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OTAKU ultimate rare goods：829goods
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6-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch high-speed CMOS sensor; shoot up to 60 fps12x optical zoom with CMOS shift stabilization2.8-inch LCD; wide viewing angleHigh-speed movie capability; up to 1200 fpsCapture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
< Casio Exilim EX-F1 6MP 12x Zoom 2.8-Inch LCD Pro Digital Camera with CMOS Shift Image Stabilization (Black) > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card with Card Reader TS16GSDHC6-S5W > < Transcend 4 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] > < Maximal Power DB CAS NP-100 Replacement Battery for Casio Digital Camera/Camcorder (Ivory) > < SanDisk 16gb Extreme® III 30MB/s Edition SDHC High Performance Card > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] > < Davis&Sanford TRAILBLAZRV Trailblazer Monopod > < Maximal Power UC-101 Universal AA/AAA Battery Charger for Camera/Camcorder/PDA/Cellphone and Many Other types > < Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 > < Corel Painter Essentials 4 (Win/Mac) > < Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 (Mac) >

price：~~$20.00~~
CASIO
Usually ships in 24 hours

customer 's review
(Very techno geek camera)

It comes with a 150 page manual. In readable (mostly) English. A zillion options. One very nice feature, you can program it to remember most settings. If you want the flash to stay off (which I need most of the time) you can set it to do that, even if you turn it off and on. It seems to have good sensitivity, the image stabilizer works quite well.

As a still camera, about average. As a video camera, a lot for the money. It shoots normal video, HD (1080p, 60 Hz) and fast video, up to 1200 fps. Low resolution above 300 fps, good for things that go bump, not for fancy presentations. The 30-300 fps adjustable setting is not so convenient, you have to set the frame rate each time you shoot. It should be programmable. The 300 fps fixed setting has a resolution of about 512x390, good enough for most sports work.

A comment on pixels. The Ex-F1 has a 6 Mp sensor. You can get a lot more than that for less money, but it's more marketing than real. You have to look at the sensor (CCD/CMOS) size. Real world lenses are limited to about 100 line pairs per mm in what they can resolve. Based on the specs for the Ex, it tries to get 200 lp/mm. So, not real. My little Olympus P&S is over 400 lp/mm. You just can't get there. Fewer pixels for a given chip size usually means better light sensitivy. That helps more than anything else.

For my use, mostly in sports, a very good compromise. The CS prerecord mode is very good. You can get 60 full resolution frames before you press the shutter. It stores them in internal memory and saves after you press the shutter. So you can see what happened just before (up to 60 fps, programmable) With a 16Gbyte SD card, about $25, you can save over 4500 full resolution pictures.
World's Fastest Digital Camera for the Consumer Market with CMOS Shift Image Stabilization. 6mp, 12x zoom, 2.8-inch LCD, 60fps High Speed Burst Mode, up to 1200fps High Speed Movie Recording.
Rerations
< Casio Exilim EX-F1 6MP 12x Zoom 2.8-Inch LCD Pro Digital Camera with CMOS Shift Image Stabilization (Black) > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card with Card Reader TS16GSDHC6-S5W > < Transcend 4 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] > < Maximal Power DB CAS NP-100 Replacement Battery for Casio Digital Camera/Camcorder (Ivory) > < SanDisk 16gb Extreme® III 30MB/s Edition SDHC High Performance Card > freaks

50mm standard lens with f/1.4 maximum aperture for Canon SLR cameras2 high-refraction lens elements and Gaussian optics help eliminate astigmatismDelivers crisp images with little flare at the maximum apertureExtra-small Micro USM focus adjustment and full-time manual focusingMeasures 2.9 inches in diameter and 2 inches long; 1-year warranty
< Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard&Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras > < Canon ES71II Lens Hood for EF 50mm f/1.4 SLR Lens > < Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter > < Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras > < Canon UV-1 58mm Haze Filter > < Canon BP511A 1390mAh Lithium Ion Battery Pack for Select Digital Cameras and Camcorders > < Tiffen Domke F-505 Lens Case - Compact > < Dolica CF-C58 58mm CPL Filter > < Dolica CF3-ND58 58mm 0.3ND 2X Neutral Density Filter > < Opteka OPT CPL 58mm 58mm High Definition II Multi-Coated Circular Polarizing Glass Filter > < Opteka OPT3FK58mm 58mm 3 Piece Pro Filter Kit Includes UV,PL,FLD >

price：~~$330.00~~
Canon

customer 's review
(Great shots, just not as durable as I thought)

(Must have lens...)

(Good but not great)

(Amazing lens!)

(Very sharp lens)

The main reason I chose the f/1.4 over the f/1.8 was because of the more solid build. I hate the feel of cheap, plasticky lenses so opted to pay a couple hundred extra dollars for something heavy duty.

I had it for about one month before I dropped it less than 3 feet to the ground. It landed on soft, almost shag-like carpet so I thought it wasn't a big deal. I turned it on and it no longer would auto or manual focus. When I give it a shake, you can hear tiny little broken pieces moving around. It really was as soft as a drop could be and do not see how it could have messed it up that badly, but it did.

It took amazing pictures and would be a great lens for someone who was not such a klutz. That's just not me I guess.
This is a must have lens... I originally bought this lens because I wanted to shoot more portrait style pictures of friends and family. But I quickly discovered it's a great lens for shooting just about anything. Especially useful for artfully making the "bland" in life look beautiful. I was originally looking at the f1.8 but decided to spend the extra money and get the f1.4, and i'm glad I did. The build quality is solid... It's fast and quiet, a world of a difference compared to my Sigma 18-200mm (in speed and noise that is). Discover what your SLR is really capable of and get this lens...
I spent about a year researching which fast lens to get and once I had the money I chose this one.
It's a fine lens. People love the pictures I take with extremely narrow depth of field.

So what's not to like? Quality control!?!?! The first copy I got had a bubble in the glass! How can a piece of precision optical glass ever make it past quality control with a bubble in the glass? So I had to go another 2-3 weeks without the lens...missing a chance to use it in a photoshoot.

Other then that, the focus ring on both copies were loose. I really expected it to feel more solid.

Also a 50mm on a crop sensor is too much zoom in some situations. It definitely makes me want to save up for the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L USM II Wide Angle Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. A wider angle for indoor shots and hopefully much higher quality.

This fits perfectly in the Lowepro Lens Case 1 (Black) with the lens hood attached(both ways). Don't waste your money on the Canon lens pouch.
This is one of the best lenses that I own and for the price, that is just unbelievably great!

I shoot with a Canon 30D FYI.

-The bokeh in the background is heavenly.
-It focuses fast and crisp; relatively quiet too.
-No image stabilization is needed.
-There is slight distortion and loss of focus at extreme low apertures (~<2.5).
-Great for all around image taking, but be sure that you wont need to have the ability to shoot wide angle if this is all you are carrying. It goes without saying that as a prime you are stuck with 50mm. Even though I know this, I have found myself frustrated a few times trying to pull out to grab a quick opportunistic shot and realizing I can't.
-If you can find this for $360ish, you are good to purchase.

Hope this helps!
I've had this lens for a little over a month now and it is a huge improvement over the 50 f/1.8 II. The f/1.8 served me well for a few years, now I have passed it on to a friend when I bought this lens. The f/1.4 has very nice bokeh for portrait work. If used outside in bright light you will definitely want to buy the hood, this lens is very susceptible to lens flare. The full-time manual focus with the micro USM is very nice, although it is not quite as smooth as ring-type.

