Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

Posted on 18. Oct, 2013 by Steve in Digital Cameras

Nikon D5300 Buy Cheap-with-18-140mm-Nikkor-lens.jpg">Nikon has unveiled the successor to the popular Nikon D5200 digital SLR, which the company launched almost one year ago, the new model is named Nikon D5300. The new Nikon D5300 will start to ship early next month with a retail price that is just under $800 for the camera body. The D5300 and the D5200 both share a similar body design, but there are minor differences or improvements that the D5300 has to offer buyers.

The improvements list is short and consists of features that enhance the photographic abilities of the camera and a feature that brings the camera up-to-date with a new digital camera market trend.

Improvements that will help the overall performance of the new Nikon D5300 over the now-old D5200 include a newly designed and higher resolution CMOS image sensor along with a brand new image processor.

Between the Nikon D5200 and the new Nikon D5300, the 24.2 megapixel D5300 has just 0.1 megapixels more resolution than the 24.1 megapixel D5200, however the D5300′s sensor has no built-in OLPF (optical low pass filter) and Nikon say's that will help with image clarity, both the old D5200 and new D5300 use similarly sized DX-format CMOS image sensors.

Nikon D5300 digital SLR gallery:

The new image processor that you will be getting with the upcoming Nikon D5300 is Nikon's newly developed EXPEED 4 image processor. According to Nikon, the new EXPEED 4 offers fast performance while 'maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors'. The D5200 digital SLR features the EXPEED 3 image processing engine.

After the new image sensor and processor the only other major new feature included with the new Nikon D5300 digital SLR is Wi-Fi. The camera will be shipped with Wi-Fi capabilities built-in that don't need any external accessories like the Nikon WU-1a. The built-in Wi-Fi will let you pair your D5300 to your mobile devices iOS or Android after you install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility free app. Also the Wi-Fi working with the cameras built-in GPS can geo-tag files all without external accessories.

However, with the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility app you will be able to complete functions like remote shooting where you can use your mobile device as a live view enabled wireless remote for snapping photos, wireless transferring of photo and video files, manual file upload for sending files to your mobile device even when you're not paired to the device (the image just downloads later when you are paired).

After you consider all of those differences the Nikon D5300 isn't really a radically new camera compared to the out-going Nikon D5200. However nobody should have expected a totally different camera given the very short gap between the two cameras launches, the D5200 was launched November of last year.

Some big similarities include Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps, continuous Shooting up to 5 fps, expandable ISO from 100-25600, 39-Point auto-focusing system, active D-Lighting and built-in HDR, Nikon F mount support, and an at eye-level pentamirror optical viewfinder.

From an exterior design perspective you can really see the lack of a re-design in the D5300 compared to the D5200. The only difference in looks is the vari-angle LCD is now 3.2-inches with the D5300 instead of 3.1-inches. Even with the color options the new Nikon D5300 is much like the D5200, the new camera will be offered in Black, Red or Grey colors.

Camera seller B&H Photo Video is offering pre-orders for the Nikon D5300 body at $796.95 (same price for each color) and they are offering a body+14-140mm telephoto zoom lens kit (pictured first above) for $1,396.95. With this particular retailer you can expect your pre-ordered D5300 camera to ship on November 14, 2013 according to notice put on each listing.

Tags: 1080p, 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD, 720p hd, active D-Lighting, auto-focus system, cmos sensor, digital camera, dslr, DX-format DSLR, full hd, FullHD, gps, hd, hdmi, hdr, image stabilization system, interchangeable lens, memory card, Nikon, Nikon D5300, Nikon dslr, Nikon Expeed 4, Nikon F mount, Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility, optical low pass filter, optical viewfinder, pentamirror optical viewfinder, sd memory card, sdhc memory card, sdxc memory card, tilt LCD, Video, wi-fi

Source: Digital-cameras-planet

Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

Posted on 18. Oct, 2013 by Steve in Digital Cameras

Nikon D5300 Buy Cheap-with-18-140mm-Nikkor-lens.jpg">Nikon has unveiled the successor to the popular Nikon D5200 digital SLR, which the company launched almost one year ago, the new model is named Nikon D5300. The new Nikon D5300 will start to ship early next month with a retail price that is just under $800 for the camera body. The D5300 and the D5200 both share a similar body design, but there are minor differences or improvements that the D5300 has to offer buyers.

