These Budget Digital Cameras are Feature-Rich

Review by Joshua Fienberg

I’ve gone through two expensive digital cameras already this year.  The first camera to succumb to my recklessness took a wet and wild ride in my washing machine. I parted ways with my second camera in the backseat of a New York City cab in a rush to get to JFK airport. Cameras are almost disposable commodities these days, but with most upwards of $200, I can’t afford to continue destroying & losing them!

With that in mind, I set out to find the best digital cameras under a hundred bucks.

Note to Readers:  There are a lot of "toys" and junk out there in the sub $100 digital camera market.  The cameras that made it to this review are certainly not toys, nor are they junk.  In order to be considered for review, each camera met a certain performance threshold, is manufactured by an established company, and is backed by a minimum 30 days manufacturer’s warranty.

Everyone’s idea of what makes the "best" camera is different. Some folks value ultra-portability over picture quality.  Others may prefer a camera that is simple to use over one that is jam-packed with features. I took this into consideration when evaluating digital cameras that cost less than $100, and established five (5) "best-of" categories. The categories are: The Cheapest, The Most Rugged, The Simplest, The Best Photo Quality, and The Easiest to Fit in Your Pocket.

1. THE CHEAPEST

Vivitar ViviCam 8018 The Vivitar ViviCam 8018 is quite a snappy package at $59.95.  The ViviCam 8018 does not have "optical zoom" but is equipped with 8x digital zoom.  The Vivicam 8018 has a black brushed-chrome case, and  delivers  an 8.1 megapixel picture. The lens is a fixed (no optical zoom) 7.23mm lens capable of producing bright, sharp photographs up to 13"x19" prints.

To my surprise, the Vivicam 8018 offers image-enhancing features usually found on more expensive cameras, such as Face and Smile Detection, Red-eye Reduction, AntiShake technology for capturing sharp pictures under low-light condition, a Movie Mode, and 16MB of built-in memory. Additional memory is available by using SD memory cards.

I played around with this camera in several lighting conditions, and found that it works best in outdoor settings.  The indoor and low-light image quality isn’t the best, but at $59.95, it’s a great worry-free camera to tote along with you to the bars when you’re out with your buddies.

Image quality isn’t the best, but it does take decent shots under the right conditions.

The Vivitar ViviCam 8018 does not include a rechargeable battery and is powered off a set of 3 AAA batteries.

Price: $59.95

Pros: It’s Dirt Cheap, and Takes Decent Pictures.
Cons: No optical zoom.  Pointless decorative elements on the camera casing.  1.8" LCD screen is small.

Where to Buy:

B&H Photo Video – $59.95 with same-day shipping.

2. THE MOST RUGGED

Vivitar ViviCam 5399 Another Vivitar makes the list, and this time for the Most Rugged camera under $100.  The  Vivitar ViviCam 5399 is a compact digital camera that is water resistant to a depth of 49 feet.  This camera can take a beating, and is great for swimming, snorkeling, and getting beer splashed on it at parties. The ViviCam 5399 features a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor, an 8.25mm (approx 50mm equivalent) fixed-focal length lens.

The ViviCam 5399 digital camera is really quite a step up from the Vivitar ViviCam 8018 discussed above.  The LCD screen on the back of this model is 2.4 inches, compared to the 8018’s 1.8 inches.  Images can be composed and viewed post-capture on ViviCam 5399’s 2.4" TFT color LCD screen. Like the camera discussed above, the ViviCam 5399 can also capture AVI video clips for viewing on your computer or uploading to YouTube and other online applications. Unlike the Vivitar ViviCam 8018, however, this ViviCam 5399 comes with 32Mb of built-in memory (compared to only 16), and accepts SD/MMC memory cards up to 2GB capacity.

The Water Resistant Vivitar ViviCam 5399 includes AntiShake technology, built-in flash with Red-Eye Reduction, USB 1.1 connectivity, and 32Mb of built-in memory.

The Vivitar ViviCam 5399 comes with a copy of PhoTags Express software, which enables you to catalog and archive your photos (and prevents file duplication), crop them, make color and tonal adjustments, add captions, and other image editing functions.

