Nikon AF-S VR 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED Telephoto Zoom Lens – A World First?

The Nikon AF-S V 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED Telephoto Zoom Lens is the first AF-S VR Super-Telephoto Zoom Lens in the world.

It uses a combination of four fixed focal length Super-Telephoto Lens in one AF Zoom Mikkor Lens to produce incredible image quality. Four Extra low dispersion glass elements keep chromatic aberration to a minimum and provide higher resolution and magnificent contrast.

Furthermore it is equipped with Vibration Reduction (VR) which has two modes of Normal and Active, the latter being for extreme shots where blur and shake need to be kept to an absolute minimum. The VR operation offers the equivalent of using a shutter speed which is actually three stops faster, it even detects when the photographer is panning and compensates for this!

Where sound is an issue, this lens excels. It is equipped with a Silent Wave Motor which provides ultra-quick focusing all with a silky smooth silent operation.

During manual focus there is no power consumption so it does not drain your battery and the internal focusing design provides smoother focusing and great balance. The Nikon lens is able to switch between AF and MF mode without almost no time lag even when an AF servo is in operation.

The Nikon D700 DSLR – A Wolf in Sheep’s clothing?

The new release from Nikon is now here at Elite Gadgets.

On unveiling the Nikon D700 from its wrappings, we were quite taken aback with what we found.

It is a small but professional twelve mega pixel, full frame (FX Format) Digital SLR. Its exterior is very similar to the D300 except for its larger viewfinder, and internally it is very similar to the D3 albeit for a slightly lower shutter speed.

If you compare it to the D3 then there have been some good improvements from Nikon on the D700. With Image Sensor Cleaning or Sensor shake, more flexible ‘hard button’ program virtual horizon in Live View and different DX mode indication on the focusing screen, it is a new cut above the rest. Finally, it is the first Pro DSLR from Nikon with built in flash.

The Nikon D700 has taken the superb image quality of the D3 by using the same technology such as the 12.1 mega pixel sensor with very large pixel pitch and gapless micro lens array providing bright clean files across the whole ISO range. It also utilizes the same Expeed high speed image processing system, a 14 bit A/D conversion and 16-bit processing pipeline to give the pixel perfect detail you require for perfect print enlargement and reproduction.

It is the perfect action camera for the photographer on the move. Incorporating Nikon’s image sensor cleaning system which uses high frequency vibrations to clean the sensor of dust accumulation.

Despite it reasonable price tag the Nikon D700 DSLR does not skimp on features. It also boasts a highly responsive shutter release time lag of just 40ms and the acclaimed pinpoint accuracy of the 51-point MultiCAM3500 AF System, DX Crop Mode and Live View with contrast-detect AF displayed on the TFT monitor. The new larger viewfinder is also a great bonus, featuring a solid glass pentaprism, 95% coverage and adjustable AF point LED illumination for a bright, uninterrupted view of your subject.

The new Nikon D700 Digital SLR camera, it is what the Nikon enthusiast has really been waiting for……

The Sony Ericsson C902 – The new Cybershot from Sony Ericsson

We recently unveiled and tested the New C902 from Sony Ericsson, there new and highly anticipated release.

It is the first Cybershot phone to feature face detection. A technology which automatically finds and focuses on the subjects face. A nifty little piece of technology which produces a great picture ever time.

It also features a full camera flash again giving great results in low light conditions.

Incorporate these technologies with a 5 Megapixel camera and its time to sell your compact camera, its simply not needed anymore, you have all you need in the Sony Ericsson C902.

And once you have taken the picture the C902 contains the software to share it with friend in a novel and exciting way. “Storyteller” is and application that brings your pictures to life like never seen before. Put you pics in a slideshow format or become an artist with “Paint” and then share the photo with friends through the photo feeds and blogging service which enable you to upload pictures directly to the web.

This mobile phone is packed with the latest technologies available such as HSDPA high speed internet and email.

The Sony Ericsson C902 is a mobile office, fully functional camera, and a great little phone (of course) all in a beautiful and sleek case.

It’s a tough act to follow from Sony Ericsson and its available in Red and Brown at Elite Gadgets.

Playstation 3 - Dualshock 3 Controller

Good news to all Gamers out there, Sony has finally announced the release of the Dualshock 3 Wireless controller for the Playstation 3.

The new wireless pads which were shipped with the PS3 are great but have something missing, the good old rumble you felt from the original PS2. It’s was a real shame, as you don’t get the same in-depth user participation you did from the good old rumble pack pads.