The improvements list is short and consists of features that enhance the photographic abilities of the camera and a feature that brings the camera up-to-date with a new digital camera market trend.

Improvements that will help the overall performance of the new Nikon D5300 over the now-old D5200 include a newly designed and higher resolution CMOS image sensor along with a brand new image processor.

Between the Nikon D5200 and the new Nikon D5300, the 24.2 megapixel D5300 has just 0.1 megapixels more resolution than the 24.1 megapixel D5200, however the D5300′s sensor has no built-in OLPF (optical low pass filter) and Nikon say's that will help with image clarity, both the old D5200 and new D5300 use similarly sized DX-format CMOS image sensors.

Nikon D5300 digital SLR gallery:

The new image processor that you will be getting with the upcoming Nikon D5300 is Nikon's newly developed EXPEED 4 image processor. According to Nikon, the new EXPEED 4 offers fast performance while 'maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors'. The D5200 digital SLR features the EXPEED 3 image processing engine.

After the new image sensor and processor the only other major new feature included with the new Nikon D5300 digital SLR is Wi-Fi. The camera will be shipped with Wi-Fi capabilities built-in that don't need any external accessories like the Nikon WU-1a. The built-in Wi-Fi will let you pair your D5300 to your mobile devices iOS or Android after you install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility free app. Also the Wi-Fi working with the cameras built-in GPS can geo-tag files all without external accessories.

However, with the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility app you will be able to complete functions like remote shooting where you can use your mobile device as a live view enabled wireless remote for snapping photos, wireless transferring of photo and video files, manual file upload for sending files to your mobile device even when you're not paired to the device (the image just downloads later when you are paired).

After you consider all of those differences the Nikon D5300 isn't really a radically new camera compared to the out-going Nikon D5200. However nobody should have expected a totally different camera given the very short gap between the two cameras launches, the D5200 was launched November of last year.

Some big similarities include Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps, continuous Shooting up to 5 fps, expandable ISO from 100-25600, 39-Point auto-focusing system, active D-Lighting and built-in HDR, Nikon F mount support, and an at eye-level pentamirror optical viewfinder.

From an exterior design perspective you can really see the lack of a re-design in the D5300 compared to the D5200. The only difference in looks is the vari-angle LCD is now 3.2-inches with the D5300 instead of 3.1-inches. Even with the color options the new Nikon D5300 is much like the D5200, the new camera will be offered in Black, Red or Grey colors.

Camera seller B&H Photo Video is offering pre-orders for the Nikon D5300 body at $796.95 (same price for each color) and they are offering a body+14-140mm telephoto zoom lens kit (pictured first above) for $1,396.95. With this particular retailer you can expect your pre-ordered D5300 camera to ship on November 14, 2013 according to notice put on each listing.

Tags: 1080p, 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD, 720p hd, active D-Lighting, auto-focus system, cmos sensor, digital camera, dslr, DX-format DSLR, full hd, FullHD, gps, hd, hdmi, hdr, image stabilization system, interchangeable lens, memory card, Nikon, Nikon D5300, Nikon dslr, Nikon Expeed 4, Nikon F mount, Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility, optical low pass filter, optical viewfinder, pentamirror optical viewfinder, sd memory card, sdhc memory card, sdxc memory card, tilt LCD, Video, wi-fi

Source: Digital-cameras-planet

Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils, Designs And Patterns

free pumpkin carving ideas Easy Pumpkin Carving Patterns Online

Now that you have your pumpkin, it's time to spruce it up a bit. You can find pumpkin carving patters for free right from your home. Since everyone seems to be in the penny pinching habit these days, here are a few sites to check out. They are listed with their difficulty level posted.

Easy:
Choose from 13 different designs here. Don't forget to check out page two for number 13. These patterns are perfect for a beginner, those short on time or those wanting to share quality time helping their kids have fun.

Medium:
This link requires some medium range skills. If you have kids, you will love this site. This is a collection of Disney patterns.

Medium to Hard:
For those seeking a challenge check out this site:
This site offers bone chilling skulls, Halloween icons and legends, too. Just take a look at the Elvira, Marilyn (yes, as in Monroe) or Lily Munster. For those looking for something a tad spookier, take a peak at the screaming skull if you dare.

