Samsung UN60F8000 60-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Ultra Slim Smart LED HDTV

Samsung UN60F8000 60-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Ultra Slim Smart LED HDTV..

GET Samsung UN60F8000 60-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Ultra Slim Smart LED HDTV By Samsung

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466 of 484 people found the following review helpful.
TV will keep you happy until 4K is perfected & prices lowered
By Concerned Consumer
*Updated after 9 months*

Overall: I have had this TV series for about 9 months now. I am VERY pleased with the purchase. Glad I went to the 60". The previous ES8000 model was plagued with cloudiness, banding--both gone in F series(55/60" tested). Flashlighting is minimal on this set and improved over the ES series. I needed a LED TV upgrade and was on a budget ($2500 OTD/with tax) that didn't place me in the local array dimming technology zone(I believe to be the best type of TV right now). Plasma's are too reflective for my environment and the extra heat is unwanted (check out the Samsung PN51F8500 though, sounds like it is well liked).

Right away I noticed how solid the TV itself felt. IF I had to do it over again, I would definitely recommend the 55" OR 60" F8000 for others to buy over the ES8000. Just ensure you get the best deal for it as the MSRP is way overpriced. For ES8000 owners...I wouldn't upgrade. No way. This TV will hold me over until 4K's are on the market for awhile, helping companies perfect the tech and lower the price.

Be wary of some of these random 1 star reviews, as many users do not even own the F series TV! Or they had an issue because they didn't have the right settings configured. If you read the comments, under those reviews you will see they fixed their issue. I feel this TV rates 5 stars as I believe this tech is at it's "ceiling" and there is minimal room for improvement using edge lit tech.

For those who wish the short and simple, thats it! Keep reading for indepth review.

Current FIXABLE problems with firmware 11.16:
-3D setting "light control" settins on "high" resets to "low"
-Netflix, Vudu, Amazon Prime, DLNA video's all have cinema black disabled(supposedly this can be fixed in app updates but its remained off)

Picture Quality: The picture quality on this TV is fantastic especially after a few color tweaks (posted below). The blacks are so DEEP compared to my last tv(direct lit led). There is a SMALL amount of flash lighting in all four corners(more noticable on 60" when in PC mode); I believe this is a fault for ALL edge lit tv's as that is how the image functions. I can only notice flashlighting in all black lighting with something like movie title in middle of screen and black on rest of screen, or if in PC mode with a most black screen. Unless you are really looking for it in a black screen and concentrated on a corner you will not notice flashlighting. Also when testing it, please play a movie or something, as when the menu is up or the TV states "check source HDMI not connected" flashlighting is more evident and nobody uses their TV to watch a blank screen.

Viewing Angle: Fairly limited until it begins to wash out(ALL edge-lit tech will have this issue). You will notice the farther off center you will notice more of a degradation in picture quality. This doesn't bother me as my "seat" is always right in front. Most end users are not as particular or picky as me when it comes to picture quality, many will not even care or notice a difference until a more extreme angle(an angle you can't reach in the room my TV is in). I sit about 14 feet away and if I go 4 feet to either side, I cannot notice the picture washing out.

Price: MSRP is overpriced. Ensure you get a good deal and get a store to pricematch to best price you can find. The 55" should be around $1730 and 60" $1945. I attempted to get Amazon to price match a store that was not on their official authorized list and they refused (attempted multiple times, through different numbers and chat). It was a $500 difference. When I was looking I found the 60" as low as $2400 at the time. I ended up having the local Best Buy price match this tv for me. I bought my last flagship Samsung TV in 2008/9. The A850 model(now in bedroom, this TV still satisfies me and looks better than many lower model new Samsung TV's on market today).

Stand: I hated the TV stand. To feng shui for me. My wife loved it though. It actually fit our TV stand, be warned if you have a small TV stand it will not fit...this stand is very wide. This helps the tv to appear to "float". It even came with some sort of oversized plastic screws and rope that ensured a child couldn't pull the TV down (smart). I planned on mounting this TV though like my last TV, so the stand doesn't matter much to me.