The CANON EF 50MM f/1.4 USM is a standard lens featuring superb quality and portability. Two high-refraction lens elements and new Gaussian optics eliminate astigmatism and suppress astigmatic difference. Crisp images with little flare are obtained even at the maximum aperture. Max. Diameter&Length - 73.8mm x 50.5mm
The 50mm f/1.4 standard lens is a terrific choice for both casual and professional photographers. The lens is outfitted with two high-refraction lens elements and new Gaussian optics, which combine to eliminate astigmatism and suppress astigmatic difference. As a result, the lens obtains crisp images with little flare even at the maximum aperture. The lens's f/1.4 speed, meanwhile, is perfect for available-light shooting. And as a bonus, this lens is the only lens in the EF system to offer an extra-small Micro Ultra Sonic Motor (USM) while still providing a full-time manual focusing option. Other features include a close focusing distance of 1.5 feet, a 58mm filter size, and a one-year warranty.

Specifications

Focal length: 50mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.4L
Lens construction: 7 elements in 6 groups
Angle of view: 46 degrees
Focus adjustment: Overall linear extension system with USM
Closest focusing distance: 1.5 feet
Filter size: 58mm
Dimensions: 2.9 inches in diameter and 2 inches long
Weight: 10.2 ounces
Warranty: 1 year

Rerations
< Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard&Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras > < Canon ES71II Lens Hood for EF 50mm f/1.4 SLR Lens > < Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter > < Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras > < Canon UV-1 58mm Haze Filter > freaks

Kensington Edge: Innovative computer lock design that secures two devices at once with twin locks and long, 7 ft security cableSteel cable with Kevlar brand fiber for powerful protection that´s 40% strongerRubber bumper protects equipment surface from scratches or dents from computer lockWide range of compatibility--laptops, monitors, and any device with a Kensington security slot - the industry standard in computer securityAdds a second locking head to daisy chain equipment together to industry leading MicroSaver® lock
< Kensington MicroSaver Twin Lock for Notebook Computers (PC/Mac) K64025F > < Kensington 64343 MicroSaver DS Notebook Computer Lock with Keys (PC/Mac) > < Kensington 64063 Anchor Point Adhesive Glue-on Security Kit (PC) > < Kensington 64068F MicroSaver Notebook Lock and Security Cable (PC/Mac) > < Kensington Desktop Microsaver Universal Computer Key Lock and Cable Security System (64162a) > < Iomega Prestige 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 34275 > < Targus PA400U DEFCON 1 Ultra Notebook Computer Security System > < Kensington 64163 Anchor Point AnchorPoint Screw-on Security Kit (PC/Mac) > < Western Digital Scorpio Blue 500 GB Bulk/OEM Hard Drive 2.5 Inch, 8 MB Cache, 5400 RPM SATA II WD5000BEVT > < Yoggie PICO PRO Mobile Security Computer with VPN > < Yoggie PICO Personal Mobile Security Computer >

price：~~$27.64~~
Kensington
Usually ships in 24 hours

customer 's review
(A big improvement over older versions)

(Kensington MicroSaver Twin Lock)

(Great little product for locking two devices)

(Good security, locks feel a bit cheap)

(Double safety)

Thicker cable and better locks than my older version of the same product.Don't leave your computer without this.
I find that this lock will be very useful for me. I have a notebook and an extra Monitor for the notebook. I have the two of them locked with the Micro Saver at home. I also have a Notebook QuickDock that has a locking slot. So if I ever go out with my notebook and QuickDock I can lock both with the Twin lock and if I ever took the Monitor I have a single lock for the Monitor.
It's not Fort Knox but as far as cable locks for computer peripherals go this is definitely one of the better ones, and it locks down two devices. The cable is thicker and highly visible. This should help to deter someone from walking off with your laptop and other devices.

I bought this for a laptop and an external hard drive but it will work with any unit that has a standard security slot.

Note: It is possible to pick nearly any type lock so always lock your laptop in a drawer or take it home with you if you can. I had a brand new Cannon digital Elf disappear from my desk in a secure building with armed security because I left it there one weekend. I kept it in a small vinyl case that wasn't even a camera case so someone had to actually investigate it to find out there was a camera inside.
I recently purchased a new iMac and external hard-drive as a back up and wanted a little extra secure feeling knowing that my stuff is bolted down. This product fit well as it is a twin-lock system. The cable itself is very stiff and pulls the external over if/when I tilt the iMac. The locks don't really fit as snug as I would like, they kinda feel like they aren't on properly. The cable, however, is very long. I would recommend this product for larger, heavier items that don't move often... like for DVRs, DVD players, etc.
I ordered this cable to protect two laptops at a time. The cable is thicker and stronger than other cables, and it has two locks, one at the end, and one slideable across the cable. I preferred this one above the ones with a four digit code, because it's not possible for a thief to cut the cable and try all the combinations at home. After lots of problems to order the cable at Kensington and another webstore, it was very easy to order it at Amazon. I had it shipped to a hotel while I was on a roundtrip in the USA, and it was delivered at the promised date. I'm really satisfied by both the cable and the reliability of Amazon.
Protect your notebook and monitor with this double lock-head security system. Patented T-bar locking mechanism and super-strong carbon tempered steel cable provide maximum protection that attaches to the standard Kensington security slot found in 99% of notebook and many computer devices. Lock down your computer system and leave it safe. Dual lock-heads fit into the standard Kensington security slot found in 99% of notebooks, flat panel monitors, CPUs, projectors, printers, docking stations, tablet PCs, and other devices Sleek styling and design won t block notebook ports or lift a notebook off the desk Custom keying options available in a master access, shared access, or supervisor-only access Dimensions - Length 7.5 x Width 1.25 x Height 8.5 inch Weight - 0.65 pounds
The Kensington 64025 Micro Saver Twin Notebook Lock doubles your protection with a patented double lock-head system that lets you lock up your laptop and monitor at the same time. The Kensington 64025 is constructed of a 7.5-foot, super-strong, steel-composite cable with a carbon, tempered-steel core, and a patented, T-bar lock that provides superior lock strength and theft protection. Easy to install and use in the office or when traveling, this system locks into the standard Kensington security slot found in 99-percent of notebooks, as well as many flat-panel monitors, CPUs, projectors, printers, docking stations, tablet PCs, and other devices. This unit features a sleek styling and design that won't block notebook ports or lift a notebook off the desk, and a built-in, tamper-evident feature to detect unauthorized use. The Kensington 64025 includes two keys and a rubber tie for cable-cord management, and is backed by a manufacturer's limited lifetime warranty. The Kensington 64025 has custom keying options available for master access, shared access, or supervisor-only access, with replacement keys available through the manufacturer.
Rerations
< Kensington MicroSaver Twin Lock for Notebook Computers (PC/Mac) K64025F > < Kensington 64343 MicroSaver DS Notebook Computer Lock with Keys (PC/Mac) > < Kensington 64063 Anchor Point Adhesive Glue-on Security Kit (PC) > < Kensington 64068F MicroSaver Notebook Lock and Security Cable (PC/Mac) > < Kensington Desktop Microsaver Universal Computer Key Lock and Cable Security System (64162a) > freaks

Twin Wheel F1 Combo Wheel
< Genius Twin Wheel F1, mini Vibration, PC/PS2 combo wheel. Vibration Feedback F1 Racing Wheel. > < Gran Turismo 4 > < Race 07: Official WTCC Game > < Need for Speed: Prostreet > < Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick (Silver/Black) > < NASCAR 2008 >

price：~~$6.10~~
KYE Systems America Corporation - GENIUS
Usually ships in 24 hours

customer 's review
(Good after some hassle)

(Awesome Product)

(Genius TwinWheel F1 Racing Wheel)

(A1 Steering Wheel!!)