Thanks to the convenience of the internet, you can find all sorts of free pumpkin carving patterns online. You can print them from your home and have a blast without spending a penny, other than buying your pumpkin of course.

Here are A couple cool pumpkin carvings that should inspire you.

Tags: Canada Living News, Cool Pumpkin Carving, Cool Pumpkin Ideas, Easy Pumpkin Carving, Easy Pumpkin Ideas, halloween, Halloween Ideas, Halloween Pumpkin Carving, Pumpkin Carving Halloween, Pumpkin Carving Idea, Pumpkin Carving Patterns, Pumpkin Carving Stencil, Pumpkin Patterns, Unique Pumpkin Carvings, Video

Source: Ecanadanow

Fun Halloween Games Have Been Released On Kids Activities Blog

<ghost laminated halloween signp>Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) October 13, 2013

Halloween is just around the corner. Let the kids have a blast with fun Halloween games and Halloween themed coloring pages this fall. Seasoned moms are sharing their fun ideas on Kids Activities Blog this week.

The three festively decorated Halloween printable games feature a candy corn design. The first game is a Halloween word search perfect for kindergardeners through grade school. The Halloween printable maze is fun for any age child. The third game features the fun legend of the candy corn story, where kids or even adults can fill in the blanks to make the story come alive.

Let the kiddos have a blast with the silly monster coloring pages. The pages feature a shaggy headed monster with striped legs, a dew drop shaped monster with glasses and a bow tie, a ghostly fellow with a painter's hat and work boots, and lastly, a one-eyed monster ready for bed with a hot chocolate.

Color the pages with anything but markers and crayons. Use colored glue or paper strips to fill in the pages. Another fun idea is laminating the pages and let the kids have a blast coloring them over and over again with dry erase markers.

For detailed instructions and to get additional fun ideas, check out Kids Activities Blog this week. Come get inspired to let the kids have a blast this Halloween season.

About Kids Activities Blog

Kids Activities Blog is a website created by two moms (who collectively have 9 children), Rachel Miller and Holly Homer from June Cleaver Nirvana. It is their daily goal to inspire parents and teachers to play with kids. This interactive website publishes simple things to do with kids twice a day. Kids Activities Blog is a great tool for moms and teachers to find kid-friendly activities that create memories and sneak learning into the fun.

Source: Prweb

OtterBox Commuter Series Wallet Case Protects Your iPhone

If you're anything like me, you always have your smartphone with you. I always have a fear of losing something in my pocket, especially my car keys, so it drives me crazy to have a lot of things stuffed inside the pockets of my jeans. If you like to go a bit more minimalist and don't want to have to carry your smartphone and your wallet, OtterBox has a new case that you might appreciate.

The case is called the Commuter Series Wallet and is available for the iPhone 5/5S and the Samsung Galaxy S4. This certainly isn't the first case on the market to offer wallet capability, but it does look like OtterBox's offering will hold more than a lot of other 5s iphone cases otterbox defender for iphone 4 on the market. OtterBox is also well-known for making cases that actually protects your phone in the event of a drop.

Rather than having slots, this smartphone case has a sliding drawer on the back that appears to be approximately a quarter of an inch deep. You can cram credit cards, driver's license, and cash inside the wallet drawer and have them with you at all times. The only downside I see is that the case is rather thick and might not fit in your pocket if you're the sort who wears skinny jeans.

The Commuter Series Wallet is available now from OtterBox for $44.95(USD).

Source: Technabob

LifeProof Debuts Two New Galaxy S4 WaterProof Cases

Case maker LifeProof has announced two new additions to its popular case line, both of which are compatible with Samsung's latest flagship device: the Samsung Galaxy S4.

The first case in the new Galaxy S4 compatible line-up, the LifeProof nuud Galaxy S4, offers much of the same profile that users get with the nuud Samsung Galaxy S3. That includes the company's drop protection for falls of up to 6.6 feet, water resistance for up to 6.6 feet and clear rear-facing and front-facing shell. That clear shell allows users to still showcase the color of their device, while protecting the particularly fragile Galaxy S4 from dirt, dust snow and ice. Although the case does nearly completely encapsulate the Galaxy S4, users shouldn't have a problem accessing its buttons and jacks. The LifeProof nuud, will debut at $89.99.