This camera feels like it can be tossed around without a hitch.  It doesn’t feel solid, but it does feel light weight and simple.  If you like pool parties, the beach, bar hopping with your buddies, and outdoor activities, and you want a camera along with you for ride, then the ViviCam 5399 might be the right choice for you.

Price: $74.95

Pros: It’s a Water Resistant Digital Camera that is less than $100.  Enough Said.
Cons: No optical zoom. Smallish size aperture/lens delivers mediocre image quality.

Where to Buy:

B&H Photo Video – $74.95 with same-day shipping.

3. THE SIMPLEST DESIGN and EASIEST TO USE

Samsung SL30     The Samsung SL30 Digital Camera is the easiest digital camera, irrespective of price, that I’ve ever used.  This 10.2 megapixel digital camera has a very useful 3x optical zoom lens, which  delivers a 35-105mm focal range, great for wide-angle and short-telephoto shooting.  The Samsung SL30 tops the list in price for great sub $100 cameras, coming in at $99.99, but if ease-of-use and good picture quality are priorities, then this is the camera for you.

What I like most about the Samsung SL30 is the no-nonsense simple design.  There aren’t any superfluous buttons or design elements on the exterior casing.  What’s more, the camera is designed to make taking beautiful pictures, straight-out-of-the-box, a snap.  The default settings will have the user up and running in seconds.  There are very few "fancy" features to muddle things up.  The SL30 feature that I found most useful is a Digital Image Stabilization system that helps deliver sharp images, even in low-light conditions. The system compensates for the shaking of your hands in an effort to eliminate motion blur. The camera’s Face Detection system is a nifty feature that automatically focuses on faces, helping you to take better face pics of you and your pals.  This is a great feature if you want a camera to take simple, good quality shots for facebook, myspace, etc.

The Samsung SL30 ’s large rear 2.5" LCD screen allows you to easily accurately compose and review images. The SL30 also has a  very useable and handy movie mode, which records video in MPEG4 format.  The sound quality isn’t great, but it is acceptible.

Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.7 x 1" (94.1 x 62.7 x 25.2mm)

Pros: Good picture quality.  Simple to setup and use. Sleek design.
Cons: Uses up AA batteries faster than the others. 

Where to Buy:

B&H Photo Video – $99.99 with same-day shipping.

J&R Electronics – $99.99 with same-day shipping.

4. THE BEST PHOTO QUALITY

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 has fewer megapixels than most of the cameras on this list, yet has the best picture quality.  Megapixels aren’t everything.  In fact, when measuring the quality of photos that a digital camera is capable of taking, it falls pretty low on the totem poll.   Megapixel ratings are good for marketing, but not that important for bottom-line performance. The reason why the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 is the best on this list for photo quality is because of the superb quality of the lens.

Panasonic Lumix digital cameras are known for their great performing "Leica" brand lenses.  The 3x optical zoom Lumix DC Vario lens featured in this sub $100 camera is no slouch, and provides a wide equivalent focal length of 33 – 100mm on a 35mm film camera, but the 4.8x extra optical zoom and 4x digital zoom provide tremendous image flexibility for this digital..

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 Digital Camera features 8.1 megapixel resolution and offers superb image detail due to the excellent quality lens. Other features include the Panasonic Intelligent Image Stabilization system with MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO Control compensates for the effects of hand-shake and subject movement, making it possible to capture clear, crisp photos indoors, at night, during action shots, or when taking macro close-ups.

The exterior casing of the Panasonic DMC-LS80 has a sleek ergonomic design and feel that makes taking quality shots easier.  The camera simply looks great anf feels even better in your hands.  The 2.5 inch LCD is quite bright, and makes it easy to frame and view your images and videos in all lighting conditions. The DMC-LS80 is powered by two simple AA batteries and the camera also accepts large-capacity SDHC memory cards, giving users more flexibility in shooting and recording.

Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.7 x 1.2" (62 x 94 x 30mm)

Pros: Superb picture quality.  Lots of features. Ergonomic design.
Cons: A little on the bulky side.  Not a comfortable fit in your pocket.

Where to Buy:

B&H Photo Video – $90.95 for silver, 94.95 for black – with same-day shipping.

5. THE MOST COMPACT – EASIEST TO FIT IN YOUR POCKET

Casio Exilim Z80    The Casio Exilim Z80 is last year’s model, but can be yours at a significant discount at J&R (www.jr.com).  Originally $149, it’s now on sale for $99, and has because of this recent price reduction, it has earned a place on the top 5 digital cameras under $100 list.  The camera offers pretty good image quality, and has an 8.1 megapixel CCD.  But what is most impressive about the Casio Exilim Z80 is its size.

At only 0.7" thick, 3.53" wide, and 2.03" high, it fits easily into your shirt or jeans pocket.

The Casio EX-Z80 features an 8.1 megapixel sensor and Casio’s Exilim Engine 2.0, which "delivers sharper photos and higher-quality videos using less energy than ever before-and at faster speeds, thanks to an improved signal processor." There’s a 2.6-inch monitor, face and smile detection technologies, an interesting auto shutter feature, a 3x optical zoom lens, a little over 12 MB of internal memory, and an ISO sensitivity range of 64 to 1600. The camera accepts SD, SDHC, MMC and MMCplus memory media and Casio includes a rechargeable lithium ion battery, battery charger with AC power cord, USB and AV cables, a wrist strap, CD-ROM, and basic reference material with each camera.

Dimensions: 2.03" x 3.53" x 0.7" (62 x 94 x 30mm)

Pros: Very compact and truly pocket size. Good picture quality.  Rechargeable battery.
Cons: Tiny included memory is worthless.

Where to Buy:

J&R Electronics – $99.95 – with same-day shipping.

Amazon.com – $99.95

Is Home Theater Any Good in Tiny Spaces?

Most of people do not live in mansions with dedicated home theater rooms.  Nope, the majority of us spend our days and nights hunkered down in smaller spaces.  And for urbanites and university students, "smaller spaces" translates into "shoe-box size."  University students and city dwellers in particular are often confined to dorm sized studios, or one and if you’re lucky, a two bedroom apartments.  If  that sounds like you, I’ll betcha that you probably view your television shows and movies in your living room, and probably even in your bedroom.  
 

The problem is that living rooms and bedrooms have traditionally not been the ideal choice for setting up a home theater.  More often than not, the living room or bedroom in smaller homes is cluttered with lots of other stuff that get in the way of home theater gear (Think: dining tables, desks, chairs, computers, that empty box of pizza you should have thrown out last week) .   Most folks in this living arrangement don’t even bother to consider installing a home theater because they assume, for good reason, that they simply do not have the space for it.  True audiophiles and home theater purists would generally agree with that assumption, but the good news is that as technology advances and home theater becomes more mainstream, we are beginning to see a convergence between consumer grade and near-audiophile grade performance.

What’s more – manufacturers realize that the real money to be made in home theater sales is not to the classes but rather to the masses.  The majority of people do not live in designer homes with home theater rooms, and the trend among manufacturers of home theater gear has been to design equipment around the mainstream population’s space restrictions.  

A few years ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of integrating a home theater setup in a dorm, small room, or bedroom.  Today, however, the idea is not so far fetched.  In fact, one can have a pretty decent setup, albeit with some minor performance limitations.

Your home theater design and solutions options for a small room will be limited, but the bottom line listening and viewing enjoyment can be quite good, and for very little money.

When considering a home theater for your dorm, bedroom, or smaller living room, you must keep a couple of integration points in mind:

1.  Television size
2.  Speaker location

Let’s dig in to the importance of Television Size first…
 

Television Size

Bigger is not always better.  I repeat, bigger is not always better (Unfortunately, nobody ever told that to my ex-wife). In fact, in smaller rooms, a smaller set is often the better choice from a viewing quality standpoint.  

In home theater integration, it is important to consider what’s called "Optimum Viewing Distance."