(Great Pc Wheel)

The setup works great for both PC and PS2. BUT....it was a gift and when it arrived the lap adapter was not in the box. Disappointment to my son. After a couple phone calls, they finally agreed to send a new lap adapter which arrived about a week later. Would be 5 stars if they would have included the lap adapter to start.
This Genius Twin Wheel is great! The built in buttons are really convenient. Pedals have fast reaction. Totally give it a 5 star!
This product makes our driving games a lot more fun to play.
Being able to use it with both our PC and PS2 makes it an even better value. We are enjoying it a very much.
You get a lot more of what you paid for!
I used this wheel with the Colin Mcrae 4 (for PC) and its awesome.
You can get familiar with the wheel in 20 minutes of playing..after that you will play even better than with the keyboard.

The only problem that i found its that the wheel hub its made of plastic and it moves, just a little, to the front and to the back.

This pc Wheel is better than you would expect the vibration feature is what pushes over the top of the other 30 dollar pc wheels(can also be played with ps2)this is a great wheel its pedals are a little small same goes for the wheel but after a few runs with this wheel it wont bother you at all.
The Genius TwinWheel F1 is a 2 in 1 racing wheel for PS2 and PC and is just the thing to keep you in control when playing any racing games, especially the F1 racing campaign with the F1-like design. Get bumps, collisions, crashes, TwinWheel F1 comes with the Immersion-patented TouchSense technology and advanced vibration feedback function and feel every different action feeling that you make in the game.It includes a D-Pad and four action buttons for advanced control as gaming software requires, such as direction controls or horn and view change. Foot pedals provide real driving experience for brake and accelerate controls. With a central clamp for perfect stability and a lap attachment, TwinWheel F1 allows you to enjoy comfortable driving from your favorite couch or chair.Plus, the shifter gears mounted under the wheel for fast brake and acceleration or easily gear down/up. Are you ready for setting the TwinWheel F1? When the green flag drops, you'll be ready to outrace your opponents.
Rerations
< Genius Twin Wheel F1, mini Vibration, PC/PS2 combo wheel. Vibration Feedback F1 Racing Wheel. > < Gran Turismo 4 > < Race 07: Official WTCC Game > < Need for Speed: Prostreet > < Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick (Silver/Black) > freaks

Max. 334GB Formatted Capacity per DiskImproved recording stability over temperature with PMRSerial ATA 3.0Gbps Interface Support1tb hard drives, samsung hard drive, HD103UJAdvanced dynamic FOD control for best data integrity
< Samsung SpinPoint F1 Desktop Class HD103UJ - Hard drive - 1 TB - internal - 3.5" - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm - buffer: 32 MB > < StarTech.com 18IN SATA HARD DRIVE CABLE ( SATA18RA1 ) > < Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5 TB SATA 32 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Hard Drive ST31500341AS > < Thermaltake BlacX eSATA USB Docking Station > < Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz 8M L3 Cache 4.8GT/sec QPI Hyper-Threading Turbo Boost LGA1366 Processor > < Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Quad-Core Processor, 2.83 GHz, 12M L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB, LGA775 > < Seagate 1TB Barracuda 7200.11 Bulk/OEM Hard Drive ST31000340AS > < Hitachi Ultrastar A7K1000 - Hard drive - 1 TB - internal - 3.5" - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm - buffer: 32 MB >

price：~~$85.99~~
Samsung

customer 's review
(Cool, Fast&Quiet)

(Great Price but not a very good performer.)

(Superior quality)

(Awsome Drives)

(1TB of Data Goodness!)

I purchased 6 of these drives to use in a computer. One is the boot, and the other five for a RAID 5 array. The side of my computer case is still off as I haven't finished everything quite yet, but these drives are much quieter than the Maxtor 300 GB and 320 GB drives they replace. There are three Maxtor drives, one for the boot and two in a RAID 1 configuration.

The Samsung drives also run significantly cooler as well. The old drives ran under 32-bit Vista Ultimate; the new drives are running under 64-bit Vista Ultimate. In addition to being cooler, they are much quieter than the Maxtor 320 GB drive and slightly quieter than the Maxtor 300 GB drives.

I've read some reviews where others have commented that this drive is slower to spin up to ready than other drives. On average larger capacity drives tend to take additional time to come ready. The Samsung drives are in the ballpark (slightly faster, actually) when compared to drives in the same class from competitors.
The price point when I got this drive at the time (2 month ago) was great compare to all other 1tb drives around. So I gives this drive a try, and I was really disappointed with it. Because the drive seems to have a really long idle time, a lot longer than any of other 1tb drives I have. If you left it idle for a while, you have to wait 10+ second before it starts to work again. WD and Seagate drives have idle time, but much less than this drive do. I will never buy this again. I should've stayed with WD or Seagate Drives.
After reading the white papers and reviews available for this drive it was clearly not simply a replacement drive, but an upgrade.

The read-write speeds are incredible. Considering the configuration of the number - and the draw - of internal components within my systems; any additional draw on power supplies are calculated. Here it was negligible. In the first workstation I installed one of these, heat is a major consideration. This drive produced practically no heat compared to any drive I've used.

I wanted to wait for a period prior to writing a review to have the drive tested over time in a number of computers to see how it performed over time. The unit has proven a reliable high performance drive across the board.

As when reading reviews, each reader is looking to see if one covers their specific needs. I will disclose the specifics of my use. These drives are currently being run in Powermac G5s and Mac Pros. I have not tested this drive type in a PC. My use is in film and video post production, primarily visual effects. So the drives are genuinely tested. Massive files are written to from them. They are used for everything from being the drives with the OS and softs on them, to rendering.

While I'm sure they would perform as well in a PC, in Macs it has performed brilliantly.
I use these in my NAS box in a RAID array. They work great. Very fast read and right speeds.
Samsung's QTY 3x 334GB platters are arguably the most important element of the Spinpoint F1 desktop class Hard Drive not only because they represent a technical milestone that is a marked improvement over what the competitors has been able to accomplish to date.

The more data one can squeeze onto a hard drive platter, the higher its areal density. This influences performance because higher areal densities allow the drive head to access more data over shorter physical distances, which can lead to higher transfer rates.

Check out the specs it is true, the drive is indeed fast and quite in operation, Low power consumption leading to lower failure rates. 32MB buffer tops it up to be an excellent choice for 1TB HDD in the market today.

PROS:

[+] Quite and low power consumption
[+] Excellent Speed and performance
[+] Only 3 Platters

CONS:

[-] This drive is OEM and does not come with SATA Cable.

It is the best 1TB HDD around if you can find them below $100 dollars online it is a real deal. Go get it!

