Reviews
A very nice little radio!
Although this radio may not have the best RF specs out there in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and power output, it approaches ideal in many other aspects. First of all, it combines the three most popular VHF FM bands in one handy radio. Other manufafturers make radios like this at much higher prices, and as a result, they are not common. Western Nevada, and especially the Reno area where I live, has more repeaters per capita than just about anywhere else in the US, the result of the very mountanious surrounding terrain. This makes a radio like this especially handy, as it can work just about any repeater it can 'see'.In other respects, it is fairly easy to operate. All the important features a radio needs are there. They just might be a little more hidden than on the more expensive radios. The somewhat lackluster RF performance disadvantage can be mostly overcome by using a quality aftermarket antenna, and there are many choices out there. I use a triband antenna, also offered by Btech, and it helps tremendously.These radios are indestructible, but they are well-built, and easily withstand day-to-day abuse, like their dual band brethern. All batteries, accessories, etc. are interchangeable between the dual and tri band models, meaning if you already have an acessorized, UV-5R, this radio is an inexpensive and logical step up. And at the price, it behooves one to invest in several radios and keep them where you need them, as well as in emergency prepardness kits.Lastly, there is the programming issue. Some folks say these radios are hard to program. They really aren't. They just program very differently than most of the other handheld transceivers out there. Once you get used to the way programming works, you will come to like its simplicity. Of course, they are easily programmed with a computer and an inexpensive programming cable. The programming doftware is even open source. In the meantime, these radios work like virtually any other radio in VFO ('frequency') mode.I think SDR=based radios are the future for many things. The immense popularity of these radios (both dual and tri band) attests to their general usefulness. If you really need high performance, use one of the expensive, 'name brand' radios out there (and I haven't gotten rid of my 'expensive' radios). But for routine day-to-day use, it is very hard to beat these little radios. I already have two of these radios (plus 2 dual band UV-5R's), and plan to get a couple more.
10/10/2018
Related Reviews
Good wide angle, mediocre macro
Some said it doesn’t fit iphone x. It actually does. I am using it with iphone x. The shadow people complained about might have come from phone case. The lens sits partially on top of the tele-lens of iphone but that does not create shadow. The material quality feels really good. The wide angle still has distortion but is better compared with the other cheaper lenses that I’ve owned. No corner shadows if your phone case is thin enough. Optical quality is not bad, much better than the cheaper lenses. Macro quality is so so and the Bokeh is horrible. You can play with it for fun only. Too bad you have to have both lenses screwed together to get the wide angle, making it bulky to carry around. But this design is convenient for people who want to use both lenses. Lanyard design is quite smart with a detachable latch. Overall I'm quite happy with the product and it helps me in shooting indoor videos where the room is very small.
20/01/2023
Canon never disappoints me
I am an amateur photographer and have been shooting with various point & shoot digitals as well as the old 35mm SLRs (several Canons were in the two above categories). This is my first dSLR and wasn't sure exactly what to expect. The camera feels good (I have small hands, I've seen some complaints about the feel of the camera, so thought I'd mention it in case it makes a difference). It took very good photos right out of the box, but now that I am learning how to access all the options it can take quite breathtaking photos. I was extremely happy to learn my old SLR lenses would fit on this camera so I have a wide range of options for shooting, from macro to telephoto. (Good thing too, because quality lenses are expensive.) The lens in the kit was not overwhelmingly impressive but it does very well with macro (I also screwed on a 10X magnification glass on it) but I'm sure for the beginner it would work in many different situations and more than good enough to use while saving up for better lenses.This camera handled action photos well. I have several small children who are always moving and I've gotten some very interesting shots of them in motion. Also when doing a portrait, the bokeh on this camera is very nice.It's very simple to download the images into either one of my computers (desktop or laptop). I haven't played with their software too much so I really cannot comment on that yet. I am very happy they included a program for their RAW images, though.I skipped over reading the entire manual and instead refer to Ben Long's
The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Companion
.I also really like that on timer mode you can take up to 10 pictures instead of just one, which is great for family shots ... you get 10 chances to get one where everyone's got their eyes open. lolThe life on the battery that came with it is long lived. I also splurged for a couple of extra batteries so I'm not in a situation where I'll miss some great shots because my battery died. (This kit also came with a battery charger.)HIGHLY recommend this camera, I just love it.