Wall Mount: I opted for a low profile wall mount from Monoprice. The one I picked was $14 and the product ID number is 5918 from monoprice's website. I linked the same mount below through amazon but it is $8 more here. This places the TV pretty much ON the wall with this mount. It's about 19mm off of the actual wall. I was able to run the power cord and a Redmere technology HDMI thin cord(10ft for $17 over at Monoprice..same cord is cheaper on Amazon)Monoprice 10-Feet HDMI Cable with RedMere Technology. It came with all the necessary bolts and spacers for the F8000 (1 small/1 large on top bolts and 2 smalls on bottom bolts). Monoprice Ultra-Slim Low Profile Wall Mount Bracket

Heat: Had the TV on for 12 hours and couldn't find any hot spots or to much heat to make me worried with how close the TV was to the wall. Was an issue on certain ES8000 sets last year causing a V spot of cloudiness.

Remote: The remote is solid and touch part feels just like a laptop. It's not a gimmick at all and actually works great. I find it easy to type with there on screen keyboard. Came with crappy batteries so I opted for some standard spare ones I had in the house. It would have been nice to get a standard remote though for older generations that do not like touchpad technology. *update* The TV now comes with a 2nd standard remote. For those of you like me that did NOT receive a remote, apply for free standard remote here: (LINKS not allowed, look in comments for direct link) To manually do it, goto samsung's website and locate your TV i.e. UN60F8000 and click the "Support" tab. On that page at the top there is a blue box that states "click here to see if you qualify for a free IR remote". Click that link and fill the form out and it will inform you if you can recieve the free remote.

Extended Warranty: I bought my warranty through Costco's squaretrade deal for $99. It will cover ME for 4 years. If I used my American Express card it would have been 5 years. Research your own warranties and determine if you are ok with how squaretrade handles their warranties, they will not put more money into it then what the TV is worth (pretty sure it is actually what YOU paid for it). You do not need to be a Costco member to purchase this warranty.

Smart Hub/"Smart TV" features: Easy, smooth. It would be nice if it was a bit more customizable. Its nice to have all apps in one system. I liked it better than my blurray player app system(panasonic). Browsing the internet is as smooth as Safari on my iPhone 5. EXCEPT when dealing with flash, then it slows way down...I'm not sure if flash is compatible. Netflix and Amazon Video stream fine, just wish they had the Smart LED feature. S-Recommended works for many different providers in my area to include my service which is newer(Century Link Prism TV..similiar to FIOS tv). Not a fan of motion control, not useful yet, to gimmicky. Voice seems fairly well if you practice at using it although I had a movie set it off twice in a matter of 3 weeks. I prefer to hit buttons myself, using your voice still isn't natural to me. I was able to stream DLNA sources easily(up to 1080P 3D) with no issues wireless on a 5ghz network. Only issue is DLNA servers on Samsung TV's don't let you fastfoward so you have to find a workaround for certain movie formats. My solution was using ZappoTV(free app on iphone) to inform my NAS DLNA to stream to TV...then I could FF/Rewind on tv with touchpad remote(flicking remote left or right) OR doing it form my phone. Samsung's media center is caveman like and basic. PLEX and other apps available on the TV look so much nicer. They really need to overhaul how it functions especially since this TV has such a fast processor.

Smart LED: This is certainly more of a "personal" setting depending on what you prefer to stare at. I believe if you are a videophile that is obcessed with "trueness" leave it on low or off. I went from 'low' to 'standard' and really enjoy it there.

Cinema Black: I love this feature it certinaly makes the bars more black on widescreen movies. Again you be the judge of this feature, let your eyes guide you.

Devices: Hooked up my 10-13 year old 1st gen microsoft bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Worked just fine, somewhat impressed how functional it seemed to be.

