Update Firmware EX1R Sony

Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam Camcorder

Specifications: there are many of us who still love to watch our home videos on DVDs and fortunately, there are still a handful of camcorders in the market that records videos straight into DVDs. The Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam camcorder does just that and also have the option of recording to a flash card or its 16GB internal memory. This model comes with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, 2000x of digital zoom and 60x of optical zoom. it has a 2.7-inch rotating LCD display and ships with a AC adapter, battery pack, AV cable, USB cable and its application software.

Design: The Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam camcorder measures at 2.2 x 5.1 x 3.5 inches and weighs at just 13.8 ounces. although it is still quite portable, it is a little bulkier than other camcorders. This is due to the fact that it has to accommodate a DVD in it. for a DVD camcorder, it is pretty compact. it sport Sony’s signature design features, with rounded curves, and decorated by shades of black, silver and gray.

Features & Performance: One of my favorite features on the Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam camcorder is the old fashioned ‘optical viewfinder’ that is quite uncommon in camcorders nowadays. when you are low on battery. The ‘optical viewfinder’ lets you shoot videos without using the LCD display. The camera is automatically switched on when you flip out the LCD screen and it comes with a zoom microphone.

The zoom microphone automatically focuses on the subjects that you are shooting, minimizing the effects of background noises. The quality of the videos at night could be improved (but maybe I haven’t found the right settings yet), the those taken under regular lighting conditions were very clear and sharp. at the time of writing, the Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam camcorder is price at around $280 each, which is quite reasonable. as far as DVD camcorders go, it is currently one of the best in the market.

Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam Camcorder

Sony News

Sigma introduces CSC lenses

Sigma has introduced two new compact system camera lenses, almost a year after announcing its intention to manufacture third party lenses for hybrid models.

The lenses will be available in Micro four Thirds mounts for Olympus and Panasonic and E-mount for the Sony NEX-series.

First to enter the range is the 30mm f/2.8 EX DN lens and the 19mm f/2.8 EX DN lens. Both lenses are equipped with Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer coating, which is designed to reduce flare and ghosting while still providing sharp and high-contrast images even when shooting at maximum aperture.

The lenses also use a newly developed linear autofocus motor, which moves the unit directly, without needing gears or other mechanical parts. this enables accurate and quiet autofocusing, which also helps when recording video.

Specifications

On Micro four Thirds systems, the 30mm lens has an equivalent 35mm focal length of 60mm, while on the APS-C sized E-mount system, the effective length is 45mm. it has a minimum focusing distance of 11.8 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:8:1.

Featuring two glass moulded aspherical lenses, including a double-sided aspherical lens, Sigma claims that the lens provides excellent correction for all types of aberration. An inner focusing system to correct the fluctuation of aberration to maintain image quality regardless of the focal distance is also included. A rounded, seven blade diaphragm also delivers smooth out of focus (bokeh) areas.

Meanwhile, the 19mm lens has an equivalent view of 38mm in 35mm terms on Micro four Thirds cameras, or 28.5mm on E-mount cameras. it has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9 inches, and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:7.4. three glass moulded aspherical lenses provide correction for distortion, colour aberration and field curvature. again, a seven-blade diaphragm has been included for pleasing bokeh.

The Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN and Sigma 19mm f/2.8 EX DN UK prices are not yet known, nor is availability.

Sigma introduces CSC lenses

Walmart.com Has Slowest Shipping, Costco.com Has Fastest – The Consumerist

Two days before school starts and you need those pencils and TI-89 calculators, stat? If online shopping is the route you’re going, Costco will get it to you faster than Walmart, says a new survey.

STELLAservice mystery-shopped several major online retailers to see how they stacked up. Costco came out in front with an average shipping time of 1.5 days. Walmart, QVC and Belk brought up the rear with 5.5 days.

Of course physically going to the store is the fastest with zero days of shipping, and if you plan ahead and order in advance it doesn’t matter when you place your purchase, but if the physical stores don’t have what you want or you’re short on time, it can be helpful to know which stores will get the stuff to you the fastest.

Back to school? Shop at Costco.com [STELLA blog]

from ConsumerReports.org:

Walmart.com Has Slowest Shipping, Costco.com Has Fastest – The Consumerist

Speed Reading Video – How to Read a Book Fast

Speed reading video tutorials have become one of the best materials for rapid reading. this is a bit convenient compared to other instructional materials because you get to see the person giving you instructions on how to do the techniques and methods. the video teaches you to understand the text while incorporating some images. this is more comprehensible because the mind can easily recall the image compared to the texts.