So Sony, have bowed to consumer request and released the new Playstation 3 Controller – the Dualshock 3.

Out of the box, it looks the same as the original SIXAXIS controller provided with the Playstation 3 at sale. But inside its somewhat different.

It gives a sense of immersion in gaming, to make that PS3 experience even more realistic. Now available at Elite Gadgets in three great colours Silver, White and Black.

HD Projectors – Have The Days Of Closing The Curtains During The Day Finally Gone?

We are entering a new era in sound and vision, the “High Definition era”. Everything these days is HD, 1080p, 1080i, High Contrast….etc, etc. But what does it all mean? And what does this mean for the future of the age old projector?

If you look back in history the Projector was here first, before the TV, the Games consoles, the HD this and that…it was first. It was how man first learnt to project moving images onto a viewing platform. And it is still here today. Albeit in it new improved, all singing and dancing versions.

So you’re ready to move into the HD era; you’ve got your Playstation 3, your Xbox 360 and/or your Blu-Ray player. You plug it into your TV, and “voila!”… or maybe not. The picture is fuzzy, unclear, or not what you had been expecting. Why? Because the TV set you are using is not HD Ready. What does this mean? Well, it’s a bit like putting a Ferrari engine in a Ford Fiesta. The Playstation 3 is producing a powerful flow of information (images and moving picture) and passing them down the cable to your TV set. But your TV set doesn’t have the capability to handle this amount of information. So it discards 90% of it and does it’s best to produce a half decent image. This is why you need a HD Ready TV, or even better a HD Ready projector to produce a High Definition image in its full glory.

Gone are the days of closing all the curtains to be able to wince at a feint image on the living room wall. These days, HD projectors have power, clarity and precision. They are capable of producing images which are equivalent, if not better than the best HD Ready TV. The projected image is clearly viewable on any white surface. No need for closing the curtains or dimming the lights!

So your ready to take the HD plunge, you have cash in hand, and your ready to buy your HD projector…..hmm…which one?!! There are so many choices!!

Ok, we are going to try and make it as straightforward as possible.

The first and most important factor is the native projector resolution. The most common resolutions are 480p (WVGA), 720p (WXGA) and the latest 1080p (UWXGA). The “W” means widescreen. Basically the higher the resolution, the sharper and clearer the picture is. Also a higher resolution ensures future compatibility with the latest products, such as the Playstation 3 or HD TV broadcasts. This is an important issue when making such a large purchase.

It is recommended to purchase a HD projector with at least a 720p resolution or if you can afford it a full HD 1080p projector as this will last for years into the future. Having said this, if you only intend to watch a DVD player on the projector, then a 480p projector is perfectly adequate and is much cheaper!

The next thing to consider is Contrast Ratio. This is the difference between the White and Black parts of the images. So, if you have a contrast ratio of 20000:1 - then the black is 20000 times darker than the white part of the image. Again, this will make the image clearer and more life like. The best way to explain this is this….imagine you sit down to watch the latest All Blacks Game, but the All Blacks Kit is actually a slight grey rather than a sheer black. This would mean the TV or projector has a low contrast ratio, the black is not completely black, you get the idea?

Another very important factor is the life of the lamp. Typically the lamp life will be between 2000 and 4000 hours. And Lamps are expensive, around £100-£250 depending on the model of the projector. The stated lamp life is actually its half-life not its full life to the point of failure. The lamp is tested to the point where it starts to lose brightness (usually half way through its life) and this is stated on the specifications as the lamp life. Also, you can prolong the life of the lamp by good usage. Powering down the projector, rather than just removing the power, and cleaning the filters regularly all help in prolonging lamp life.

Another thing that most people don’t consider is screen size.

How much size do you have available? Bigger is not always better. There is nothing worse than proudly setting up your HD projector and then realizing that the picture engulfs the whole room! Check the screen size you have available and the throw distance (how far you have from the front of the projector to the wall) and you can then decide which projector is best for you.

Also, you will get the best from your investment with a projector screen. They are specifically made for the job and with return a clearly sharper and all round better picture than any wall will no matter how flat or white the wall may be. There are a full range of electric retractable screens available today, which, with one click of the remote, you can look like James Bond in the comfort of your own home!!

We hope that we have gone some way to explaining the complexities of the High Definition revolution. Prepare yourself. It’s going to be an enjoyable ride.

Sim Free or Unlocked? That is the question?

What is the difference I hear you say? Why are some phones Sim Free and some unlocked? And why does it matter at all?

Well, I’m about to explain.