Banding: I did several different banding tests and had no banding. I found none on the 55"/60", I have yet to see a 65" without minimal banding.

Stuttering: I really had to work on finding something to get this tv to stutter. My bluray player on any movie? No. Streaming all different types of formats up to 1080P 3D quality on my laptop to TV via HDMI..no stutter. Streaming from my NAS(Synology DS213+) to TV with same formats/qualities listed above. No stuttering. Other users have noted stuttering on Verizon FIOS though and had to set their AMP to clear. Mine works great on custom(settings below).

Sound: No idea, disabled it to use my own external speakers(newegg runs crazy sales on polk audio speakers) and a Denon 2112CI..link to the current model Denon AVR-2113CI. A few years ago I spent $700 for Samsung's HTIB. HUGE mistake, multiple repairs in and out of warranty. Do yourself a favor and invest in a real audio company that has longer warranties and stand behind their product for longer for audio.

The firmware I'm currently running is 11.16. Right when I started the TV and setup network it notified me that I had an update available. I click do not update and selected to turn automatic updates off. Still, Samsung updated the firmware (they are known to sometimes do this) initially. This can be a bad thing as in the past on other sets they sometimes take away features or make the sets look worse--not better. Fortunately this has not happened again(6 updates and going strong). On my last TV it was easy to upgrade OR downgrade firmware...now it's a PITA to downgrade but still possible.

Evolution Kits: I think until these kits prove themselves they are a complete and utter joke. UNLESS these kits prove themselves somehow improving picture quality. It is possible though with a better PCU, better color accuracy could be obtained. If they don't at most I might update the last year its "compatible" with my set to upgrade the processor.

Game Mode: This setting helps reduce lag while playing through your gaming consoles(Xbox One/PS4). Its important to update to 11.16 if you want to try game mode as it functions well on more current firmware. I played BF4 on my Xbox One and did not notice any input lag. On earlier firmware's there was a noticable different between how great PC mode was and game mode. Although on firmware version 11.10 and later versions "Game Mode" seems to perform slightly better similiar to PC mode. This is great news as you have much more control over color settings in game mode(such as smart led). Game mode tests around 26ms and PC mode 28ms. This is great for gamers!
Menu>System>General>Game Mode>On

NOTE: PC mode can only be accessed on sources not assigned to a "Samsung" device(i.e. Samsung Bluray) or any input set up with their universal remote system...it renames source forcing a keyboard naming option that does not enable PC mode. Simply select HDMI 1/2/3/4, select tools(top right), a drop down list should appear, select PC and select it. This mode/dropdown list is ONLY accessible from HDMI's that weren't previously assigned to a Samsung Product or your universal remote. If you wish to assign PC mode to a port previously assigned to STB, just delete the universal remote settings.

The features currently disabled in 11.16 are:

Game mode settings not available:

Picture Options:
Film Mode
Auto Motion Plus
Advanced Settings:
10p White Balance (forced off)
Motion Lighting

PC Mode settings not available(MUCH is disabled):
Picture Mode: Entertain OR Standard only
Color
Tint
Picture Options:
Digital Clean View
MPEG Noise Filter
Film Mode
Auto Motion Plus
Smart LED
Cinema Black
Advanced Settings:
Dynamic Contrast
Black Tone
Flesh
RGB Only Mode
Color Space (Forced Native)
10P White Balance
Expert Pattern
Motion Lighting

Summary: This TV is an excellent purchase for the right price. I believe it deserves 5 out of 5 stars as it has very MINOR flaws: somewhat pricy, stand wide, stutters nonexistent on my tv service(Century Link Prism TV), flashlighting (BARELY there, doesn't even bother me as I believe edge lit tech is as good as it will get and Samsung needs to hurry up and take over sharp's patents so they can get back to local dimming array models OR get more OLED's on the market).