Whether you use a video or an ebook, or audio instructional materials, the concept of rapid reading is not changed. you are still stuck in this question: How to read a book fast? Well, the techniques are very simple but you need a regular practice to master the skills in comprehension and reading. One of the things that you notice when you read a sentence is that you read everything like the, a, and. These are some of the words that you do not need to read. but make sure that you do not ignore the words like not and no because they entail different meaning.

Do you know that a person can actually read 350-500 words in every minute? this is because they are able to practice and develop their skills in reading. you also have to give credits to these people because they can read with comprehension. you may think that this is impossible but it is not as long as you are able to make use of suggested methods and strategies when you read.

One of the things that you have to learn is to read using the letters a, e, i, o, and u. Instead of reading the words on the text, reading them as a e i o u repeatedly until the you are done with the whole paragraph. this is a bit difficult at first but with constant practice, you will know that reading the words using the vowels will increase your speed in reading. the speed reading video also portrays how you should read a text using the vowels. it is much like of a reading a poem with a tone.

You also have to stop rereading. you do have to put everything in your mind. it means that you are not expected to read everything. Once is enough. there are lots of information and ideas that you can find on the text that you read. so do not have to pressure yourself to reread those paragraphs that you missed.
You also have to skim the whole text before you start reading. it means you get the over view of the whole text. if you are asked to read a book, you can take a look at the table of contents and see if there are chapters in the book that will provide you with some answers. if there is none, then pick another book.

It is also helpful if you time your reading. every time you read something, try to do this so that you will be able to know if there is a progress in your skill. Then try to answer the set of questions at the end of every text you are reading to test your comprehension skills.

The speed reading video and other instructional materials have all these techniques and methods so whether you choose any of these materials, you will still be able to get the right applications.

Speed Reading Video – How to Read a Book Fast

9 Great Phones at CES 2012

Here are the coolest, most significant phones announced at CES 2012.

This has been a heck of a year for phones. We’re fast approaching the point where smartphone users outnumber regular cell phone users here in the U.S. consequently, we expected big things out of CES 2012—and it looks like we got them for the most part.

In fact, many of the best announcements at CES 2012 happened either just before or at the start of the show. this year’s lineup of goodies includes a heavy focus on next-generation 4G LTE data networks—including from Sprint, in a marked shift away from 4G WiMAX—plus plenty of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)-powered phones, NFC chips, dual-core processors, and even 12 and 16-megapixel camera sensors all vying for the spotlight.

Apple wasn’t at the show as usual. but the story still centers around iOS and Android, as those are the top two smartphone platforms now. HP killed off webOS this year. Research in Motion was a non-factor and only showed off more of the same, albeit with a few significant OS revisions. The real comeback story could lay with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5, a slick OS that’s getting a big push thanks to more advanced hardware, Nokia’s return to the U.S. market, and a vast increase in the number of third-party apps available. still, it’s a steep hill for Nokia and Microsoft to climb.

With all that in mind, here are the coolest, most significant phones announced at CES this year. many of these should hit stores by the second quarter, so get ready to count off the remaining months on your current two-year contract.

LG Spectrum (Verizon Wireless) High-definition phones are beginning to appear in earnest. The LG Spectrum sports an ultra-sharp 720p screen in a slimmer, lighter form factor than the existing (and also 720p) HTC Rezound. In addition to 720-by-1280-pixel resolution, the screen is “advanced high-def IPS,” which to our eye looks brighter than other phones we’ve seen at least on the show floor. Text appears stunningly crisp even at tiny font sizes. It also packs a video editing program and an HD-specific app store, which the Spectrum should handle easily thanks to its 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 4G LTE network support . No Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box, but LG is promising an update by June 2012.

Motorola Droid 4 (Verizon Wireless) The Motorola Droid 4 may be the nicest QWERTY Android phone yet, with a sleek slider design, a laser-cut five-row QWERTY keyboard with sharp edge lighting, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and (finally) 4G LTE data speeds. It also works with Motorola’s array of Webtop mode accessories, including 10- and 14-inch Lapdocks, an HD Docking Station for the living room, and a Vehicle Navigation Dock. this one could push the remaining BlackBerry users—the ones dedicated to their hardware keyboards—over the line to Android if RIM doesn’t right its ship soon.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Sprint) The first flagship Ice Cream Sandwich phone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, jumps over to Sprint, adding back the Google Wallet capability that Verizon Wireless had disabled along the way. The oversized 4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen and dual-core processor are impressive, but in this case take a back seat to LTE—Sprint’s brand new, next-generation 4G network that it’s powering up in 10 cities by the middle of this year.

