of a re-imagined tv service, we have options like Apple TV, Roku and an increasing amount of Blu-Ray players that handle Internet TV. It isn't just Blu-Ray players though. TVs themselves are coming out with all manner of new features. It is not far away that they will be able to make you a sandwich. Until then, I can only hope that they come out with some sort of universal standard for streaming TV, and allowing you to pick your own supplier or aggregator. While it is nice to see some of these sites offering access to places like Netflix and Youtube, it would be nice to be able to add your own streams more easily. That would be particularly handy should any of the custom services go down.

"The AW100 is Nikon’s first foray into the weather-proof camera market and is is waterproof to 10 meters, shock-proof to 1.5 meters, and freezeproof to as low as -10°C (14°F). The Coolpix AW100 also has a 16-megapixel back illuminated CMOS sensor, a 5x, 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens with lens-shift vibration reduction, 3-inch 460K-dot LCD monitor, full 1080p HD video with stereo sound, 3fps burst shooting, built-in GPS, a world map display and an electronic compass."

Once again, does anyone really like Nikon compacts? Image quality on the Coolpixes in the last seven years have ranged from average to downright terrible, and the cameras themselves are rarely a joy to use. The AW100 does not do much to shake off this reputation, but at least it as less competition since it is one of the few waterproof and shockproof compact cameras in the market (it seems only Panasonic, Olympus and Pentax have updated theirs). Still, at least it will survive a drop where most cameras will not!

"The flagship Core i7-3690X Extreme Edition is a 32nm six-core/twelve-thread processor with a 3.3Ghz default clock, but which never ever dips below 3.6GHz and tops out at 3.9GHz in single and dual-threaded workloads. Accompanying these six cores is 15MB of L3 cache, the most of any desktop processor, and a new beefed up memory controller that features a quad-channel DDR3-1600 interface which is theoretically capable of 51.2GB/s of bandwidth."

A Sandy Bridge 6 core CPU starting at 3.3 Ghz sounds impressively fast, but I am not sure many are willing to shell out the $990 list for it. I suppose it is only for the most hardcore users (or those whose work heavily depends on fast encoding of videos); for the rest of us, a nicely overclocked i5-2500K will do quite well for many things.

"Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you: the Pentax Q is actually smaller than this compact Canon ELPH! How did Pentax manage to make such a small interchangeable lens camera? The secret is in the sensor: the Q's sensor is exactly the same size as what you'll find on the ELPH in the above photo: just 1/2.3". That makes it significantly smaller than APS-C, Four Thirds, and even Nikon's new 1-System cameras."

The review begins with the above comparison which neatly shows how small the Pentax Q is. Of course, the sensor is just as tiny in comparison, with a 1/2.3" sensor, making it even smaller than those found in enthusiast compacts like the Panasonic LX5 or the Canon S100. I am not sure where Pentax is going with this. Even the lens lineup shows a pandering towards toy camera users, who can get their kicks from crappy image quality for a tenth of the cost of the Q. Overall image quality is nothing to shout about either, as you can see from the review. I still believe this is some April Fool's prank from Pentax!

DigitalRev takes a look at the Nikon V1; Kai's not so optimistic about it. Highlight of the video for me is when Kai fumbles on the proprietary shoe's cover. I did almost the same thing when I tried the V1 myself. That cover is too loose and slippery, and since it's proprietary, good luck if you lose the thing!

"The Ricoh GR Digital IV is a brand new compact camera with a fixed 28mm lens that’s aimed firmly at the serious photographer. Virtually identical in design to the two-year old GR Digital III model, this latest version has a brand new Hybrid auto-focus system, image processing engine, sensor-shift image stabilization, a refined optical filter and a higher-resolution LCD screen."

When I was still shooting film, the compact camera I wanted was the Ricoh GR1V. Small and with my preferred 28mm lens (instead a focal length of 35mm), I never got around to getting one. In the digital era, however, Ricoh's GR Digitals use tiny compact camera sensors, of which I have never been quite enamoured with Ricoh's execution. The GR Digital has many improvements, but despite the review, I can't quite imagine using a camera that starts smearing detail at ISO 400. Maybe next time Ricoh?

"After a four-year wait, Sony has returned to the enthusiast/semi-pro end of the DSLR market. Having made little impact in that market with the A700 that very closely resembled the conventional DSLRs made by Canon and Nikon, Sony has spent the intervening time developing something a bit different."

DPReview takes a look at the Sony SLT-A77, which features a 24 megapixel CMOS sensor in their special pellicle-like mirror DSLR. While the camera performs admirably in many ways, the high ISO performance is not very good, and the noise reduction efforts by Sony are rather ham-handed. I suspect that robbing some light away from the sensor might prove a bit too much for a sensor of this density. Have a look at the review and tell us what you think!