Current Color Setting's I'm using from an online forum member's home calibrator's settings and slight tinkering of my own(remember, all sets are different and you should use this only as an end user as a good "base" too start with and tweak to your liking's..thats why mine do not match his, also I added turned on cineblack/smartled):

Backlight=6(night)-16(day) with best backlight to use being 10-12

Movie Mode
BL 10
Cont 90 (try 95, user preference)
Bright 45
Sharp 0
Color 50
G/R 50/50
Pic Size - screen fit

Advanced Settings
Dynamic Contrast - Off (using it can crush blacks too if not careful)
Black Tone - Off
Flesh Tone: 0
RGB Only Mode- Off
Color Space - Auto works well but if unhappy these:
Color Space Auto (some might prefer native)

White Balance:
ro 23
go 23
bo 25
rg 16
gg 25
bg 27

10p White Balance Off

Gamma- 0
Expert Pattern- Off
Motion Lighting- Off

Picture Options
Color temp - Warm 2
Digital Clean View - Off
Mpeg Noise Filter - Off
HDMI Black Level - Low
Film Mode Auto 2 (if available, otherwise off)
Auto Motion Plus > Custon > Blur = 10, Judder = 0, Clear = off (NOTE: if you get stuttering, try turning it from custom onto Clear, the clear option in custom can be "on", user preference)
Smart LED - Standard
Cinema Black - On

System, Eco Solution, Eco Sensor: OFF

3D mode
Note: Press the 3D button on the remote and select 2D>3D to put the F8000 into the 3D mode

Turn off everything that says Auto to Off Except Film Auto2 in Picture Options

Movie Mode - Note 2D and 3D on the same HDMI Input have separate memories
Backlight 20
Contrast 100
Brightness 46
Sharpness 0
Color 50
Tint 50/50
Picture Size - Screen Fit

3D
Perspective 0
Frame Depth 5
Light Control > High

Advanced Mode -
Dynamic Contrast - Off
Black Tone - Off
Flesh Tone: 0
RGB Only Mode- Off

Color Space - Custom
Red R-38, G-0, B-6
Green R-15, G-23, B-9
Blue R-9, G-0, B-51
Yellow R-47, G-52, B-9
Cyan R-14, G-51, B-53
Magenta R-41, G-0, B-48

White Balance 27 29 28 0 8 50
ro 27
go 29
bo 28
rg 0
gg 8
bg 50

10p White Balance - not accessible in 3D mode

Gamma -3

Picture Options
Color Temp Warm2
Dig Clean View - off
Mpeg - off
Film - Auto 2
Auto Motion Plus - Custom - Blur 10 - Judder 0 - LED Clear Motion Off(if having motion problems, try turning custom off and onto "clear")
Smart LED Off
Cinema Black Off

Xbox One Calibrated: Game Mode On

Standard Mode
BL 15
Cont 94
Bright 46
Sharp 0
Color 50
G/R 50/50
Pic Size - screen fit
HDMI Black Level: Low

Advanced Settings
Dynamic Contrast - Off (using it can crush blacks too if not careful)
Black Tone - Off
Flesh Tone: 0
RGB Only Mode- Off
Color Space - Auto

White Balance:
ro 23
go 23
bo 25
rg 16
gg 25
bg 27

10p White Balance Off
Gamma- 0
Expert Pattern- Off
Motion Lighting- Off

Picture Options
Color temp - Warm 2
Digital Clean View - Off
Mpeg Noise Filter - Off
HDMI Black Level - Low
Film Mode Auto 2 (if available, otherwise off)
Auto Motion Plus Off
Smart LED - Standard
Cinema Black - On