LG Viper (Sprint) The Galaxy Nexus may have the spotlight, but the LG Viper could be Sprint’s Q-ship for 2012. It may snag even more buyers, thanks to its more manageable 4-inch screen size, brushed metal back panel, and lower price than the Galaxy Nexus. It only runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) out of the box, but its LTE radio, dual-core processor, and NFC compatibility mean it still has the future in mind.

Sony Xperia Ion (AT&T) The first Sony-branded smartphone, the Xperia Ion offers a stunning 4.6-inch, 720-by-1280-pixel (720p) glass screen and a 12-megapixel camera. under the hood is a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that can handle PlayStation-caliber games in addition to music and video. Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) is the unfortunate default OS, but Sony is promising an ICS upgrade later this year. Sony is still sorting out just which PlayStation games will work on this thing (PS1? PS2? Xperia Play? Tablet?), but it’s clear the Xperia Ion will be a serious competitor on its arrival in the second quarter.

HTC Titan II (AT&T) America’s first 16-megapixel camera phone is here, and it’s a doozy. The massive HTC Titan II sports Windows Phone 7.5, LTE data speeds, and a 4.7-inch screen, and can snap photos with a resolution of 4,640-by-3,840 pixels. The rest of its specs aren’t as impressive, thanks to some leftover Microsoft-specified restrictions, but you still get a fast (single-core) 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 processor, 480-by-800-pixel screen resolution, 720p camcorder, and 16GB of internal storage (albeit with no memory card slot).

Nokia Lumia 900 (AT&T) now this is what we were waiting for. Nokia finally shows off its first high-end Windows Phone 7 device, as the preceding Nokia Lumia 710 was too budget-oriented to inspire much buzz. The LTE-equipped Lumia 900 packs an 8-megapixel-camera, Carl Zeiss optics, and a 4.3-inch AMOLED Clear Black display. As part of Microsoft’s last CES keynote, the powerful Nokia Lumia 900 may be a fitting sendoff.

Huawei Ascend P1 S (Carrier TBA) Who would have expected the world’s thinnest smartphone to come from Huawei? The Ascend P1 S is just 0.26 inches thick, which is two hundredths of an inch thinner than the Motorola Droid RAZR. The Ascend P1 S impresses in other ways too, with a 4.3-inch, 540-by-960-pixel Super AMOLED display, a 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460 dual-core processor, a pair of cameras, and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) preloaded. No word on a carrier yet for this one, though.

Lenovo K800 (China’s Unicom) Intel’s Atom chip was fine for low-power netbooks, but it has traditionally been too power-hungry for smartphones. The Lenovo K800 could change that, at least in China—and, if successful, finally brand Intel as a player in the smartphone market, after years of empty promises and false starts. The K800 is no slouch otherwise, either, with a 4.5-inch, 720p multi-touch screen, Wi-Di, and a massive battery. We’re keeping a close eye on this one, as well as Intel’s other deal with Motorola, which could bring us a U.S. device sooner rather than later.

9 Great Phones at CES 2012

The Sony Xperia S Offers a 12 Megapixel Camera for HD Video Recording

The Sony Xperia S offers a 12 megapixel camera for HD video recording and photo capture along wit ha front facing 720 pixel camera for video calls also. The handset has a large 4.3 inch High Definition display with LED backlit BRAVIA technology among its many attributes too.

The slim unibody touch screen handset is available in black or white and offers a stunning display through which you can access some amazing features all on your mobile. The powerful rear facing camera offers 12 megapixel resolution and is capable of recording video in full 1080 pixel High Definition respectively, via the touch of a button. Digital zoom is 16 times, perfect for getting a closer picture or from snapping when further away from your subject. there is also touch and auto focussing, red-eye reduction, both face detection and recognition and an LED flash. The low value (f/2.4) aperture means that the lens opening is larger and therefore allows more light in to reach the image sensor. Additionally, there is a CMOS Exmor R sensor which automatically enhances photos when taken in poor light conditions.

The Xperia S is powered by a 1.5 Gigahertz dual core processor to speedily offer you the Android 2.3 operating system, which is upgradable, and allows you to choose which shortcuts go where and more on your home screen. The Android Market app also allows you to download more applications to run on your handset, of which you can run more than one at any time. in addition to its internal storage of between 1 and 1.5 gigabytes of space, the memory card slot offers swappable storage of up to 32 gigabytes on eMMC also. The WebKit web browser provides a full browsing experience and supports all protocols, images and video in your hand, as well as offering bookmarking, Google search and Google Voice search for faster voice activated searching of the Web.