When a mobile phone is sold by a particular network provider, such as T-Mobile, Orange or O2 they will lock the phone so it can only be used on their network and nobody else’s. This means, if you bought the new Samsung Soul from T-Mobile the chances are that it would have some form of network branding or logos on it such as a big T-Mobile logo on the front of the phone. As if this wasn’t enough, the network provider will usually add there own software to the phone. So there will be T-Mobile logos all over the menus. And finally they will lock the phone to only be used on T-Mobile. If you want to use this phone with your Vodapone sim card it will not work, however, it can be unlocked. This will allow you to use the Vodapone sim card (or any other sim) but it doesn’t get rid of the network branding logos or software from the phone. So you will have a phone with a Vodaphone sim card but T-Mobile logos and branding all over it!

One more important point, to unlock the phone the software has to be tampered with. This then voids the warranty so if you have problems with the phone at a later date, the manufacturer will know it has been tampered with and will not fix the problem under the warranty.

So what is best? The best way is to buy a Sim Free Mobile Phone. This is a phone which has never been locked to a network and has no network branding. These phones come straight from the manufacturers. They have full warranty and will work with any sim card you wish to use, regardless of which network provider it is from.

Another advantage of having a sim free phone is when you come to sell the phone, they tend to be more valuable than an unlocked phone. This is because the warranty is still valid and the phone can be sold to anyone on any network to use with any sim card

At Elite Gadgets we stock the full range of sim free phones available in the marketplace today. All our phones are fully sim free with no network branding and full warranty.

Canon HF100 Camcorder – Canon’s first attempt at a Flash-based Camcorder

Today at Elite Gadgets we unwrapped the Canon HF100 Camcorder with a little hesitance. The first flash-based camcorder from Canon. Now, this isn’t a new technology but it is Canon’s first stab at a flash memory camcorder. And from what we have seen, they have hit the nail on the head.

Unlike it partner, the HF10, it doesn’t have any built-in memory, all footage is recorded straight to a removable SD Card.

Apart from this and the colour (the HF10 is Black and the HF100 is silver) it is exactly the same camcorder.

It is tiny for a horizontal based camcorder, weighing in at a measly 380g and measuring 73mm x 63mm x 129mm in size. Being a flash memory based camcorder cuts down drastically on size as it doesn’t have to house an internal hard drive or tape mechanism.

It packed with features. Camcorder enthusiasts will value the 25p cinema shooting mode, a microphone input and a headphone input. It also utilizes a very nice 1/3.2inch, 3.3 mega pixel image sensor to provide full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution images. These images are recorded directly to the memory card thanks to the new AVCHD compression system. We hooked this up to our Samsung Full HD 1080p LCD and the footage was quite simply breathtaking.

As with all HD camcorders we wanted to know how big a memory card we would need. Well, we managed to fit 2hours of HD footage on a 16GB memory card, so it’s not too bad at all. But is you are desperate for space it has three lesser quality record setting to get the most from your storage space albeit with a compromise on picture quality.

All in all, we were not disappointed with the HF100 in fact we were very impressed. It is as good as you can get in the camcorder market at the moment. The HD footage is superb when viewed on a Full HD TV, or even on a CRT monitor via the AV Connectors. The 2–channel Dolby Digital sound is brilliant, its looks and feels just great.

This new boy from Canon gets the thumbs up from Elite Gadgets!!!

The Olympus 1030 SW – Tougher than Clint Eastwood (and he was one tough guy…!)

This is no normal camera. If James Bond was a camera, this would be it. If Clint Eastwood carried a digital camera (and he doesn’t, he’s far too cool for that) then he would carry an Olympus 1030 SW.

You can…..smash it, bang it, soak it, or even freeze it, and it will still emerge a winner. It’s like the Navy Seal of digital camcorders. Damn….this solider will even survive a nuclear holocaust… (Well, maybe not, but you get the idea?)

Here are the statistics. It’s waterproof to 33ft, freeze proof to minus 10, and crushproof to 220 LBF. If you’re an adrenalin junkie who wants a camera that can withstand all you throw at it, or even if you’re just that little bit clumsy, then this is the camera for you.

As well as being extremely robust it really is a nice bit of kit. It utilizes the latest technologies to provide you with perfect pictures every time. With its 10.1 mega pixel CMOS sensor and a 3.6x wide angle lens it will give your shots in super clear definition and a great field of view for them action shots.

It uses face detection technology for taking great family snaps and a beautiful Hyper crystal II LCD screen to display them in there full glory.

