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Richcat
 
 
 
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  • Review count
    5
  • Helpfulness votes
    29
  • First review
    August 8, 2012
  • Last review
    April 7, 2015
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  • Average rating
    4.2
 
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Richcat's Reviews
 
This HP Pavilion 17-f215dx laptop's 17.3" WLED-backlit display showcases visuals in realistic high-definition, and an HDMI output lets you connect to an external display. Built-in wireless networking makes it easy to access your favorite Web content.Learn more about the New Windows
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
AWESOME BEST BUY PRICING
on April 7, 2015
Posted by: Richcat
from Pasadena, CA
Bought this on easter sunday deal...works great out of the box
I wanted to have a mobile work station for cheap, and this 17" fits the need. It feels very plasticky and not very well made, but that also cuts down the weight so I am ok with it. The i5 processor is plenty fast, latest generation so very efficient as well. 6gb memory is enough for most applications, a bit short on heavy load. I would really prefer a SSD hard drive for longer battery life, faster load times, cooler running machine but for the price I am ok with this 750gb traditional hard drive. These kind of hard drives tend to slow down after 1-2 years or so, so I guess I just gotta keep it cool. I finished installing all my work software within 1-2 hours with all the latest updates etc. not too bad. The hard drive is the only thing that feels hot, other stuff in there are cool to the touch. The touch pad has no scroller bar on the side, one small con. The new HP battery is very light and compact, which cuts down the overall weight and that's a plus. You can get a spare for about $50 or so aftermarket, or double that for genuine HP one.
Cons: this is not meant to be mobile, since it's 17" and battery life is only 2-4 hrs average. But if you need to get some work done while on vacation this is great
My Best Buy number: 2665342051
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
 
Geek Squad® Certified Refurbished products are thoroughly, painstakingly and lovingly tested, so you can be sure that your device will work right, right away. Learn more about Geek Squad® Certified Refurbished products.Learn more about the New WindowsWith built-in wireless networking, this Dell Inspiron 3000 Series GCRFI3847-3846BK desktop makes it easy to access streaming content, social networks and more. The 1TB hard drive provides ample space for storing music, movies and other media.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
GREAT MACHINE
on January 10, 2015
Posted by: Richcat
from Pasadena, CA
We use it as a drafting machine in architect's office. Running smooth and trouble free so far. Handles most drafting software with ease. The case has a flap which leads to SD cards and memory card readers, came broken upon arrival, and that's probably the only con. It's a small issue so I do not bother exchanging it. Good solid performance, does pretty much everything. Quiet and energy efficient
My Best Buy number: 2665342051
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Snap sharp, vibrant photos with your F-mount-equipped Nikon DSLR cameras using this Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 2210 prime lens, which features a Silent Wave Motor for accurate, high-speed autofocus. Nano Crystal Coating ensures sharp, clear pictures.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
A GOOD LENS, NOT AT THIS PRICE
on December 2, 2013
Posted by: Richcat
from Pasadena, CA
Disclaimer: My photography is in weddings and general day to day shooting. I do not shoot night skies, or point sources of light at night, which this lens is believed to be made for as the new Noct f/1.2.
To summarize, this new 58mm f/1.4 feels very much like a mini 85mm f/1.4G which is lighter, not as sharp and slightly more expensive. It's hazy soft at f/1.4, acceptable at f/2.0 and sharp at f/4.0. Its sharpness characteristic is very similar to the 50mm f/1.4G, but it has very nice soft rendering of colors and out of focus areas at f/1.4 unlike the 50mm. If you need a shorter focal length than 85mm, yet you want to keep the nice colors and bokeh, and doesnt mind about the price, this lens might be for you.
It feels noticeably lighter, has a weird 72mm filter thread and a relatively expensive price tag. AF is slow, just like the 50mm and the 85mm, presumably to try to get perfect focus at such shallow depth of field. I actually like the focal length, it's not as close in as the 85mm and not as wide as 35mm or 50mm, this can be a nice focal length for certain portraits. I tested it on a D800E, after AF fine tuning and constantly use images taken with live view as a benchmark for sharpness to avoid any AF errors from the camera body. If the lens is this unsharp at f/1.4, I personally do not see the need for Nikon to make this a f/1.2, as it will just get worse. However, I can imagine many might find the softness perfect for portraits. There's no doubt buyers have many choices at this price point: the 50mm 1.8 1.4 85mm 1.4 1.8 or even the sigma 50mm.
My Best Buy number: 2665342051
What's great about it: Nice rendering of colors and bokeh. Nice focal length
What's not so great: not sharp until f/4, relatively expensive
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Ease of Use
4 out of 5
4
Durability
4 out of 5
4
0points
15of 30voted this as helpful.
 