The phone also has great entertainment features offering both Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited formSony Entertainment Network which together provide a huge library of music and movies to download and enjoy. Additionally, the handset has a media browser and MTP technology for easy media file sharing and backup. For gamers the phone offers easy download of PlayStation games which can also be played in HD on a large HD television through the HDMI connection among other connectivity offered.

The Sony Xperia S is an impressive handset which looks as powerful as it is, offering not only fantastic hardware but also a fast and intuitive operating system which is further supported by great download capabilities. This is a perfect all-round handset for just about any user.

The Sony Xperia S Offers a 12 Megapixel Camera for HD Video Recording

Sony DCR SR85E Camcorder

How about a camcorder with 60 GB of hard disk space? Wow That’s right. Sony DCR SR 85E is a camcorder which comes with 60 GB of hard disk. Now go on shooting without worrying about the space. Let’s check this camcorder out.

Salient Features
Sony DCR SR 85E camcorder comes with powerful optical zoom lenses. the zoom ratio is 25x optical zoom and 2000x digital zoom. this camcorder comes in both types of focus modes, that is, Manual and Auto. this makes it a perfect device for amateurs who want to try their hands on recording.

Sony DCR SR 85E: inside Out
Screen size of the Sony DCR SR 85E camcorder is 2.7′ with the 16:9 wide screen formats. the camcorder performs very well under suitable conditions. But if you need extra ordinary images then you must ensure that there is bright light present where ever you shoot. the image quality in conditions that are unfathomable for the camcorder is quite good. In a low light condition, the performance delivered by Sony DCR SR 85E is not as good as you may desire, but it is satisfactory. the night mode is also very impressive. Sony DCR SR 85E camcorder is good for shooting family get-togethers.

Design wise the Sony DCR SR 85E is very trendy. It is primarily designed for those who avoid technical specifications in spite of having a deep urge to shoot good quality footage. this camcorder has only a few buttons to operate its various functions. As a result, clicking footage will become an easy task. Apart from this, it has some shooting programs like Auto, Program, AV, TV, Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight and Fireworks. As a result, you are completely armed with Sony DCR SR 85E Camcorder when you have to shoot footage in the nick of time.

Uniqueness
The camcorder comes with a Super Steady Shot option which allows you to take pictures of moving objects with much more clarity.

Another feature that will interest you is the Night Shot Plus. this feature of Sony DCR SR 85E will really please you as you can take bright pictures even in environments with minimal illumination or the areas which have infrared lights.

Conclusion
On the whole, if you are looking for a camcorder which will help you to cherish certain moments for a lifetime without being very technical then Sony DCR SR85E is the perfect one for you. with this you also have an option of direct print.

Sony DCR SR85E Camcorder

Never Buy A Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder Review

If there ever was a product that failed to live up to it’s potential, the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder was that product. Small, easy to use, YouTube friendly, and everyone is doing the video thing these days. the Flip Video got all kinds of media love from USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and even Oprah used a Flip Video on her show. It’s truly a great idea whose time has come, and people are buying them up, in spite of all their problems. Speaking of their problems, lets have a look shall we.

Shooting videos with the Flip Video, and viewing them on the camera seems to work fine. the problem comes once you attach the the video camera to your PC or MAC. Problems include intermittent uploading of videos. Meaning, sometimes videos upload and sometimes they don’t . sometimes only a few will upload, and sometimes none. in addition uploads can be painfully slow. some consumers have reported complete computer crashes while attempting to load their videos. even MAC users have seen their virtually bullet proof systems crash when hooked up to a Flip Video. Pure Digital, the company behind the camcorder has been madly releasing software, and firmware updates for Flip Video. some of the patches do seem to be helping.

The other thing to consider is the quality of the video you plan on creating. the Flip Video, probably creates quality slightly better videos than most cell phones, but not as good as the videos from a decent digital still camera. It seems to be geared to the YouTube crowd, as that’s about where the quality of the videos seem to fit. If your looking to shoot family and friends videos you want as keepsakes, it’s probably better to go with a dedicated camcorder. If your only a casual video shooter, than maybe you should spend a few extra bucks on your digital still camera, and make sure it’s got good video features.

I don’t mean to pick on the Flip Video too much, but there are a few other smaller problems as well:

- Small size of unit can be cumbersome for people with larger adult size hands.