PRODUCT FEATURES:Serial ATA 3.0Gbps interface supportImproved recording stability over temperature with PMRAdvanced dynamic FOD control for best data integrityIntelligent compensation of external disturbanceSATA native command queuing featureDevice initiated SATA power managementStaggered spin-up supportEnvironment friendly product with RoHS complianceImproved performance with dual-ARM based firmwareATA S.M.A.R.T. compliantATA automatic acoustic management featureATA 48-bit address featureATA device configuration overlay featureNoiseGuardSilentSeekg NoiseGuard and SilentSeek? technologies to eliminate acoustic noise. The Spinpoint F1 utilizes Samsung-developed perpendicular recording technology, which helps the drive set new records in both a real density and platter capacity.The Spinpoint F1 requires fewer components than competing solutions while delivering enhanced reliability versus a 1TB drive with four or five disks or two 500GB disks. With fewer heads and disks, the F1 statistically has a lower probability of headdisk failures. According to estimates, this Samsung drive has a 50% lower failure rate than a two- 500GB-drive solution and as much as 31% fewer failures than five-platter 1TB drives.Servers, high-end desktops, RAID systems and DVRs are among the applications well suited to the Spinpoint F1 drive. The drive is available with desktop PC- or RAID-level reliability. Mean time between failures for RAID reliability is up to 1.2 million hours. A rotational vibration sensor enables the drive to operate more efficiently in a RAID environment.For consumer applications, a power-saving code reduces power consumption while AV-optimized firmware cuts time delays during AV data recording. In general, the Samsung drive offers a superior combination of density, recording quality and reliability.
Rerations
< Samsung SpinPoint F1 Desktop Class HD103UJ - Hard drive - 1 TB - internal - 3.5" - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm - buffer: 32 MB > < StarTech.com 18IN SATA HARD DRIVE CABLE ( SATA18RA1 ) > < Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5 TB SATA 32 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Hard Drive ST31500341AS > < Thermaltake BlacX eSATA USB Docking Station > < Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz 8M L3 Cache 4.8GT/sec QPI Hyper-Threading Turbo Boost LGA1366 Processor > freaks

Full Resolution Photography using 60 fps Ultra-High Speed Burst Mode !Capture the Crucial Moment...Beautifull Images of Exactly the Moment You Want...Every Time !High Speed Movie Recording at up-to 1200 fps !High Speed CMOS Sensor&New ChipBest Shot Function
< Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Digital Camera, 6.0 MP, with 60fps High Speed Burst Mode, Full HD Movies, 12x Optical, 4x Digital Zoom, 2.8" HP LCD Screen > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card with Card Reader TS16GSDHC6-S5W > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6 > < Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Battery (Premium Cells, 1950 mAh, 2-YR Warranty) (by Wasabi Power®) > < Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card Class 6 (SDSDX3-8192, Plastic Case) > < Casio Exilim EX-F1 6MP 12x Zoom 2.8-Inch LCD Pro Digital Camera with CMOS Shift Image Stabilization (Black) > < Kinetronics Digital Camera Cleaning Kit - contains: Cleaning Cloth and cleaning solution > < Tiffen Dfx Essentials Creative Digital Effects Software > < Adorama Professional Lens Cleaning Kit > < Lowepro Rezo TLZ20 Digital Camera Case and Gadget Bag > < Sunpak Digital Camera Flash Adapter >

price：~~$799.00~~
CASIO

customer 's review
(Clear pictures)

(Excellent slow motion camera, ok photos)

(Amazing technological advance)

(Great versatility, a bit compromised quality)

(The most usable hybrid camera money can buy?)

I really like this camera. It takes pictures fast enough to catch my baby grand daughter's fleeting smile, and the pictures are very clear.
Katie's Grandma- Danville, IL.
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1Y3VA7I9SJ9WVI bought this camera mainly for the high speed video capability, and I have not been disappointed. This camera's high speed video capabilities are far and away the best you can buy in this price range. In fact, I don't think there is anything on the market right now that can match these abilities even if you were willing to pay 2 or 3 times the price of the EX-F1.

High speed video
The closest competitors to the EX-F1 (besides Casio's other high speed video camera, the EX-FH20) are Sony's HD camcorders that can record 240 frames per second (although not in HD) for a whopping three seconds. I've never used one of these cameras, but I have to imagine the 3-second clip length limitation is quite cumbersome to work with. The EX-F1, by contrast, is limited only by a 4 GB file size cap. High speed video (at all three speeds) takes up about 2MB/sec of recording, meaning you can record for about 30 minutes in high speed mode before you reach that 4GB file size limit. Of course, it would take 300 minutes, or 5 hours, to watch back the whole clip if you were shooting 300 fps. That's a limitation I can live with.

The 1200 fps resolution is pretty small and pixilated, but I'm still glad to see that speed is available. I use it sometimes and the results can be quite interesting even if they are thumbnail-size.

One thing you may or may not be aware of is the amount of light required to shoot high speed video. High speed video, by definition, requires very fast shutter speeds. You must use at least 1/300th, 1/600th, or 1/1200th shutter speed to shoot 300, 600, or 1200 frames per second, respectively. Basically that means you need very bright lights or daylight. I can shoot 300 fps indoors with the aperture wide open at ISO 400 using 600W of light pointed directly on the subject. Anything less than that and your video will come out dark and/or grainy. See my youtube video on the subject called "Casio EX-F1 noise level test": [...]

High speed video downsides
I use this camera to shoot high speed video of things like skateboarding. I'll set up the camera on a tripod, start recording, and go try a trick. Often it takes lots of tries to land it, and if it takes me five minutes to land my trick, then I want to play it back to see how it looks. But the only way to get to the end of a video clip is to fast forward through the whole thing, and when you shoot at 300 fps, "fast forward" means about half real speed. That means I'd have to literally sit for ten minutes waiting for the camera to fast forward to the end of the clip so I can see what I just recorded. It would be really handy if there was some way to quickly skip to the part of the video you want to see, like if you could roll the dial and each click would jump 2.5% of the way though the clip, so 40 clicks would get you to the end of a video of any length. But there is no feature like that. Is someone from Casio reading this? Please add this feature or something like it.

Overall, though, I'd say this is an outstanding camera for high speed video and you won't find anything even close to it in a consumer level price range.

HD video
The high definition video looks great, but the problem is I can't edit the highest resolution (1080P) video. Sony Vegas will read 1080P AVCHD files from Sony and Panasonic cameras, but not Casio. I just discovered today that Sony Vegas 6.0a will, however, read 720P HD video from this camera. Since before today I didn't know of any way to edit my HD videos, I have shot very few. I have noticed that the focusing tends to "hunt" a little bit even when shooting in broad daylight. For me, HD video is a bonus because my primary usage of the camera is for high speed video.

Photos:
It may sound strange, but I have taken very few photos with this camera. I have a Canon 350D DSLR and also a Canon 5D DSLR, so I didn't buy the Casio for photos. And it's a good thing, because if your primary interest is photos, you can do better for $1,000 (try a Canon digital rebel). Of course, if you think you will have a lot of usage for the rapid-fire full resolution stills, you won't find another camera that can match that. It looks like a pretty cool feature, and I've tried it out just to see how it works, but I haven't had any real usage for that feature yet.

The macro capability is decent, but it captures the closest photos when the zoom is at its widest angle and you put the camera about an inch from your subject. Needless to say, it is quite difficult to light the subject when the camera lens is looming an inch away. You can move back a bit and zoom in, but the closest focus distance quickly increases as you zoom in, meaning you can't get as close of a macro shot.
This camera is outrageously good. I've never been able to get the perfect picture before. The speed at which you can capture full resolution pictures makes taking perfect shots very easy. This camera is ideal for capturing fast action. Since it will literally take pictures several seconds before you push the shutter button. It is ideal for almost any situation: waterskiing, children's funny faces, capturing the perfect sports action shots, etc.

The camera has a great range of zoom and can take very good pictures in low light because the flash goes off 7 time per second to give good speed and lighting!

On top of that the video is amazingly detailed both in regular HD 1080p or in the high speed capture that shows details you've never seen before.
The key features in this camera are its overall versatility and its much touted high speed video. In fact, at the time of writing this article, this is the only consumer level digital camera that can do this (some HD video cameras, such as Samsung VP-HMX20C also have this feature, but with take length limitations). Mind you, the high speed video can only be done in limited resolution. At top speed of 1200 frames per second, the resolution drops to 336× 96, which looks like viewing the action through a half-closed letterbox. As the shutter speed is high, you will also need plenty of light. Indoor lighting won't do at 1200fps, you will need daylight. At 300 fps the resolution is 512 × 384, which is OK for Youtube. Actually, if you're looking forsample videos, try searching Youtube for "EX F1".