The optimum TV viewing distance is correlated to the size of your television set.  In other words, if you have a large screen, you’d want to sit further away from the screen than if you had a smaller screen with the same resolution, in order to realize the same clarity and picture definition

Many people considering home theater tend to shop for the largest screen that their budget will allow, when in fact, a smaller screen would provide a much more enjoyable viewing experience (and save them some dough too).  A little bit of planning is neccesary when contemplating your TV purchase.  

I stated earlier that the optimum viewing distance is directly correlated to the screen size, but there is a caveat to that statement.  There are other factors to take in to conseration, such as resolution (720p vs. 1080p), refresh rate, contrast ratio, etc.  But in a nutshell, a good rule of thumb to stick to when planning your TV purchase is the "2 to 5 Rule."

The "2 to 5 Rule" simply states that for optimum viewing, the nearest seat to the TV should be no closer than a distance equal to twice (2x) the screen width.  The furthest seat from the TV should be no further than five times (5x) the width of the screen.

What this means is that while you may be tempted to spring for the 52" LCD for your bedroom or dorm, your room would have to be big enough that  its dimensions would allow you to sit between 104" (8.5 ft.) and 260" (21.5 ft.) from the television. 

This is because big televisions have bigger pixels than small televisions.  When you sit too close, you will begin seeing pixelation in the image.  Pixelation is no fun for anyone!

Sound System & Speaker Locations

For small rooms, the most practical solution for the sound and DVD portion of your home theater system is to go the all-in-one "home-theater-in-a-box" route.  A lot of dudes like the idea of going with separate components and high-end speakers, no matter what the size of the room for the application.  That notion can be problematic because gear that is designed for larger rooms may perform optimally at levels that would be excessive and unenjoyable in small rooms.  Remember, bigger is not always better.

Home-theater-in-a-box or HTIBs, are usually the simplest and cheapest way to get a decent home theater experience in your small room.

HTIBs come in all different flavors, but the most common configurations are 5.1 systems and 2.1 systems.  5.1 and 2.1 simply refers to the number of sattelite speakers + the subwoofer.  A 5.1 system, for example, comes with 5 speakers and 1 subwoofer.  A 2.1 system has 2 speakers and 1 subwoofer.

With 5.1 setups, the speakers include two (2) front speakers, two (2) rear surround speakers, one (1) center channel, plus the subwoofer.

2.1 configurations include two (2) front speakers plus one (1) subwoofer.  

The emphasis of 2.1 systems is convenience over performance.  A 5.1 system will provide you with a truer and better quality home theater experience, however, if you’re lacking available space for speaker locations, a 2.1 will be a better answer.

You’re Starting to Lose Your Hair… Now What?

Written by Joshua Fienberg

The topic of hair loss is something that is close to my heart, because as a 40-something year old man, I am beginning to experience male pattern baldness.  As the oldest, and baldest member of the Dude Rated gang, I thought I’d take a break from my regular reviews, and focus for a moment on something that is on the minds of my follicly challenged brethren; going bald and what to do about it.

Before You Decide Whether to Take Action, You Should Understand What Causes Baldness.

Losing your hair is can be something you do with style and grace.  You may showcase your chrome dome like a badge of honor.  It’s a symbol to the world that you’ve been there, done that.  Or it can be something that you fight.  In some cases, hair loss is reversible.  In many cases, it is not.  Hair loss is not necessarily attributable to  "male pattern baldness."  There are other causes to hair loss than MPD.  If you’re losing your hair, and you want to do something about it, you must first identify the probable cause of your hair loss.  The most common causes of hair loss, in no particular order, include:

GENETICS
A person’s genes may certainly determine if the individual goes bald.  Male Pattern Baldness is linked to two genes in particular.  Scientists recently conducted test on more than 1,000 bald men, the results of which incidated that two gene regions, when active together, make a man seven times more likely to lose his hair. Around 14% of men are thought to carry both gene variants.  It was long thought that male pattern baldness was determined by a gene inherited from the mother.  There is a strong correlation between the hair on Granddad’s head (mom’s dad) and the hair on your head.  This gene sits on the female X chromosome, and it is passed from mother to son. Scientists have discovered a second gene region, and it has shed some light on how baldness may also be passed from father to son.  The tests indicated that at least one gene on chromosome 20 contributes significantly to the baldness of the son.  Genetically caused baldness may be slowed by products such as minoxidil, but once it’s begun, the hair loss is usually irreversible without surgical intervention.