For $79.99, Galaxy S4 fre case allows users to protect their investment completely, thanks to a built-in screen protector. That's in addition to the case also being fully submersible in water for 6.6 feet, and rated for drops as high as 6.6 feet. Users can still show off the color of their phone with the rear-case window and it too allows users access to the headphone jack and USB port of the Galaxy S4 without any trouble.

As for looks and functionality, both 5s iphone cases lifeproof belt clip mirror the LifeProof nuud Galaxy S3 case GottaBeMobile reviewed last month. We found the case to be particularly well made, going so far as to declare it the "best Galaxy S3 waterproof case we've tried."

Read: LifeProof nuud Galaxy S3 Review: Waterproof Case

While users can't purchase either of the cases just yet, they can sign up to receive an email alert from LifeProof the moment the cases are available. A press release made available to GottaBeMobile indicated that users should expect each case to go on sale this month.

Although some users might balk at both cases' price tags, it's likely that they will thank themselves for making the large investment should they ever drop their device in water or on a hard surface. The Galaxy S4 is legendary for providing small software based features meant to enhance user's lives, however most users would agree that its somewhat flimsy back and plastic edges mean the phone is very susceptible to trauma.

Source: Gottabemobile

Easy way to check iPhone 5s in-store availability near you

5s apple iphone cases-Availability.jpg">

If you are in the USA and trying to buy an iPhone 5s, head over to http://iphone-check.herokuapp.com/, enter your zip code, cellphone carrier and pick a color, and then it will show you availability at Apple Stores "near you."

I used the site to find a Verizon, 16 GB, Space Gray iPhone 5s in my area. I placed an order for in-store pickup, and about two hours later I was walking out of the Apple Store with a new iPhone.

Two caveats: First, "near you" is a relative term. The site seems to always show 20 Apple Stores, but some of them might be quite a distance from you. For me, the last store on the list was about 350 miles (and nearly a six-hour drive) away. Each result is linked to an Apple Retail Store, so if you aren't sure where it is, click on it to get the address. Second, availability can change fast. My local Apple Retail Store said that they were only filling orders through http://store.apple.com, which had been designated as "in-store pickup." The good news is that I knew I had an iPhone waiting for me before I got into the car. I definitely recommend using that method rather than driving to the store and hoping that they still have what you want in stock.

Source: Tuaw

The New Curated Consumer Marketplace Model: 10 Criteria For Success

<collectionp>The Wild West of online marketplaces is over. From 1999 until 2006, eBay and Amazon Marketplaces dominated the field, offering platforms that brought buyers and sellers together. But over the last seven years, more than 20 new marketplace companies have emerged, representing more than $15 billion of market capitalization and ushering in a whole new era of consumer services. This level of innovation is unprecedented.

These new marketplace companies are upending many industries. They are following some of the same rules as eBay and other first-generation marketplaces, but they are adding a new layer of consumer requirements. In this article, I look at what differentiates these new marketplaces and provide 10 rules for success.

Today's consumer marketplace is curated and controlled. This new level of curation and control really depends on the customer promise for a given market as well as the diversity of inventory; see the spectrum of marketplace models:

Airbnb, for example, has so many different types of accommodations, they cannot control price or service levels exactly. RelayRides, essentially the Airbnb for car use, is to the right of Airbnb on the spectrum because they have to control pricing to be competitive. Wello, a fitness marketplace, started out with open pricing and found out they did not have enough differentiation across trainers since they were vetting carefully, so they have now moved to one consistent price and a subscription model for more frequent customers. If a marketplace offers a service that requires consistency in service levels and pricing, it moves all the way to the right like Uber or Yourmechanic, which control pricing, inventory, delivery, quality, and more.

Restriction can mean friction

A marketplace must evaluate every curation and control decision carefully to avoid alienating users. For example, RelayRides started with a strictly controlled model, involving itself in all communication between renters and owners and requiring owners to install hardware in their cars. For casual renters, this bar was too high, so growth was slow.

Realizing they needed to make it absolutely frictionless, RelayRides ditched the hardware and encouraged anyone to create listings. They pivoted to long-term rentals and away from the 1-2 hour, instant mobility options that Uber and Lyft offer at such low expense. Now they are seeing 40% month-over-month growth.