About its versatility; this camera can do almost everything. It can go from macro to 12x - both of which also work in high speed, it can take both pictures and shoot full HD video with stereo sound. You can even take still snapshots while shooting video (not available during high speed). It has a 60fps burst shoot capacity which makes it easier to find the perfect moment. The burst shoot can also be used for "digital anti shake" which is handy for shooting distant objects at maximum zoom. I was looking for an automated time lapse feature though.

Handily, the EX-F1 saves its videos directly in H.264 QuickTime format. These pack quite well and are easy to scrub and edit. As a downside, the videos are quite heavily packed, which becomes very evident especially at 1200fps, when pixel motion gets so slow the motion estimation algorithms go overboard and cause warping.

However, whereas the high speed capacity is a nice extra the camera's designer obviously focused on, this technology comes at a price - compromises have been made to keep the price tag reasonable. The image stabilizer doesn't do its job quite as well as you would expect. The optics are not of as high quality as you would expect from a camera in this price range. The image and video packing introduces a lot of artifacts even at highest quality. The CCD is quite noisy, resulting grainy photos even in indoor lighting (considering this, a 60fps burst "digital noise reduction" mode would have been nice).

I can recommend this camera if you are primarily interested in the cool high speed video shooting ability. However, if your top priority is high quality photos, another camera may do a better job at the same price.

Make sure you get a high capacity SDHC memory card with this camera. It doesn't come with one, and HD video requires plenty (720p video fills your card at 1 Mb / second).

REVIEW REVISION, additional comment: There appears to be a lot of crosstalk between the Left and Right channels of the external microphone connector. I tried using the camera with ear-mounted binaural microphones (Soundman OKM Classik), and if I rub only the left microphone, the right channel also gets signal because of the crosstalk. This is usually not a problem, but it hampers the immersion of any binaural recordings. Casio customer support confirmed the crosstalk, but said there's nothing that can be done about it.

Pros:
+ Rather unique high speed super slow motion and burst shooting features
+ Very versatile general purpose camera for both videos and stills
+ Long optical zoom range
+ Fast to use, easy to switch from videos to stills and even take stills during video shooting
+ External microphone jack (with reservations, see above)
+ The menus are sensible and quick to access

Cons:
- No time lapse shot automation (would have been cool if the "time warp" worked both ways)
- The fast and sensitive CCD is rather noisy, resulting grainy photos
- Poor performance in low light conditions, even when shooting normal video or taking still photos
- The image stabilizer could work better
- Occasionally very slow auto focus when shooting video
I owned the predecessor, not this camera, but the Casio EX-F1 looks like the hybrid camera of my dreams, *if only the viewfinder flipped out to face the front*.

This looks like an excellent hybrid camera that will fit in the palm of the hand. Though the obsession with pixels that no one uses may never fade, 6M pixels is enough for large prints and should satisfy all non pros. (And some Pros for that matter. I have sold images from my Canon EOS 6.3MP.)

The ability to take a second or two of 6M pictures and choose the frame you want to save is superb for nature, sports and news photography. I heard of a US newspaper company getting their staff to use the Panasonic AG-HVX200 in order to be able to take photo-quality video and then choose the best frame. The Panasonic Pro AG-HVX200 costs 5300 USD.

One reviewer was right to call it "Casio's Time Machine," because

You can leave this camera running all the time, taking photos all the time, and then pressing the shoot button tells it to let you select a frame from x seconds before you pressed the button!

The slow motion at 300FPS is usuable and dreamy. It will brighten up anyones sports videos or just family pictures - see that expression, that toddler walking, that splash in slow motion.

And make no mistake, Video to SD card is the business. SD cards beat the pants off tape, and mini-DVD because you can access any video you have taken in any order like files on a HD. And SD cards are becoming so cheap (now<30USD for 8GB SD cards which will shoot 2 hours of HD movie) that soon people will purchase a new SD for each shoot to keep as backup like in the days of tape. SD video is P2 for the masses, at a realistic price.

Important for me is the fact that this camera has an external microphone input so you can take good sound and allow you to do reportage and interviews. So many Japanese cameras do not have a microphone input. The comparable Panasonic Panasonic HDC-SD9 does not have a microphone so when you shoot video you pick up all the sounds in the room. Speech and language are not so important in Japan. With this camera anone can vlog an interview of reportage to vimeo or (way surpassing the quality of) YouTube from location.

The only drawbacks I see are
1) The viewfinder no longer (as did the Casio Exilim EXP505) swings around so that one can video oneself and oneself with others. I feel that this is a major drawback in a hybrid. There are few video cameras that do not allow the viewfinder to be pointed forwards.

2) For me there is too much glass. 12 telephoto lense is nice very occasionally, but how often do non-bird watchers use them? How often can we keep the camera that still? I think that "12 X Zoom" is a lot like "12M pixels," both are numbers that people obsess on, but thave have little use. So, I wish that this camera had a shorter zoom and were a bit more pocketable, with a screw on telephoto for those that need it when they need it.

3) At the other end 36mm is a bit long to be able to video oneself I suspect. That probably means that a wide angle adapter will be needed when taking video, even not of oneself, because wide means less shakey.

I almost wish that hey had kept the previos Casio Exilim EXP505 super-light, pocketable, 5x zoom body and put the extra functionality inside. That would have been the ultimate in usability for me.

I have a Sanyo Xacti HD1A 5.1MP which is a reasonable competitor. I would prefer the Casio standard-SLR (non-gun) format, build quality, picture quality and all the time-machine features of this beast. But the Sanyo Xacti HD1A 5.1MP, and its latest incarnation the Sanyo Xacti HD1010, has a swivel front facing view-finder, so I will be staying with Sanyo at least until the next Casio comes out.

If you are looking for a good quality digital still and video camera all in one, and you don't video yourself, I recommend you purchase this Casio.
Full Resolution Photography using 60fps ultra-high speed burst mode captures the crucial moment..Beautifull images of exactly the moment you want...every time...Using the still image burst mode, users can shoot at an ultra fast 60 frames per second. In burst mode, the frame rate can also be varied from between 1 and 60 frames per second while shooting. Up to 60 shots at can be taken at once, so 60 shots per second for one second, or 5 shots per second for 12 seconds, are possible.Users can record images not just at the instant they press the shutter button, but before! Continuously recording at up to 60 images per second, a maximum of 60 images canbe saved in the camera's own buffer memory even before the shutter button is depressed. Even if users press the shutter a little late, they will still be able to catch that vital moment.Users can take photographs while, in the monitor, the momentary action that is before their eyes is displayed in slow motion. It is just as if they have sloweddown the passing of time. Users can unhurriedly observe the motion of the subject as they press the shutter, ensuring that they never miss that crucial moment.It is possible while using flash to take up to 20 continuous shots at a speed ofup to 7 frames per second, so even in low light, no more missed shots. Also, theinternal LED light allows high speed burst shooting at between 10 and 60 frames per second.The EXILIM Pro EX-F1 can record high speed mo
Rerations
< Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Digital Camera, 6.0 MP, with 60fps High Speed Burst Mode, Full HD Movies, 12x Optical, 4x Digital Zoom, 2.8" HP LCD Screen > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card with Card Reader TS16GSDHC6-S5W > < Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6 > < Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Battery (Premium Cells, 1950 mAh, 2-YR Warranty) (by Wasabi Power®) > < Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card Class 6 (SDSDX3-8192, Plastic Case) > freaks

10-Inch Active Matrix Tft Lcd Monitor4:3 High-Resolution Display Resolution: 800 X 600 Pixels Compatible Formats: Dvd/Vcd/Cd/Mp3/Cd-R/Cd-Rw/Dvd-R/Dvd-Rw/Mp4-Divs On-Screen Display
< PYLE PLRD103F 10.4-Inch TFT LCD Roof Mount DVD Monitor and IR/FM Transmitter > < InstallerNet Deluxe Mobile Video InstallCard >

price：~~$308.24~~
Sound Around
Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item.