Nikon D800E DSLR Camera Body: Features a game-changing 36.3 megapixels resolution and FX-format sensor for professional photographers who demand superior speed and performance and end results of the highest quality. Combine it all with a powerful EXPEED 3 image-processing engine to render levels of photographic texture, nuance and detail that rival some of the best studio cameras. Plus, HD movie mode shoots at 1080p Full HD for spectacular videos.Memory card sold separately.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
GREAT CAMERA FOR A PRO
on September 20, 2013
Posted by: Richcat
from Pasadena, CA
Just a couple of years ago a 24MP D3X would cost you over $7000. Now a D800E with 36 MP can be up for grabs for more than half of that, and even lower price if you go with refurbished or used models. 36MP can be good for people who print big, enables a lot of room for crops. It can be a burden for regular people just shooting candid pictures, huge file sizes, requires faster cards, need more hard drives etc. Great camera for pros, incredible sensor that gives you a lot of sharp details in a wide dynamic range. It can get noisy at higher ISOs above 3200, but when you downsample 36MP files it gets very clean and highly usable. I get lots of usable shots even at 6400. However it seems to eat up battery quite a lot faster compared to D700, it has a very slow frame rate, the shutter is loud even though not as bad as a D700 and its autofocus performance leaves a lot to be desired. AF in low light can hunt a bit, and the AF accuracy and consistency is not on par with the D4. Just shoot a couple more to make sure you get one with proper focus. This can be the result of faulty focus issues out of the camera, but even after having it repaired by Nikon I can still feel it's not consistent all the time. The LCD sometimes has a greenish tint which can be disturbing to skin tones. I also dislike the fact that it's using 2 storage formats, a SD and a CF. The fastest SD is yet to catch up to CF, so having 2 formats limits your speed down to the slower SD, and kind of loses the point of having a CF (if you are in backup shooting mode). It complicates things, just like D4's XQD and CF, very annoying and doesnt provide any kind of bonus other than SD cards are a lot cheaper to get. Overall this is a great camera with awesome sensor. Its ergonomics can be improved, still feels very dated like the D700.
My Best Buy number: 2665342051
What's great about it: 36 MP, incredible image quality with AA filter removed, incredible sensor performance, huge dynamic range
What's not so great: Autofocus performance, battery life, slow frame rates, takes cards of two different formats, LCD has greenish tint
I would recommend this to a friend!
Picture Quality
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
3 out of 5
3
Features
5 out of 5
5
+7points
7of 7voted this as helpful.
 
This tripod features a 3-faced design column to prevent rotation for clear photos and an antishock collar to protect your camera or camcorder from damage. The leg locks provide stability and allow simple height adjustments.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
VERY GOOD STARTER TRIPOD
on August 8, 2012
Posted by: Richcat
from Pasadena, CA
If you are a hobbyist or amateur using smaller DX systems or smaller lenses, this tripod is perfect. It's very sturdy for up to around 10 lbs, it 's built very well, it goes up high to almost 6' and for less than $200 you get a great package with a standard 3 way head which is quite sturdy too. The quick release is easy to use, very solid, entirely metal so u will feel safe about your gears. All in all I say it's great for starters, or for lighter packages. It's a lot better than most alum or plastic flimsy tripods out there. If you need faster tripod performance, you might need to consider getting a different ball head or pistol grip or whichever suit your needs. he standard 3 way is slow to operate, but it's perfectly ok for shooting things which doesnt require fast aim (such as product or portraits). I place my 300mm 2.8 af-s vr ii on there, and small vibrations become evident. So if you shoot sports and wildlife, and have long and heavy telephoto lenses this tripod is definitely not it. It holds up a full size DSLR D3s plus 70-200mm fairly ok, but seems like anything heavier it will start to struggle. This tripod is great for what it's designed to be use for. Also, it's a Manfrotto, which retains its value! You can always sell it for some money back if you outgrow it. If you pickup some cheaper junky tripod you will get almost nothing back at all
What's great about it: Sturdy, well built, affordable, great starter
What's not so great: The standard 3 way head is slow for more professional use. The tripod will struggle with heavier professional gears
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
Durability
5 out of 5
5
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
 
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