The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Companion
.I also really like that on timer mode you can take up to 10 pictures instead of just one, which is great for family shots ... you get 10 chances to get one where everyone's got their eyes open. lolThe life on the battery that came with it is long lived. I also splurged for a couple of extra batteries so I'm not in a situation where I'll miss some great shots because my battery died. (This kit also came with a battery charger.)HIGHLY recommend this camera, I just love it.
14/10/2022
An incredible action camera - in 360 or regular vi
Insta360 has made some incredible cameras in their short history but the Insta360 X3 has to be one of the best. They have taken some of what their higher end 1" 360 camera had (which I also own) and put it in a body like the previous X models to make a supercharged action 360 camera. There is something nothing else even close to this for its capabilities, features, and quality.Having the nice big screen is huge for action since you can easily change what you need to while on the go while also seeing what the camera sees, without having to get super close and squint like with some other competitor non-360 cameras.The footage and images this thing puts out are just fantastic and it is super durable as well. I will grab this for some outings before I will touch the 1" 360 camera, thanks to the X3's durability and waterproofing.Plus, the Insta360 app has been amazing, kind of like giving you a studio in your pocket for right after you captured your awesome footage.The Insta360 X3 has a new 1/2 sensor which gives better low light performance and greater detail, something that even the new GoPro HERO 11 does not offer. The higher megapixel count gives greatly detailed photographs as well, in addition to giving you extra space to crop in.Anyway, I currently own 4 Insta360 cameras as well as other action cameras and I can tell you - the Insta360 X3 is the one to have. If you don't want 360 footage all the time, the new X3 you can also shoot single-lens mode to capture just one direction, great for if you don't want to reframe the 360 footage and you just want to capture one direction.For all your action or any kind of on-the-go photo/video needs, the Insta360 X3 will check every box and, when combined with the Insta360 app, you will have a go-anywhere studio that gives you views, angles, and images that you cannot get with any other camera. Give it a try!I will update this more after I have used it for some other activities as well.
18/09/2022
Good to great value
It's foreign knock-off stuff at first glance, but has higher specs than the name-brand alternative I'm sure you are thinking of which rhymes with GI Joe's "Go Joe!".Lived in Hawaii a year, took it snorkeling, scuba diving, and free diving, to max depth of maybe 75'. Never had any issues.Some slight design and functionality problems. You can't enable image stabilization at the same time you have zoom. Which is just.... stupid. If I'm swimming around in the water near Honu (Green Sea Turtles), I literally have to decide, BEFORE GETTING IN THE WATER, if I want to set the camera on image stability, or zoom. It is not possible to change this once you throw the camera in the housing and get in the water. It must be pre-set. Along with many other settings such as do you wannt it to be set to a 'bubble' mode, do you want color adjustment for being below 10ft depth, etc. They really need to redesign this so that you can change menu and setup options in the housing! You can, with the "Go JOE!" camera, for the low low price, of double or more... so what's important to you?Yea I mean this is a budget option but offers 4k video at a lower price, a little less flexibility because there is no inherent waterproof or water resistance. It MUST be in the housing to be protected from water.Speaking of the housing, I was in about 2-2.5' of water hovering over Two Steps reef in Big Isle Hawaii when a 4' set came through, rolled me against the reef (wheeeeeeee, please don't let a 1.5' urchin spine hit my face/chest), I had the camera in hand, it took a direct hit to the reef and the plastic showed it was 'grinded', but the lens was not damaged, and it didn't break water seal. Hopefully the reef was also not so. .. :(Would I buy this again or consider a YOOOO JOE! camera? Yea sorry, Yo Joe doesn't pay my bills, I'd buy this again in a heartbeat. I think the cost savings outweighs the disadvantage.