10.4-Inch Active Matrix TFT LCD Monitor Built In DVD Disc Player 4:3 High Resolution Display Dual Dome Light Universal Roof Mount Console 45 Degree Swivel Screen Compatible Format's : DVD/VCD/CD/MP3/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-R/DVD-RW/MP4-DIVS Wide Angle, Off-Axix Visibility Video System : NTSC/PAL Resolution : 800 x 600 Pixels On Screen Display Wireless Remote Control RCA Video Input Output Picture ightness, Contrast, Saturation, Color Adjusting Built in IR Transmitter for Use with IR Headphones Built-in FM Transmitter Power Supply : DC 12V Dimension : 11.69-Inch x 11.81-Inch x 2.16-Inch

Sealed/Maintenance-Free - The valve regulated, spill-proof construction allows troublefree, safe operation in any position. There is no need to add electrolyte, as gases generated during overcharge are recombined in a unique "oxygen cycle."Valve Regulated Design - Our batteries incorporate a series of one-way low pressure valves. These self sealing valves allow the enting of any excess gasses that may be produced in the battery due to severe overcharging. Valve regulated batteries should nDesign Flexibility - Batteries may be used in series and/or parallel to obtain choice of voltage and capacity. Due to recent design breakthroughs, the same battery may be used in either cyclic or standby applications. Over 60 models are available to choosRugged Construction - The high impact resistant battery case is made of nonconductive ABS plastic to UL94-HB. This material imparts very good resistance to shock, vibration, chemicals and heat. Certain models feature flame retardant (FR) cases/covers toWide Operating Temperature Range - Power-Sonic batteries may be discharged over a temperature range of -40C to +60C (-40F to +140F) and charged at temperatures ranging from -40C to +50C (-40F to +122F)
< Powersonic PS-1270F1 - 12 Volt/7 Amp Hour Sealed Lead Acid Battery with 0.187 Fast-on Connector > < Philips Sonicare ProResults HX6013 Brush Head Standard 3pk > < D-Link DUB-H7 High Speed USB 2.0 7-Port Hub > < Philips Sonicare Advance (A-Series) Replacement Brush Head, Standard (2-Pack) > < Memorex White CD Labels, Matte Finish. 300 Count (32020403) > < PSP Protective Filter >

price：~~$13.65~~
PowerSonic

customer 's review
(Price)

The price was very good. I like shopping Amazon.com a lot. I used this inexpensive battery instead of purchasing a new lighting system for my camera, which would have been more than I could afford.
Power-sonic has more than 30 years experience in the battery industry. Their products are sold worldwide for a broad range of electronic and industrial applications where cost effective DC power is required.
Rerations
< Powersonic PS-1270F1 - 12 Volt/7 Amp Hour Sealed Lead Acid Battery with 0.187 Fast-on Connector > < Philips Sonicare ProResults HX6013 Brush Head Standard 3pk > < D-Link DUB-H7 High Speed USB 2.0 7-Port Hub > < Philips Sonicare Advance (A-Series) Replacement Brush Head, Standard (2-Pack) > < Memorex White CD Labels, Matte Finish. 300 Count (32020403) > freaks

Single floorstanding loudspeakerExclusive square Tractrix(R) Horn technologyEquipped with one 6.5" woofer and one 1"aluminum dome tweeterPower handling: 85 w (340 w peak)Frequency response: 38Hz - 23kHz +/-3dB
< Klipsch F-1 Synergy FloorStanding Loudspeaker (Single, Black) > < Monster Standard¿ THX-Certified Speaker Cable (100 Feet) > < Klipsch Synergy C-2 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Black) > < Klipsch Synergy C-1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Silver) > < Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) > < Klipsch Synergy SUB-10 Subwoofer Speaker (Single, Black) > < AudioQuest X-2 bulk speaker cable - 14 AWG 30' (9.14m) spool - white jacket > < AudioQuest X-2 bulk speaker cable - 14 AWG 30' (9.14m) spool - gray jacket >

price：~~$0.50~~
Klipsch
Usually ships in 24 hours

customer 's review
(Outstanding Speakers)

(Hearing is Believing)

(Clear)

These speakers are absolutely wonderful. I have them hooked up to a Yamaha HTR-5940 receiver. I am using them as the front channel speakers, along with an S-2 as a center (got a good deal from a friend), and B-2s as surrounds, along with a Sub-12.

Sound Quality:
The F-1s shine no matter what I am using them for. They are superb for stereo listening, and they handle the front effects channels for 5.1 very well too. They handle all types of music very well.

Appearance/Size
These speakers are slim. They are of the perfect height that the drivers are at ear level when sitting on a couch. The grills look nice, but I prefer to keep them off because I think the speakers look much cooler without them. I went to a retailer and was looking at the synergy speakers and the F-2s and F-3s are so big and heavy that they'd be kind of a pain for me, but the F-1s are easy enough to move around if you're just trying to clean behind them.

Connections:
The F-1 is ready for bi-wiring, but I tried it and didn't notice any difference so I went back to single wiring for simplicity's sake. The binding post type connectors are great because they accept thick speaker wire without any issues, or you can use banana plugs.

Note: The finish is not exactly "easily" damaged, but it can't take too much of a beating either, so be delicate with these speakers (of course, you would be delicate with any audio equipment anyway, right?).

Overall, these are great speakers. Well worth the price.
If you choose a smaller room for your home theater like I have these towers will impress you every time. I have these plus the matching center, surrounds and sub mated to a THX rated Yamaha receiver. I usually get one of two reactions from people after hearing my system; "I need to re-calibrate my system" or "I need to upgrade". And that is coming from HT buffs that have spent much more than I. The bottom line is amazing performance for the money. I would imagine to get the same performance in medium to large rooms the F-2 or F-3 may be needed.
For a set of low-end tower speakers, the F-1's have clean highs (thanks to the Klipsch horn tweeter) and the mids are very precise. The base is weaker than I prefer, so a separate sub is recommended. I've been using these for about a month with my PS3/Xbox360 on a Harman Kardon AVR 146, and I am still hearing things in movies and games that I missed with my JBL's.
The Klipsch F-1 Synergy floorstanding loudspeaker offers a winning combination of powerful bass with remarkable detail and high volumes with low distortion, making it a perfect delivery source for today's advanced digital music formats. The F-1's virtuosity comes from its 6.5" IMG woofer and 1" aluminum dome compression driver coupled to an exclusive square Tractrix(R) Horn. It also features a custom, sculpted port that is located on the front baffle near the floor for intense low-frequency extension. The F-1 offers bi-wire capabilities allowing the use of one or two speaker level inputs as desired for improved connectivity. Available in a black finish with titanium accents, the contemporary look of the F-1 is two-fold. With its grille on, the F-1 offers a sense of elegance that nicely blends in with your home décor, but take the grille off and you get an aggressive and powerful statement that exudes extreme performance.
Rerations
< Klipsch F-1 Synergy FloorStanding Loudspeaker (Single, Black) > < Monster Standard¿ THX-Certified Speaker Cable (100 Feet) > < Klipsch Synergy C-2 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Black) > < Klipsch Synergy C-1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Silver) > < Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) > freaks

Standard lens with large maximum aperture of F1.4It creates sharp images with high contrast and ensures superior peripheral brightnessIncorporates molded glass aspherical lens, perfectly correcting coma aberration and creating superior image qualitySuper multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghostingHyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensuring silent, high-speed AF
< Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras > < Tiffen 77mm UV Protection Filter > < Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras > < Hoya 77mm UV (Ultra Violet) Multi Coated Glass Filter > < Canon BP511A 1390mAh Lithium Ion Battery Pack for Select Digital Cameras and Camcorders > < Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras > < Dolica CF3-ND77 77mm 0.3ND 2X Neutral Density Filter > < Dolica CF-C77 77mm CPL Filter > < Dolica CF-U77 77mm UV Filter > < Dolica CF9-ND77 77mm 0.9ND 8X Neutral Density Filter > < Tiffen 77mm 80B Filter >

price：~~Too low to display~~
Sigma Corporation
Usually ships in 24 hours

customer 's review
(Yes, it's better than Canon's 50mm F1.4 lens!)