AGING
Getting old is perhaps the most common and inevitable cause of hair loss.  We all get older.  There is nothing we can do about that, yet.  Aging leads to  hair loss by it’s effects on the body’s production of hormones. Hair loss that is caused by hormonal changes may be treatable and can often be reversed.  There are hair loss treatments that target hormonal problems, and act to supplement what we start to lose through the aging process.  However, the very nature of aging is that as we grow old, certain things begin to shut down and, well, die.  As we get older, some of our hair follicles die. When hair follicles die, they are no longer capable of growing hair.  This type of hairloss is not reversible.

LIFESTYLE
A wild and crazy lifestyle can cause baldness in some individuals.  A steady diet of hard alcohol, drugs, and poor diet certainly will not help to keep hair on your head.   Other than that, such practices as tightly braiding one’s har may also cause hairloss. Many times the hair loss from poor diet and such is reversible, but it does depend on the actual cause of the baldness.  For example, scarring on scalp may sometimes be caused by long term tight-braiding the hair.  Scarring the scalp can destroy the hair follicles, and this makes the regrowth of hair impossible., and the baldness irreversible.   Hair care products can also sometimes cause baldness or some degree of hair loss.  The harsher the chemicals, the more potential there is to lose hair.  Fortunately, if the hair follicles are left alive, hair regrowth is possible.

ILLNESS
Getting sick can cause baldness. There are many very prominent and well documented illnesses that can cause baldness.  Scarlet fever, typhoid fever, and certain infections of the scalp are just a few.  Hair loss that is caused by illness is usually reversible when a pysician has treated the patient and the illness has run its course.  Most people that have become ill from the causes mentioned above, for example, can expect all their hair to grow back.

OTHER CAUSES
Environmental factors, some medications, infections, and hormonal changes can all lead to hair loss and baldness.  Whether the hair loss can be reversed essentially depends on whether the hair follicles are alive or if they’ve been destroyed.  As a general rule of thumb, if the hair follicles are left living, hair loss may reversible.

So You’ve Figured Out Why You’re Losing Your Hair.  Now What Should You Do?

You basically have two (2) courses of action here.  You can either (1) Go bald and maintain an appropriate haircut for thinning hair, or (2) find a hair loss treatment that specifically targets the cause of your baldness, and maintain the hair you have left, and if you’re lucky, regrow the hair you’ve lost.

1. Go Bald, and Be Bold… Many men decide to let nature takes its course, and are perfectly happy with thinning hair, receding hairlines, and baldness.  Being bald is esteemed in some cultures, and is considered to be a sign of virility by many.  In fact, a number of well-known American celebrities proudly show off their bald heads, and are almost universally considered to be attractive dudes.  For these guys, the bald look works quite well:

Woody Harrelson	Bruce Willis	Vin Diesel

2. Treat the Cause of Your Hair Loss… As I mentioned earlier, effective treatment of your hair loss requires that you understand the cause of your baldness.  Aging, genetics, poor lifestyle choices, illness, etc., all require specific types of treatment to battle the bald.  If you’re wondering what I’ve chosen to do about my hair loss… Well, I’m a figher.  I have a weird looking head, and cannot pull off the chrome dome look.  I am losing my hair due to genetics, but I’ve managed to slow down the process and regrow some hair using minoxidil.  It works for me, but might not work for everyone.  There are a ton of other products out there that show promise for successfully treating hair loss.  Alternatively, there are many more products on the market that are nothing more than scams and snake oil.  Beware of products with claims that are too good to be true.

I order my products online.  In fact, I have a recurring delivery setup, so I get my hair restoration magic in the mail every month.  It’s easier, and much cheaper than purchasing at a retail store.