21/03/2022
Excellent
Very good product for the price. The earbuds fit into your ears and do not fall out. I like that the earbuds are attached to the cable. The earbuds that do not have a cable easily fall out of your ears and it's hard to find them on the floor just like a contact lens. This is one of the few products that has the earbuds connected to a cable which makes it very easy to retrieve if they fall out of your ears. Not only that but the Fidelity on these are very good
22/09/2021
Amazing - clear, large viewing area
This is really a solid useful product. I have another monocular (From an outdoor coop store - yeah, the big one) that's 10-30 x 25...but it's really only useful in the 10-15 zoom range, plus the lens is only 25mm so your viewing area is limited. But, this POLARIS 12 x 50 monocular is just the right magnification (12x), and let's in so much more light than others (50mm). I went to the Thunderbird's Air force show and this Polaris 12x50 was simply a joy to use. Even though the F-14's were literally zooming by, i was able to track them and see them. Because the lens is so big (50mm), it not only lets in more light, but visibly you have a much larger viewing area - you see more! Shake is not a problem - just hold it steady. It does have a tripod mount, so i'll probably mount it to my hiking poles when in Colorado to aid in viewing mountains at a distance. It's easy to hold - and to focus. love it! I'll buy two for my sons as gifts!
18/06/2021
Much better than some reviews would have you belie
I will try and avoid some of the comments already made. I love this camera completely and bought it to use as a small/lightweight travel option instead of my SLR. I am used to Canon cameras and so through brand loyalty and a desire to stick with what I know works, I went for this.Canon do not typically comment on reviews of their products but they could have marketed this better. Many people seem to have the view that it is compromised compared to what they were expecting. It is a small, stripped down camera that basically puts a much higher quality sensor and processor combo on the end of a great lens in your hands that produces better images than other compact options.If Canon had added a flash, a built in viewfinder or even a larger grip, it would have become less of a minimalist option and more of a, well, a small SLR. And if you want a viewfinder, flash, grip etc then... go buy the SLR...The positives:- Takes excellent sharp images- Very small body and, with the 22mm lens, looks pretty much like a large Ixus compact- Touch screen is significantly better than any previous Canon touch screen I have owned. Not far off a iPhone in terms of accuracy- Easy to select key functions with the touch screen, and to identify the focus point you want to lock on toI would like to address some of the comments I read before purchasing:"it is slow to focus" - this is true. If you want to capture action shots then use your SLR. It does focus fast enough for kids, family scenes etc. With the touch screen the process of identifying the focus point and locking on is quick enough."it doesn't have a flash or viewfinder" - correct on both counts. Both would add weight and bulk, so if you want those, get an SLR or G16 (or G1X)"its hard to hold with no grip" - I am 6'2" and have hands in proportion to my height... I have no trouble holding itI have booth lenses with it (zoom and 22mm) - both are producing very clear and sharp images compared to compact cameras. It does not compare with my EOS 5D MkIII with L lenses but then, i wasn't expecting it to. But compared to compact cameras it is a very good alternative.Overall, this is a terrific camera that allows me to take (and enjoy taking) very good images in a small and discrete package that is ideal for travel....and at the current prices on Amazon frankly its a steal.
01/06/2021
Good quality capture but has doom for improvement
Has worked for me for more than a month now. In San Diego, both AT&T and Verizon have great service so reception is not an issue anywhere. It has worked flawlessly so far with capturing everything passing by (and even not passing by sometimes!)The signal detection has been pretty good and I haven't noticed any signal drop or disconnect, just got a data only SIM and it worked pretty smoothly, you can suspend your line if you like so you don't have to pay for the line every month if you don't want to.The capture quality is pretty good, although I think the advertised 32MP is not realistic, they probably upscale or use some sort of digital modification as the quality of the photos really doesn't look like a 32MP, unless they are using an average lens which is possible since this is not supposed to be used to capture regular photos of ourselves like a regular camera but still, it could have been better.With setup, what I'd strongly recommend is to set the PIR sensor/detector at a really low level. Remember, if you decide to start with a higher one and then lower it using the setting option of the App, the system would need a hard manual reset which means you have to go to the physical location of the camera again. Doesn't make sense but that's the only way it worked for me.The reason I recommend low PIR sensitivity is that for some reason, even at higher sensitivities, this camera gets many false triggers and if your notification is on, it drives you crazy and you'll end up disabling notification in the end which kinda defeats the purpose.Overall, a good quality camera with an easy setup and nice capture. I strongly believe it needs a firmware update of some sort to fix the false trigger issue but if you think you can live with removing a bunch of false triggers and living with a few bad and disappointing notifications for those wrong triggers, this is a good camera overall. If you can spend a bit more, I've found Code Black to be a little better.
17/04/2021
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