Product Category: Internet connected Blu-Ray player

Manufacturer: Samsung

Where to Buy: Amazon [affiliate]

Price: $199.99USD, but on special for $114.95

System Requirements: Plays Blu-Ray, 3D, DVD +/-R(W), CD DA, CD-R(W) discs

Specifications: Dimensions - 17in (430mm) x 8.2in(209mm) x 1.3in(33mm); Weight - 3.8lbs (1.7kg); Outputs - HDMI, Component Video, Composite Video, Optical Digital Audio (Dolby/DTS 7.1), Analog Audio (2ch).

Pros:

• Small, compact and light;
• Plays just about any type of video disc;
• Internet capable, via wired or wireless (b, g, n) LAN.

Cons:

• Not able to easily connect/share with other network PC's;
• Limited content available in Canada;
• Only cable provided is for 2 ch stereo and composite video.

Summary: When Samsung first approached us about doing a review of the BD-D6500, I was very excited about the fact that here was a Blu-Ray player with built-in Wi-Fi connectability. The stars in my eyes forsaw a possible replacement for my big, bulky media PC -- using this player to access all the music, video and pictures on my home network -- as well as having a really cool, sleek blu-ray/DVD player. Did it work? Let's take a look... Read more...

"The Nikon 1 J1 (priced from $649) is the entry-level model in Nikon's brand new line of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The 1-System cameras feature a new 10 Megapixel CX-format sensor, which is smaller than Micro Four Thirds and APS-C, but larger than what you'll find on compact cameras and the Pentax Q. It also uses new CX-mount lenses, which have a 2.7X crop factor. Image stabilization is built into select lenses, rather into the body itself."

DCResource.com has a review of the Nikon J1 up, and the samples here look much better. Image quality is quite close to a Micro Four Thirds camera, but dynamic range seems to suffer a bit. The "small" sensor does not look so bad now, does it? The camera really is quite small, as you can see. Nikon really needs to release a set of zoom lenses that can match the size of the camera, just like what Panasonic has done. Read the review for all the details, including the performance of the hybrid AF system built in to the imaging sensor!

"The Nikon 1 J1 (priced from $649) is the entry-level model in Nikon's brand new line of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The 1-System cameras feature a new 10 Megapixel CX-format sensor, which is smaller than Micro Four Thirds and APS-C, but larger than what you'll find on compact cameras and the Pentax Q. It also uses new CX-mount lenses, which have a 2.7X crop factor. Image stabilization is built into select lenses, rather into the body itself."

DCResource.com has a review of the Nikon J1 up, and the samples here look much better. Image quality is quite close to a Micro Four Thirds camera, but dynamic range seems to suffer a bit. The "small" sensor does not look so bad now, does it? The camera really is quite small, as you can see. Nikon really needs to release a set of zoom lenses that can match the size of the camera, just like what Panasonic has done. Read the review for all the details, including the performance of the hybrid AF system built in to the imaging sensor!

"The Nikon 1 J1 (priced from $649) is the entry-level model in Nikon's brand new line of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The 1-System cameras feature a new 10 Megapixel CX-format sensor, which is smaller than Micro Four Thirds and APS-C, but larger than what you'll find on compact cameras and the Pentax Q. It also uses new CX-mount lenses, which have a 2.7X crop factor. Image stabilization is built into select lenses, rather into the body itself."

DCResource.com has a review of the Nikon J1 up, and the samples here look much better. Image quality is quite close to a Micro Four Thirds camera, but dynamic range seems to suffer a bit. The "small" sensor does not look so bad now, does it? The camera really is quite small, as you can see. Nikon really needs to release a set of zoom lenses that can match the size of the camera, just like what Panasonic has done. Read the review for all the details, including the performance of the hybrid AF system built in to the imaging sensor!

Product Category: Home theatre audio

Manufacturer: Samsung

Where to Buy: Amazon [affiliate]

Price: $499USD (regular, but now on special for $310)

System Requirements: wall power for both the sound bar and the sub woofer unit; digital audio (HDMI / optical) or analog sound source.

Specifications: Dimensions: Soundbar - 1056mm(41.6in) x 80mm(3.15in) x 45mm(1.77in); Subwoofer - 178mm(7in) x 360mm(14.2in) x 295mm(11.6in). Weight: Soundbar - 2.06kg(4.5lbs); Subwoofer - 5.3kg(11.7lbs). Power (total): Soundbar - 2 x 80W; Subwoofer - 150W. Total Harmonic Distortion - 10% at reference. Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20KHz.

Pros:

• Compact unit which can be easily wall mounted under the TV screen;
• Wireless Subwoofer can be placed anywhere without cables showing;
• Multiple audio inputs available (and selectable with the remote) to allow this to become the audio 'hub' of the home theatre.

Cons:

• Only two HDMI inputs;
• Midrange is emphasized a little too much (for me);
• 'Surround' sound is more reverb/delay than actual repositioning via sound processing.

Summary: For a guy who is used to a separate amp, speakers and tons of interconnecting wires, working with an 'all-in-one' sound unit like the Samsung HW-D550 was quite the treat in some respects. But how does it compare where it counts? How does it sound compared to the separate components? All-in-all, it wasn't spectacular, but not too bad. Let's take a closer look and listen.... Read more...