99 of 114 people found the following review helpful.
This is a wonderful television
By CC reader
We researched extensively before replacing our 10 year old set. We knew we wanted backlit LCD rather than Plasma and we wanted to go bigger. We looked at many sets but settled on the Samsung UN55ES7200 and UN55F8000. Based upon the reviews there were some issues with the ES8000, which was an early generation of Samsung smart tvs. While that set is meaningfully less expensive we are glad we went with the F8000 released in 2013. The picture is incredibly crisp and, despite its size the set is slim and light weight. The clicker has a touch pad feature and the connections with the internet, HBO, Amazon, Netflix are very easy (even for a non-technically savvy person like me). It connected easily (although it was missing 2 screws which Samsung sent out very quickly) so set up time was nominal. There have been no resolution or lighting issues (as have been described in the ES8000). I have only one constructive comment, the resolution is so very good that you can sometimes see the artificial nature of the movie sets in older movies. If that is the only problem we encounter I believe that is something that can be overlooked. We are really pleased with the purchase and, as always, Amazon delivery was fast and convenient.

82 of 94 people found the following review helpful.
Unbelievable!!
By K. Coste
I am a professional video producer who is seldom truly impressed. My previous TV was a Panasonic 50 inch plasma, which was working perfectly, and I had been waiting and watching the industry for when I should jump to the next level. This, among other choices, including new plasmas, was it. Pricey, but some things in life are worth it.

Out of the box, I was not happy at all, and it turns out there are a multitude of factory settings that need adjustment. The biggest culprit was something called Auto Motion Plus, which Samsung should never have made the factory default, and should be turned off forever. It was designed as an aid to fast moving action scenes utilizing the high refresh rate, but it turns a stunningly beautiful movie into a soap opera video. The rest are a matter of personal taste, as in color balances, contrast, saturation, black levels, etc. I keep the Cinema Black off, as this unit does a great job with the blacks in other areas of the menu. Skin tones are the true test.

Off axis viewing is less than ideal, and there is some edge light visible at times on dark scenes, but I continue to be stunned by the image, especially the 3D, which is mesmerizing, super-vivid and hyper-real.

There are those who are saying 3D is a fad that will pass, but they are dead wrong, and obviously have NOT seen the likes of this TV in a dark space. 3D is no more a fad than experiencing life with two eyes rather than one. I would add though, that for 3D to be effective, the screen must be large, as it can be a little like looking through a window if too small.

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READ MORE - Samsung UN60F8000 60-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Ultra Slim Smart LED HDTV

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras..

GET Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras By Canon

Most helpful customer reviews

778 of 792 people found the following review helpful.
My walkaround lens
By NutMac
The walkaround lens. This very topic leads to a heated discussion among DSLR photographers.

First, determine your budget, focal length, and aperture needs.

If you frequently find yourself zooming out to get everything in a frame, you will want a wide angle lens such as this. If you frequently find yourself zooming in, this is not the lens for you. On a full frame body such as Canon EOS 5D, this lens becomes ULTRA wide angle. On an APS-C crop body such as Digital Rebel XTi (which I used for this review), it becomes MEDIUM wide angle. But thanks to 1.6x crop factor, this lens expands to more usable 35mm equivalent focal length of 27 to 64mm.

Second, audition the lens if you can.

By definition, a walkaround lens should be relatively portable. At 1.1 lbs., Canon's EF 17-40mm f/4L USM is neither super light nor neck breakingly heavy. In fact, it weighs almost the same as Digital Rebel XTi -- really nice balance. The lens feels very solid with supreme build quality that only L-series lenses offer. Although this lens is weather proof and therefore sealed against liquid and dust, I strongly recommend getting a 77mm filter to protect the front lens element. With it, this lens is made to last.

In terms of looks and feel, it doesn't get much better. Its rubberized full-time inner focus manual ring USM focuses smoothly, quietly, and quickly. Since it's inner focus, the lens will not extend beyond its metal casing whether you zoom in or out. The focus window shows focusing distance from 0.28 meter (0.92 feet) to infinity. The focal length marker indicates 17, 20, 24, 28, 35, and 40mm. The lens exudes quality from tip to tip.