If you going to use this digital camera for action shots on the slopes it is perfect as it incorporates anti-blur technology and digital image stabilization to ensure perfect shake free shots every time.

In a nutshell, it is a great digital camera in a protective case which will withstand the tests of time.

At Elite Gadgets we love it!!

Samsung U900 Soul - 'Cause You Gotta Have Soul !!!!!

Well, where do we start? Here at Elite Gadgets we had a bit of a shock this week. An absolute beauty came through the door. And no, it wasn’t Cameron Diaz….it was the new Samsung U900 Soul. Wow….this is one sexy piece….

Encased in stainless steel with full touch screen controls, it is beauty redefined. But it goes further than looks. Inside, this mobile phone is at the cutting edge of technology. In includes a 5 Mega pixel Camera with auto focus, 3G video calling and high speed internet connectivity, an MP3 player and FM Radio. Also it is worth noting it packs 100MB of internal memory enough for a good few albums and this can be expanded with a Micro SD memory card.

To picture of this phone does not really do it any justice. It takes the slider type mobile phone to another level. It is sleek stylish, and unbelievably thin (12.9mm) whilst still retaining strength and durability. It really is a sight for sore eyes.

When you take a picture on this phone you can display it in all its glory on the 16 million pixel screen (a first for a Samsung Mobile), and you will need it. The 5 Mega pixel camera takes wonderful pictures in all settings.

It also has super fast internet connectivity of 7.2 Mbps, so browsing the internet and checking your emails has never been so quick.

Finally, this superb slider comes with an integrated Bang & Olufsen power amplifier which provides high fidelity audio to your ear drums.

To round it up, we are very impressed with this phone, not only for its looks, but for the technology which is inside. Samsung really have released a winner here.

The Panasonic HDC-SD9 – Possibly the best camcorder on the market?

There’ a new guy in town, it’s the HDC-SD9 from Panasonic. Very similar to its younger brother the HDC-SD5, the all new HDC-SD9 has got everyone here at elite gadgets very excited.

Although the HDC-SD9 has the similar basic specification to the HDC-SD5, Panasonic have come up with some groovy new features to keep all camcorders aficionados keen.

Sporting Panasonic’s Trademark 3 CCD’s which in the case of the HDC-SD9 are in 1/6 units with 560,000 per unit. These have a fantastic effect on colour fidelity. Panasonic have also partnered with Leica to provide the Leica Dicomar lens. The HDC-SD9 also has a full image optical stabilization system rather than an electronic one which you would usually find in a camcorder of this size.

The new HDC-SD9 records in the AVCHD Mpeg-4 H.264 AVC format, which is the same as its sibling the SD5, however, Panasonic have now included a new video processor so the HDC-SD9 can records in FULL HD, unlike the HDC-SD5 which provided a 1920x1080 image but in an interlaced signal. The SD9 is superior in technology advancement as it can shoot this same resolution but this time with a progressive signal. Furthermore it offers two compression schemes in this mode – 17Mbits/sec HA and 13Mbits/sec HG. The HA Mode boasts the highest bit rate of any AVCHD camcorder currently available.

The HDC-SD9 is firmly aimed at more novice camcorder enthusiasts by providing an intelligent shooting mode which provides handy tips to improve the quality of your footage. For example, if you move the camera to fast it will tell you….which we thought was a nifty little idea. It will also tell you if the low light mode has be enable when it does need to be.

However, it will also keep the veteran enthusiasts happy to with its myriad of functions and superb picture quality.

Another new function of the HDC-SD9 is Face Detection Technology. The HDC-SD9 can detect faces and will adjust exposure accordingly. This mode is available when shooting video as well as still shots.

There is also a fantastic Digital Cinema Colour recording mode which gives your footage very very vibrant colour intensity, however, you do need a Panasonic Enable TV to benefit from this.

Now lets hear about the Panasonic HDC- SD9 – or what does the SD9 hear?? It records in 5.1 surround sound which is very unusual for a camcorder of this size. How does it do this? It utilizes five separate microphones which are arranged in a way that it can calculate noises coming from in front of you and behind you. Also, quite amazingly, it has a Zoom Microphone Function, where the sound recording is focused to whatever is in your frame at that particular time. Wow!!! Dont you just love technology!!!

We’ve had this camcorder in the Elite Gadgets office for over a month now, and we are still astounded at what it can do! It’s a perfect camcorder for all occasions and will keep all camcorder nuts happy whether they are new to the hobby or seasoned professionals.

Review by
Craig@Elite