Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Sony TX7 review

I've had this camera since July, so I might as well make a review of it, especially after I've posted some photos. Prior to this camera, I had a Sony T70, but it started having some major issues (shaking) so I got a new one.

Old (T70) vs New (TX7)
There are many things I really like about this camera, and there are a few things I wish were better. So I've compiled a list of the positives/negatives that real people would care about.

Positives:
  • 3.5" touch screen. No buttons on the back. Amazing, I love it. I use a screen protector to prevent scratches.
  • Slim. And sexy.
  • HD video. It can record 720p mp4 files at 30fps, as well as 1080i AVCHD files (which I haven't found a free way to convert to something usable).
  • Handheld Twilight Mode. Takes six images quickly & combines. Makes for good pictures in dimly lit settings.
  • Panoramas. Capture landscapes easily.
  • HDR setting. Takes two images at different exposures & combines. Makes better pictures in high contrast situations.
  • SD card compatible. Finally, I'm not required to use Sony's proprietary memory sticks! But it takes those too, if you have one.
  • One year warranty. For when it gets sassy. Fortunately, I haven't had to use that yet.
Negatives:
  • Battery charge time. Battery life is alright, but it takes a little while to charge it.
  • Self timer settings. Once you've taken a picture with the self timer, you have to select the self timer setting again if you want to take another one. I'd like it if it just kept being a self timer until I told it not to.
  • AVCHD video compatibility. The videos look great, but I can't find a way to edit .MTS files together, or a converter that doesn't suck for this.
You can view the full list of specifications at Sony's website if you're interested. I can say as much as I want about specifications, but what it comes down to is what the camera puts out. So, with that being said...

Macro mode. Those are always fun.

Panoramas.

Handheld twilight mode.

Auto mode vs HDR. The tree outside is more visible in the second shot.
I should probably have a better picture of this.







Normal pictures.






The above video is an example of a 1080i AVCHD .MTS file. Watch in 1080p for best results.

Okay, all done with that. Overall, this camera is a definite improvement from my previous Sony camera. I can't really compare it with other cameras on the market right now because well, I don't have those.

Hope you guys are enjoying the snow. Wisconsin sure is!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Morningstar Farms Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit: Review

Yesterday, when I was busy not blogging, I happened to come across Morningstar Farms "Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit". For those of you unfamiliar with Morningstar Farms, it's a vegetarian brand, so the "sausage" isn't actually sausage. When trying new things, I normally google them for reviews, but I couldn't find any, so I'll write my own!


I've been a vegetarian for years, but even before that, I never really cared much for sausage. That being said, I found this product surprisingly satisfying! Each biscuit is 270 calories and 8 grams of fat. According to the package, that's "65% less fat than the leading meat containing sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwich".


As you can see, the list of ingredients is extensive. It's certainly not natural or organic, but it's Morningstar Farms (which is owned by Kellogg's, by the way), so that is to be expected. It's clearly heavily processed, and not the most healthy thing, but it'll do.

I popped it in the microwave for a convenient 55 seconds and it came out fine. Not overdone/hard, and not cold in the middle. Just right. The first bite was nearly all biscuit, but the succeeding bites were a pleasant mixture of all contents.


Okay, so that might not look appetizing, but I figured people may want to see what the inside looks like. After I finished eating it, I felt like another one. It's hard to describe the taste, but yeah, it was good.

Overall, I'd give this product 4.5 out of 5 stars. I must deduct half a star for the unhealthiness, but it tasted great. I'd recommend this if you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, or if you just want to try something new and quick.