(The lens that never leaves my camera)

(The best 50mm around, but bulky and pricy)

(Perfect people lens)

(Sigma for the Canon crowd)

This review is three pages long. The first section which is 1 page in length does not cover this lens in particular but rather goes into lens basics such as primes vs. zooms and benefits of wide aperture. The second section reviews this lens in detail. Experienced photographers can skip straight to the second setion starting from BUILD QUALITY.

YES ITS BETTER THAN CANON'S 50MM F1.4 LENS!

Out the box this lens is impressive. Better yet on camera it's more impressive. The lens hosts some of the best performance features and specs any medium telephoto lens can offer including razor sharp images (at par with Canon's best lenses), fast and accurate focus, and breath taking Bokeh (blur) quality. All of this comes enclosed in a high quality all metal body bundled with essential accessories all for under half a grand. For me this is value 101. But before getting into details lets answer the question why buy a prime lens like this Sigma?

PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS

There are two main unique benefits to this lens A) it's a prime B) it offers a wide maximum aperture.

Primes come in fixed focal lengths, making it essential to physically move back and forth to reduce and enlarge the frame coverage respectively. Zoom lenses on the other hand can reduce or enlarge the frame coverage with a twist of a ring. Traditionally, the main advantage of primes is that they are lighter, smaller, sharper, control distortion better, and come in wider maximum aperture. Over the years and with the advent of better zoom lenses those advantages have eroded. New zoom lenses are as sharp and control distortion as well as primes. Size and weight, however, remain a prime advantage. That being said most photographers are more than willing to overlook this aspect for the convenience of having multiple focal lengths in one zoom lens.

The last advantage in the list, wide maximum aperture, remains prime territory and has so far remained off limits to zooms. The maximum aperture for 35mm compatible zoom lenses is f2.8. That's 2 stops narrower (slower) than Sigma's f1.4 aperture. (Side note: some zoom lenses have wider aperture including Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0. Before you get excited, however, this lens is made for the Olympus much smaller four thirds sensor cameras. The four thirds system has its own short comings and the lenses are not compatible with 35mm cameras.)

The advantage of wide aperture is that it increases exposure speed. Hence, opening the lens wider by one stop increases shutter speed by half (up from 1/100 to 1/200 for example), which better freezes action and reduces the effects of camera shake on the final image. The second main advantage is that wider aperture reduces depth of field or focus range. In portrait photography that creates a beautiful separation in the form of blurred details between the subject and background.

There are additional minor, but still great, advantages to wider aperture. Since lenses stay open at their maximum aperture, a larger opening allows more light to reach the camera focus sensor and the view finder. The result is faster and more accurate focusing and much brighter viewfinder.

Keep in mind you are looking at a normal field of view lens made for 35mm cameras. On a 1.6 crop factor camera such as the Canon 40D, 500D, Rebel XTI, etc the field of view is like 85mm (50x1.6) on FF cameras. Standing 6-7 feet in front of a subject with this lens on a 1.6 crop factor camera held horizontally covers the top quarter of the body (chest up to head). Using this lens on a FF or 35mm sensor size camera at the same distance and orientation covers well over half the body. On a 1.6 form factor camera the field of view this lens offers is perfect for window lit portraits. On a FF camera the field of view this les offers is perfect for environmental (portraits that include the environment around the subject) and office portraits.

BUILD QUALITY

The build and size of this lens conveys quality. One thing that I didn't like was the lens surface which is covered with Sigma's mat finish. I don't like the finish but it's certainly better than plastic. I read that the finish gradually peels off and in a year's time can leave a mess behind. None of that happened to my one month old lens, but time will tell whether this is a common problem or not. I just wish they left the metal body bare, but I guess the mat finish provides a better grip surface over bare metal.

WEIGHT AND SIZE

The lens is pretty much all metal, making it far superior to the Canon's 50mm 1.4 mostly plastic body. That being said, the all metal body comes at a price; it's not cost its weight. The Sigma weights about 1LBS (500g, 16oz), where as the Canon weights (290g, 10oz). For me the weight is no issue but some might find the weight a little objectionable. Size wise the Sigma is about the size of the Canon 85mm f1.8, which is about 2.7". I find this size/weight combination perfect for balancing my camera. Especially so for countering the force required to press the shutter release button. In comparison the Canon 50mm is about 2" which I find a bit short to hold while mounted to the camera (I have long hands).

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES

The lens comes with a hood and protective pouch. Since those two items not included with the Canon you need factor their cost when comparing both lenses. My guess is that Canon's equivalent accessories cost minimum $50. Hence, you might want to factor that cost when comparing both lenses. The hood mount design is much easier to use than Canon's hood mount. Though, the locking click feels a bit too soft, I fear it might wear out over time.

PERFORMANCE

Since I do not own the Canon 50mm f1.4 I will compare this lens to Canon's 85mm f1.8 lens. I have owned and used that lens for over three years and find its performance amazing. In fact, by most accounts the 85mm lens out performs the 50mm and is also considered one of Canon's best lenses. Hence this will set the bar high for Sigma. Take note that I also have extensive experience with the 50mm through in store tests and lots of online research.

SHARPNESS AND DISTORTION

Since the Sigma features and specifications read like a dream list, I had high expectations for this lens. I can gladly confirm that the lens delivers to my expectations. Sharpness is at par with the 85mm f1.8, which is a big statement since the 85mm is one canons sharpest lenses. Chromatic and flare distortion are well controlled in the Sigma, outperforming Canon's 85mm in both areas by a good margin. Vignetting also seems very well controlled and better than Canon 85mm. I would rate the Sigma as excellent in all of the above areas.

FOCUS

From the onset focus accuracy was recognized as the weak spot of this lens. Therefore, I observed the focus performance of this lens very closely. I never encountered any of the reported focus problems. It seems the first few production batches had some issues. Judging from my lens, which is a later production model, the problem was ironed out. Testing the focus using F1.4 aperture I encountered no front or back focus problems. The lens quickly focuses on the selected focus point. The speed is impressive and it seems to be at par with my Canon 85mm. Throughout my in store tests the Canon 50mm f1.4 focused slower than the 85mm and was a little noisy. Therefore, I can confirm that the Sigma focus will be quicker and quieter than Canon 50mm f1.4.

BOKEH(BLUR)QUALITY

The final feature, and perhaps most important in this lens, is the boken (blur quality). I researched this matter extensively online and came to the conclusion that Sigma's blur pattern is superior to Canon's 50mm f1.4. My practical experience with this lens confirms this. The lens produces the most beautiful blur among all of my other Canon lenses. The bokeh seems more uniform and stronger in effect, almost a dreamy(r) effect. Perhaps this is due to the lens aperture design which includes 9 blades vs. Canon's 8 blades.