If you’re interested in combating your hair loss, and want to do so effectively and inexpensively, I highly recommend you check out the following websites:

1. Nisim International
I like Nisim International because they have a 100% no questions asked, money back guarantee.  There is no risk.  If you use their product, and it doesn’t work, you can get a full refund. In fact, you can return their products for ANY reason.  It’s that simple.  I plan on doing a full review of their products after I’ve given their line a thorough evaluation.  Nisim has created a product that has been clinically proven to control excessive hair loss and regrow hair.  Click here for more info on Nisim.
 

2. OnlyHairLoss.com
I really like onlyhairloss.com too, but mainly for ordering my minoxidil. They’ve got the full range of hair loss products, including products for women, at deeply discounted, wholesale prices.  I pay less than $25 for 3 months supply of minoxidil, and their other products are just as cheap.  OnlyHairLoss.com is a great site if you already know what it is you’re looking for, because they’re one of the cheapest online stores for ordering hair loss products.  If you’re not sure what is right for you, you can check out their "Hair Loss Info" section to help you figure things out.  Click here for more info on OnlyHairLoss.com
 

Is VUDU a TiVo Killer?

VUDU’s self-titled set-top-box has certainly made quite the name for itself since it’s debut on the market.

Whether or not that name is positive one, however, is most certainly up for debate.

Review by Joshua Fienberg

Prices Start at $149… Time to Kiss Cable Goodbye?

To discover the convenience and excitement of VUDU’s movie on-demand service, all you need is a fast Internet connection and a VUDU Player.  There are no monthly subscription costs, no recurring fees, no restrictive user agreements, etc.

Click Here for In-Depth Information on the VUDU products at VUDU.com

FEATURES OVERVIEW

Movies On-Demand
Access over 16,000 movies and TV titles from all Hollywood studios and leading independent distributors directly from your HDTV.

New Movies Weekly
Watch newly released movies the same day the DVD becomes available. No worrying about it being in-stock at the video store, or having to queue it up online. Even watch the trailer before you decide to rent or buy.

HDX™ Movies
Only VUDU gives you the freedom to choose between an instant-start HD movie and a higher quality HDX download, both offered at the same price.
Learn more

World’s Largest HD Library
With over 2000+ titles in native 1080p VUDU has the largest collection available anywhere, physical media included. Rent HD movies in native 1080p or SD movies can be up-scaled to 1080i/p resolution and get the best viewing experience on your HDTV.

VUDU Labs
Access millions of free videos and photos from popular Internet sites like YouTube, Flickr and Picasa, free On-demand television and games, plus free Internet radio from Pandora.
Learn more

Instant Convenience
Having VUDU means that you don’t need to plan anymore. With a large catalog of new releases and library titles available instantly you will never need to drive or wait for the mail again.

No Monthly Fee
Rent standard definition movies from 99¢ to $3.99, high definition and HDX movies from $3.99 to $5.99. Purchase TV episodes for $1.99. Purchase standard definition movies from $4.99 to $19.99, select high definition movies from $13.99 to $23.99.* No monthly subscription or contract.

BOTTOM LINE

The Good
Set-top box that plays Internet-delivered video content at resolutions up to full 1080p HD; solid selection of movies and TV shows, as well as adult content, for sale and rental; no monthly fees; standard-definition and some HD selections start immediately; excellent onscreen interface and scroll-wheel remote; simple setup and configuration.

The Bad
Best-quality HD content requires download queuing before viewing; can’t stream media from networked PCs; can’t transfer movies to portable devices for on-the-go viewing; no built-in Wi-Fi; rentals limited to 24-hour viewing period; impressive selection of titles still pales in comparison with the tens of thousands available from Netflix and Blockbuster; compatibility with universal remotes requires add-on dongle; box is worthless if company ever goes under.

The Bottom Line
Vudu sets itself apart from similar Internet video-on-demand boxes such as Apple and Netflix by delivering movies at better quality–up to full 1080p HD resolution and 5.1 surround sound.

To Get the VUDU Directly from VUDU’s Website