You may tolerate heavier lens or may not mind lesser build quality of cheaper lenses. A walkaround lens will be used very often, so make sure you will be comfortable with it.

This lens is famous for saturated color and deep contrast. Its images are simply stunning. At 17mm wide angle, barrel distortion is noticeable but relatively mild. From 24mm to 40mm, its images are distortion free and perfectly suited at capturing people.

Vignetting (corner darkness) is minimal with mild chroma abberrations (color shadows). At f/4 aperture, details become noticeably softer toward the edges. The center region is very sharp and at f/5.6, edges remain fairy sharp. Thanks to 7 diaphragm blades, this lens can produce very nice bokeh at 40mm (blur effects).

One of the most cited weaknesses is the f/4 aperture. In my experience, a bump in the ISO speed and steady hands are all you need to take well focused images indoor. On the other hand, if you are shooting with very little amount of light, you might wish for f/2.8 or image stabilizer. Although the difference between f/4 and f/2.8 is just 1 stop, my other lens, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM (too heavy to be my walkaround lens) easily outperforms in such challenging situations. But by and large, I was not handicapped by the f/4 aperture.

Some of the main competitions (sorted by price):
- Sigma AF 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC macro: Good zoom range with macro, and generally solid performance if you can get a good sample. It does suffer from a bit slow focus mechanism, soft corner, and chroma aberrations. Works only with EF-S mount.
- Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC: Very good value for f/2.8 aperture, but Tamron's 17-50mm is a bit better lens overall. Works only with EF-S mount.
- Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM: This "traveler's lens" has a wider focal range than most wide angle lenses (widest among Canon) and is equipped with an image stabilizer. While it is a Jack of many trades, it is the master of none. Every lenses on this list will perform better at particular focal length. Then again, none of the lenses on this list has as wide focal range. It is famous for extreme barrel distortion at 17mm and chroma aberrations. Works only with EF-S mount.
- Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF): This is the most direct competitor. It takes sharper images with faster aperture while costing less. Both the build and focus mechanism are significantly worse, but should be good enough for many. Works only with EF-S mount.
- Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM: This is THE reference, if you can afford it. Its images have razor sharp details and great performance all around (minus vignetting, which is typical of EF-S lenses). The build quality is worse than L-series but still pretty good. Works only with EF-S mount. This is the best EF-S lens hands down.
- Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM: One of the most expensive wide angle zoom lenses. It's larger and heavier, but has f/2.8 aperture.

This is how Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 USM stacks up.

Pros:
- Among the very best build quality.
- Excellent, buttery smooth, super fast front-focus system.
- Top notch color and contrast. Very sharp center resolution.
- Almost non-existent vignetting, generally low distortion, and well controlled chroma abberrations.
- Ideal weight and size for walkaround purpose

Cons:
- Edge softness at f/4 aperture.
- Narrower focal length than most competing lenses.
- Slower than some third party lenses.

All in all, this is an excellent wide angle walkaround lens. It may not offer the most bang for the buck, but if you value full frame compatibility (EF lens mount) and excellent build quality, this is the default choice. This lens comes with a nice pouch and a lens hood. I find the hood to be somewhat ridiculously shaped and because the lens is resistant to flare, I do not use it often when shooting outdoor.

152 of 156 people found the following review helpful.
Versatility on the Cheap
By Genobambino
No one lens accomplishes every photographic objective. Canon makes each lens at every price point well-suited to various tasks, but with limitations that can only be overcome by graduating to the next higher priced but similar item. A case in point: the wide-angle zooms.