Setting the bar-and raising it

Generally, the more curation, the higher the cost, so marketplaces need high margins to support growth. Airbnb pays for photographers to make their listings both beautiful and consistent. Both Airbnb and RelayRides have to offer insurance to their owners to make the proposition worthwhile. To balance that expense, RelayRides implemented a stringent vetting of potential drivers, rejecting 15% of renters to increase quality and reduce costs.

The stronger a marketplace gets in terms of market share, the more it can raise the bar on quality. For example, Airbnb just hired a hotelier to train their hosts to provide more consistency across the different Airbnb experiences.

The giants pivoted, too

Even eBay has evolved from a completely open platform. From 1995 to 2006, eBay 1.0 did not dictate key elements of the experience such as shipping or payments, or even offer any kind of guarantee. The quality of the pictures and item descriptions varied, and users had to work to find the item they wanted, but buyers were thrilled at the novelty of finding items online.

By 2007, eBay was losing ground to Amazon Marketplaces. I led the eBay turnaround from 2008 to 2010 as senior vice president of eBay.com. We had to transition to a curated marketplace model with strict requirements for sellers. We also introduced a buyer guarantee. And finally, we improved the user experience to ensure we showed the best item from the best seller at the best price for a given query, not simply the auction ending the soonest. This transition seems obvious in hindsight, but it was a big shift at the time that required a whole new search back-end.

Let's explore some common rules for success among these examples:

Source: Forbes

Virgin selling iPhone 5s, 5c at $100 discount

<5s iphone iphone 5s cases otterbox pinkp>Buyers interested in the iPhone 5c or the iPhone 5s may want to give Virgin Mobile another look. As we mentioned last week, the low-cost Sprint-owned carrier is offering the new models as of Tuesday, but they're doing so at a cheaper price than you'll find elsewhere.

Virgin tends to sell phones for the full unlocked cost, but in this case it's offering $100 off that unsubsidized price. That means if you're looking for an iPhone 5s, you can pick one up for $550, $650, and $750 for 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB, respectively. An iPhone 5c, likewise, goes for $450 for 16GB and $550 for 32GB. All that on top of Virgin's generally cheaper monthly plans, which start at $35, offer unlimited data and text messaging, and do not require a contract.

Of course, Virgin is one of the smaller carriers in the U.S. and it relies on Sprint's network, which is somewhat smaller than those offered by AT&T and Verizon. It's also worth keeping in mind, however, that the Sprint version of the iPhone 5c and 5s used by Virgin are not compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon (though they do work with several smaller carriers), so your switching options are limited.

Source: Macworld

Unofficial iPhone 5s tracker helps customers find gold

Summary: An inventory tracker was developed by an enterprising Apple developer looking for the fabled gold iPhone 5s iphone cases otterbox camo ap blazed iphone 4.

Remember the rumor that Apple was going to update its Apple Store app to include real-time iPhone inventory status? Well, it never came to pass, at least the way I imagined.

In 2008 a developer built an iPhone 3G tracker by scraping the Apple Store's JSON data feed (Apple quickly pulled the feed). Then in 2009 Apple posted an official iPhone 3GS tracker that was updated hourly and linked to its sales system.

Unfortunately, it's 2013 and the current implementation is incredibly obtuse and difficult to use. There's no simple chart that simply shows where to find an iPhone 5s in stock. It's a huge step backwards from 2009.

To find an iPhone 5s near you, you need to go to Apple's buy page, click on the configuration you want, then click on the tiny blue "check availability" link in the right navigation bar. From there, you can enter your zip code to see availability at five stores at a time, for that configuration. If you want to check another color or configuration, you need to start over.

Enter iPhone-Check by Mordy Tikotzky (@Tikotzky), an Apple Developer from NJ.

Frustrated with not being able to find a gold iPhone 5c for his wife he build a slick iPhone tracker that scrapes store.apple.com for the most up to date iPhone 5s inventory information.

According to Tikotzky iPhone-Check started as a little project running on his local computer and then he decided to share it with the world. Tikotzky wrote it in an hour (using expressjs.com on top of nodejs.org) with the support of his employer (@homeandstone) who let him do it on their time. He spent another two hours tweaking it in the evening.

iPhone-Check must be scratching an itch. The site broke 100k unique visitors Wednesday and has topped 1 million page views since it was launched less than a week ago. It's a shame that Apple couldn't offer a proper iPhone tracker, because clearly there's demand.

Now where all these gold iPhones I keep hearing about?

Source: Zdnet