ONLY QUIBBLE

My only quibble, is that the lens aperture only goes up to f16 which is really not an issue because I didn't buy this lens for landscape, but this can be limiting when I am doing food photography. Depending on the setting f16 isn't always enough to bring the content of the dish into full focus. On the plus side the lens wide aperture (1.4) makes the viewfinder much brighter for easier manual focusing.

TAKE NOTE

For the price and performance this lens is truly a dream come true for natural portrait photographers. The lens can be opened to its widest aperture to isolate the subject with shallow depth of field. This also provides faster shutter speeds which reduces camera shake effects on the final image.

For landscape photographers keep in mind that since this lens aperture starts at f1.4, it achieves best sharpness between f2.8-f4.0 (around 2-3 f stops above maximum aperture). Below that range the lens sharpness will start to degrade. Thus, if you intend to use this lens for fine art/large print landscape photography you might want to test it against another lens with a lower maximum aperture such as f2.8. At f2.8 a typical lens will achieve best sharpness around f5.6-f8.0. That's the range most photographers start with to capture landscape scenes in full detail. This lens sharpness will start to degrade well before that.

Last but least, the minimum focus range with this lens is 45cm or 17" half the required distance by Canon 85mm lens. The Canon 50mm also offers 45cm minimum focus distance. I find this feature very useful when photographing small things like newborn kittens for example. It allows me to get much closer and fill the frame with the object/subject while still maintaining focus.

I bought this lens as my 6th 50mm lens. Granted 3 are Canon mount and the other three are Sony Alpha mount. I bought it because it was said to be sharp wide open - and it is! The only other 50 that is so is the Canon 50mm f2.5 [quasi] macro.

I love the color, contrast and sharpness of this lens on my A700. It is fast focusing and hits more than any other 50mm that I own. It is way more reliable than the Canon 50mm f1.4 for sure. From f2.8 on the Sony 50mm f1.4 is its equal and the Canon version is close. I choose this lens over my cz24-70mm f2.8 mostly due to the superior DOF and low light capability.

The only thing about this lens that might be a draw back is that it only only goes up to f16. If I need higher than that I have to use my Sony 50mm. Usually, I rarely go beyond f11.

I would recommend this lens to to anyone looking for a fast focusing, sharp and reliable 50mm.
Following the success of Sigma 30mm f/1.4, Sigma launches 50mm f/1.4. It is Sigma premium prime lens ($475 street) The build quality of this lens is very sturdy.

Mounted in Canon Rebel XSi / 450D, the lens body texture is very pleasant to grip. It is heavier than other prime lenses but it is not a big issue. The lens cap from Sigma has a similar built quality like the lens body. Unfortunately the lens front and rear cap are made from cheap plastic and quite flimsy.

The manual focus bar is wide, smooth and anti creep. Overall this lens has an excellent body construction, up to par with pro grade lens.

Due to the big aperture, the lens are wider than other prime lens, this is helpful for people with average to big hand.

Auto focus operation is fast and quiet due to Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM). I use it many times to take indoor basketball games without problem. But in low light/contrast situation such as sunset or dark skin tone, occasionally the lens has problem to lock in the target.

I took several snap shot today to test this lens wide open, the result is impressive. The result is good contrast, and very smooth bokeh or blur due to shallow depth of field. Chromatic Aberration is almost not existent even in aperture wide open.

Mounted in small sensor camera (Canon Rebels, X0D series, Nikon D40 up to D300, Sony and Pentax digital slr cameras), this lens is equivalent to 80mm (medium telephoto). This focal length and big aperture is ideal for portrait. Other purpose will be shooting in low light condition such as indoor sports or art performance.

In Sony or Pentax body, this lens will gain advantage of the image stabilization which gain 1-2 stops than Nikon or Canon cameras.

The lens will come with a lens box to store lens when it is not in use. Extra cushion is provided to absorb shock. Check out sample pictures at my blog, radiantlite.com

Competition: For Canon shooter, the alternative will be Canon 50mm f/1.4. Although the built-quality is not as good as the Sigma, this lens is smaller and lighter. It is cheaper as well. The image quality with aperture wide open f/1.4 is not as good as Sigma.

Personal rating:
Image Quality : Excellent 5/5
Build Quality : Excellent 5/5
Price value: 3/5
I bought this with fears of getting a bad sample, which seem to be rampant if one is to believe what one reads on the Internet. I am glad I took the plunge. I compared it to my old made in Japan 50mm 1.8 and recently purchased 50mm 1.4G. Needless to say I returned the 1.4G and I am selling the 1.8.

Pros:
- Tack sharp at f2.0
- Fast AF
- Beautiful color
- Great Bokeh
- Size, I love large well-built lenses
- Focal length is actually between 47-48mm, Nikon and Canon 50's are closer to 52-53mm. I wanted a 35mm 1.4, but unlike Canon, Nikon nor any third-party manufacture have a viable AF option for the Nikon FX

Cons:
- Because of the large filter design I expected slightly better vignette control on full frame sensors.
- Corners are a little soft at 1.4 on the full frame. Because of the sweet spot on cropped sensors, the corners were very good on my back-up D200. (Please note that is was still sharper then the other two 50mm lenses)
- Price (after all, it's still just a 50mm)
- Nikon elitist will scuff at you for owning a Sigma

Bottom Line:
It's not perfect, nor is the highly praised Nikon 70-200 AF-S VR. Both are great lenses and there are no other options, so one has to make compromises, and believe I have made much bigger compromises (like the never sharp 35mm 1.4 AIS, which by the way is f1.4!). If Nikon made a better lens it would cost $1300+.

Canon has the 50L as an option, unfortunately Nikon users are stuck with a slow AF sub-par 50mm G or the old 50mm D (faster AF then AF-S G on D700) that was designed for film, is less sharp then the 1.8 and very susceptible to flare. I have zero regrets.
Let me start by saying that I primarily own Canon L lens - from the 35L to the 300L, with a lot in between. I formerly owned a Sigma which I sold because it just wasn't up to the Canon standards. It took a lot of thinking to try this Sigma 50 f1.4. And I am glad I did - it is a winner and a keeper.

Compared to the Canon 50 f1.4 (of which I have owned 3 copies): bigger, sharper, gorgeous bokeh (creamy, smooth background). The Sigma also comes with a hood,( which I always use so is an additional cost when I bought the Canon 50), as well as an extremely nice zippered padded pouch which fits on a belt--easily another $20 expense. So the price of the two lens is very close.

The Sigma simply produces better images for me. It focuses very quickly and accurately, is nice to work with and I like the feel and heft of it. Bigger than the canon, but quite well balanced. I have had no problems whatsoever and this will be my keeper. She's earned a permanent place in my camera bag. Sigma also offers an outstanding warranty so if you should have problems they will stand behind their lens.
The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the new large aperture 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM standard lens. This is a large aperture prime lens with a standard focal length of 50mm, ideal for all digital SLR cameras. This lens has superior peripheral brightness even at the maximum aperture and corrects a possible sagittal coma flare. This lens is perfectly suited for a wide range of subjects enabling outstanding, sharply defined images against a nicely blurred background. The fast, F1.4 aperture makes this lens desirable for use with Digital SLR cameras. This lens effectively becomes a 80mm medium telephoto lens on digital cameras with APS-C size image sensors. The optimum optical design and molded glass aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations. The super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting. Superior optical performance is also ensured throughout the focusing range. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 17.7" (45cm) and has maximum magnification of 1:7.4. It creates a very attractive blur, even when a small aperture is used. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well as full-time manual focus override. Minimum Aperture - F16 Filter Size - Diameter 77mm / 3 in. Dimensions - Diameter 84.5mm X Length 68.2mm / 3.3 in. X 2.7 in. Weight - 505g / 17.8 oz
Rerations
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