- Interface is not as simple to use as it should be.

- Customer service unable to keep up due to the popularity of the camera, and numerous software problems.

- Lens quality and placement make it prone to scratching.

Never Buy A Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder Review

High End Film Cameras and Filming For Feature Films

Cameras – There are many camera options available.

Film stock cameras of 35 and 16 Millimeter are still preferred over digital by many film makers. Remember though that this is visual art so getting the emotions of your actors can be done with any camera so keep honing your skills at getting good performances from your actors.

Lighting is always important for the best quality footage from all cameras. Instead of buying an expensive camera for a production, you may consider renting one. There are many companies that also offer crew with their equipment of course at an additional cost.

In my opinion, if there is debate over whether to use Film stock or digital for your project and you want to push this as a major motion film, unless you are using a Red, a Viper or a Sony F23, go with 35mm Film stock and use a good quality lens.

The main reason for this is that unless you are a director already established and with a reputation, using digital video may be considered not as Professional. this is a stigma that video unfortunately still has, especially with people trying to break into the industry and who tend to only use video.

You’ve worked hard and done your best to make a film. if the 35MM project costs more to shoot then sell it for more when it’s finished. There are deals to get 35 film stock if you are a student. Get a student ID by enrolling in a community college.

Shoot in 35mm but do the cutting/editing in digital. You can get the 35 mm transferred to digital via a process called Telecine. if you still want to use digital video go with a good(The best you can afford) high definition camera. Right now my preference under 10,000 would be the Panasonic HVX 200A.

The Sony PMW EX1 is also getting very good reviews although the HVX200A is a bit more popular.

For you who are adamant about using digital video I will mention a couple of things about some high end digital video cameras. the camera that George Lucus used on Star Wars was a Sony HDW 900 modified by Panavision with a new lens and control. Sony came out later with the HDC 950 which was an improvement to the 900.

Currently, Sonys highest standard for shooting feature films with digital is the F23. Another two exciting digital cameras are the Red and the Viper. the Red is advertised to be the cheapest of the three and boasts to have the highest quality.

For the pro line of lower end camcorders you may consider a 35mm lens to give you a good depth of field. Because cameras go out of date so quickly, do to ever evolving technology, you may consider renting for a project.

From entry level up to high end cameras keep in mind that due to many people having access to large screens, high Definition (HD) is becoming the norm. Standard Definition can appear a bit grainy on these larger screens.

If you are going to try to sell your video project to a TV company, some are only accepting High Definition. go get your film made.

High End Film Cameras and Filming For Feature Films

Sony’s New HDTVs Are Your Excuse To Watch Everything In 3D

3DTV has earned its bad rap, and for good reason. Fast-moving sequences get blurry, the contrast gets soggy depending on the room’s brightness, and good luck if you try to watch low-resolution videos. but Sony’s new Bravia HX 850 series aims to eliminate all these issues in one fell swoop.

Also: Eyes On Sony’s Latest Glasses-Free 3D TV: They’re getting There!

Sony’s Bravia HX 850-series televisions’ 1080p, full-HD display — in both 2D and 3D — runs edge-to-edge along the breadth of the monitor thanks to a frameless design incorporating Corning Gorilla Glass for durability and weight savings.

The HX 850 utilises Motionflow technology, which reduces blurring caused during high-speed action and sports sequences. this means that you’ll be able to see the laces rotate around the ball during Tebow’s 80-yard overtime touchdown pass, rather than a white-and-brown blob landing in Demaryius Thomas’ hands. the HX 850 also generates an infinite contrast ratio — the difference between the brightest and darkest areas of the image — and automatically boosts brightness and colour when necessary, which translates into crisp, clear images regardless of where you are in relation to the TV or the amount of ambient light available.

The 1080P video quality carries over to 3D viewing thanks to the HX 850′s active glasses, rather than the half-resolution garnered by passive methods. and, being a Bravia, it can sync with other Bravia products — TV’s, camcorders, Blu-ray players — using a single remote. Or if you prefer, Sony offers a remote app for both iOS and Android. the HX 850 will be available in the 55-inch and 46-inch varieties.

In addition to the HX 850, Bravia is also rolling out the HX 750 in 55-inch and 46-inch screen sizes, the HX EX640′s with 55-inch, 46-inch and 40-inch screens; and the BX450 and BX330-series in 46-inch, 40-inch and 32-inch varieties.

Sony’s New HDTVs Are Your Excuse To Watch Everything In 3D