artwantsit's profile

Works great for us and that cost!

Works ridiculously well for such a cheap gadget. Coverage is good for apartments or smaller places and is more than I would expect. However, note that this uses the 2.4GHz frequency so that microwaves, older wireless phones, some WiFi hotspots, can interfere with it (you get a beeping sound and no picture). When we use the microwave, we have to step back about 2-3m to maintain signal. For WiFi devices, not placing them right next to it will do (and most have moved on to 5GHz now). Picture quality is decent for both colour day video and night time black and white. Just make sure to aim the camera to make use of the angle/coverage and (digital) zoom. Battery lasts a long time, more so than any one session that we use it for (you can also turn off the screen and use it as an audio only monitor). And it's fantastic that it uses a microUSB port so that you can always plug it in anywhere you are with a typical phone charger. The night light is a plus but I'm sure you have tons of other cute toys that will serve that purpose. A few issues to consider: the power LED on the camera is a tad bright for us and since it's aimed at your little one, you might consider sticking some tape over it to distract less. The IR lights do emit a fade red light but that's not bright enough to be an issue, even in complete darkness. Another thing to consider is that given the cheaper sensor in the camera, it defaults to night vision more aggressively than you would think. The room can be reasonably bright (e.g. enough to change diapers, put on make up, etc.) but it will still go into night vision black and white mode. Not really a problem but it was a surprise. The temperature reading is only roughly correct (as you would probably expect). It's around +/- 1C so it's a good gauge only. The audio is subpar. We wouldn't use it to soothe or sing to the baby through it. I'm pretty sure they'll freak out and think it's Jesus. The mic for monitoring the baby is fine though as you really only need to know if it's crying or not... and our little one's voice carries so it goes through the walls faster. All in all, excellent cheap little guy. Works so well we bought a couple to have at grandma's and grandpa's place. Our kid likes to look at the loading screen (picture of a baby) and he throws it around. It's so replaceable it's no problem. Enjoy!

So cheap it's worth it

Extremely affordable. It's a little difficult to strap on the little one as they try to run off but it's really affordable. And being a little difficult to put on but of good quality (feels like it won't just break or disintegrate) is a fair trade off, especially when it's so affordable. Got one in the car and one with the grandparents because, we'll, it's affordable. Lastly, it's quite affordable.

Sigma 15mm F/2.8 EX non-DG for Canon

For the relatively low cost and the rare application, this puppy does more than the job. Images are sharp for most of the shots. Wide open at F/2.8, center is already very sharp with great corners. Stepped down to above F/4 or more, and you'll be amazed that something with a 180 degree view can have such good all around sharpness. Some users might say that at 15mm, a large aperture isn't quite necessary. I think it's an added bonus since not only can you shoot at a lowly 1/15th of a second (the usual hand held rough guideline), you get F/2.8. The only gripe I have with this lens is, like many users, the funky hood and the slow focusing. The lining in the hood deteriorates with time and makes the cup of a hood hard to use. (I removed the gummy lining and squashed the barrle part of the hood into a slight oval shape so it holds onto the lens by a bit of pressure). As for focusing, it is on the slow side, bt shooting landscapes and anything relatively far won't be a problem because of the focal length. All in all, it doesn't quite matter how great or disappointing this lens is since in all honesty, there aren't that many choices when it comes to AF fisheyes out there anyways... but hey, this one happens to be a good one, even beating the Canon counterpart in many reviews. Try it out and sell it off after you're tired of the fishy effects.... this puppy retains its value ;)