With the International Consumer Electronics Show 2012 just around the corner (Jan. 10 to Jan. 13), we here at J&R are like kids waiting for the candy store to open. This year’s show promises to be the biggest one yet.

CES has always been about looking forward. It has been about introducing us to the next great bit of technology that can enrich our lives and alter the way we experience the world. Like the Kindle Fire, which along with its siblings Kindle Touch and the basic Kindle, sold a million units a week during the month of December. This CES should be no different.

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Panasonic SDR-H79K is a 60GB HDD/SD Card Standard Definition Camcorder with Optical 70x Ultra Zoom with Advanced Optical Image Stabilization and Easy Uploading to You Tube.

This camcorder records standard definition (MPEG2 – motion image) on to the hard drive and JPEG (still image) on the SD memory card.

This 70x zoom lens has the power you need to take dramatic close-ups or get remarkable shots of even distant subjects. But with long-distance zoom shots, even a tiny bit of hand shake has a huge effect on picture quality. That’s where optical image stabilization comes in. Panasonic’s Advanced O.I.S. shifts a corrective lens as you shoot to help eliminate the effects of hand shake, so you get clear, sharp shots even at high zoom levels. It’s an essential feature for getting the most out of this incredible zoom lens.
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The Olympus PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera System may be mightier than an SLR

Olympus Pen E-PL1 is a unique digital camera. In a sense, it’s as simple to use as any point-&-shoot camera. It’s small and compact. Yet it offers a wide variety of manual modes to let your creativity soar to new heights. Unlike most compacts, this camera offers a selection of interchangeable lenses. It behaves like an SLR with lens changing opportunities but without the bulk both in size and weight.

The Olympus PEN series is actually a resurgence of one of Olympus’ old rangefinder camera series that was originally introduced in 1959. Other rangefinder cameras from Leica, Contax and Nikon also attempted to offer lenses for their cameras but the optic perspectives were awkward when using a viewfinder. Digital cameras employ an LCD screen that offers a really good approximation of what the camera’s sensor actually sees. Continue Reading »

Blu-ray is currently the best medium to view movies for the consumer. Anyone serious about maximizing their audio and video experience at home need not look further than blu-ray at the moment. It’s the pinnacle of home entertainment.

So that said, what should you purchase for the blu-ray addict in your life?

The first thing should be a nice, 1080p display. To get the most accurate, cinematic detail from movies, then a plasma panel is the most ideal. When it comes to displays, my philosophy is always to go big. The price of many 50 inch sets have come down dramatically. Case in point, the Panasonic TC-P54S1. This is a 54 inch television, and it is a steal at the current asking price.

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Buying a new HDTV should be a very thorough process. You must first decide on how much you are willing to spend. Once you have a realistic budget, then you can proceed from there.

If shopping for a plasma panel, the first thing you need to be aware of is the lighting in the store. Is it bright? You should know that a typical store with industrial fluorescent lights is the last place you would want to judge the picture quality of a plasma. Many reputable stores counter this by only displaying their HDTVs in a darkened room, or in a room with soft lights comparable to the lighting in most people’s homes. However, I have been to many stores that clearly don’t know what they are doing. They have plasma displays front and center, under harsh, bright fluorescent lights. Those are conditions in which no one watches a TV, so do not make a judgment under those circumstances. Ask the manager or an employee to see if they can dim the lights, if they can’t, then go to another store. It may seem a bit melodramatic, but if you are going to spend your hard earned money, then the store should accommodate you if they are not displaying their wares in an optimal environment.
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When it comes to TV, Samsung is a mainline leader and innovator in the United States market. In cameras, however, it’s hardly noticed. It takes a backseat to dominators like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, and Kodak. After two years of research, Samsung is set to introduce two point-&-shoot cameras in September 2009. These employ a dual-view screen concept offering a front screen as well as a rear screen. Samsung has also adopted Schneider-Kreuznach optics for professional quality images. The Samsung TL220 and TL225 appear ready to move ahead and bring Samsung a leading spot in the digital camera market.

Samsung’s Dual-View concept lets you view the subject on the traditional rear screen while the subject (whose picture is being taken) can view self on the front LCD screen. Continue Reading »

Sony has continued to push the envelope in terms of performance with their XBR line of LCD displays. The latest model is the XBR9. They come in a whole range of sizes, but when it comes to displays, bigger is always better to me. So naturally, the set that interests me the most is the 52 inch version, the KDL-52XBR9.

The KDL-52XBR9 is a feast for sore eyes. The shortcomings of LCD technology are not here. What is here is clean, natural and smooth image quality. The display uses Sony’s Bravia engine, which reduces digital noise and provides a sharp image. Black levels are deep and inky. Almost “kuro” like for those still lamenting the demise of perhaps the best plasma display on the market. Rest easy, technology is getting better.

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