The 17-40mm f/4 is one of Canon's best deals in L-series glass. You have to spend twice as much to get a lens of similar quality, but just one stop faster. Does this make the more-expensive EF 16-35 f/2.8L a ripoff? Not for its own specific use: the extra stop gives you the speed to shoot in more indoor situations. Not all photographers need this. When indoors, we're often taking pictures of people, which are better suited to lengths around 50-100mm. To capture sweeping panoramas of parlors for Architectural Digest (or Coldwell Banker) the f/2.8 is the better lens and worth the step up in price, though in many cases you could use the f/4 lens with a tripod. All this means is that the f/2.8 is priced for professional specialists whereas the f/4 is for more general use. My bigger point is that Canon has its whole lineup positioned: the differences across lenses are specific and appropriately priced, which is good news for the consumer. It's hard to make a mistake buying homegrown Canon lenses, especially L-series lenses. You just have to figure out which set of two or three suits your range of uses.

The 17-40mm is a steal for people who need a walkaround lens for travel and outdoor photography. The shorter focal lengths of the zoom are great on a digital body, with nice reach and minimal distortion; just an ability to grab up landscape and wide situations end-to-end, even when standing close. The focal lengths around 40mm are tight enough for portraits and other local detail. Colors are strong and convincing; contrast deep and impactful. The lens itself is small enough and light enough to grab-and-go, but nicely machined, with solid fit and finish. It has an instantly recognizable profile, with the added bonus of the red ring.

This lens, plus a 70-200mm f/2.8 telescope and a nice fast fixed lens in the range betwixt are all you need. On vacation, and in most outdoor situations, the 17-40mm alone suffices. It makes a good first L-lens, and a staple in the arsenal.

493 of 530 people found the following review helpful.
Only decent in comparison to other L's
By Jesse R. Hunter
(I really want to give this lens 3.5 stars)

This review is written from the viewpoint of someone whom has used many L-class lenses, and as such will be a little harder on this piece of glass. If you've never used a Canon L lens and you purchase this one, I guarantee you'll be quite pleased with your purchase. But this review is really meant for those who own other L glass pieces and are looking into adding this one to their collection.

The good:

L glass tends to mean some heavy-weight glass, however this lens is surprisingly light and small. In fact, it is the smallest/lightest L zoom Canon makes. You find yourself more likely to take it to places where there may not be much of a projected photo opportunity or where there is a higher risk in damaged gear due to its unobtrusive size. It really is one of those few L lenses that you can casually walk around with and not garner much for attention.

As with all L-glass, this ones very solidly constructed. It has a simplicity of design that minimizes risk to moving parts from shock. It is well-balanced and just feels like a tight glass package.

The lens performs very well in color and contrast. Natural saturation is excellent, easily on par with the L expectation. The color and saturation of this lens sits somewhere between the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS and the 24-70mm f/2.8.

I initially thought that the zoom range would be constraining (a mere 23mm of range?), but in reality the lens is fairly versatile. This especially true on a 1.6 FOVCF body (20D, 30D, 350D, 400D, etc), where the range is more like that of a normal zoom, at the cost of the super-wide advantage. The lens handles pretty much all composition tasks except those of a telephoto or 1.0x macro. You won't be disappointed in the zoom versatility.

Price. This like, what, the second cheapest L lens available. For those whom are very accustomed to purchasing/collecting L lenses, anything under a thousand dollars really is considered on the cheap side. If this is your first L purchase, this lens or the 70-200mm F/4L are your places to start.

Flare. There's practically none.

Cons: (there's only one, but its a biggie)

Sharpness. This is by far my biggest qualm, and what makes me frown a little at this lens for its L designation. It's nowhere near that of other lenses. One of the biggest uses for this lens is landscape photography, where objects appear very distant and sharpness becomes crucial. 24mm at f/4 on this lens is easily less sharp than 24mm at f/2.8 (!) on the 24-70 f/2.8L. And as a little investigation will reveal, this probelm is also somewhat appearant on the 16-35mm f/2.8L (although it seems less pronounced). 100% crop comparisons of this lens to other lenses such as the 180mm f/3.5L is simply a joke.

Other:

This lens utilizes slight movement of the front element, so it is advised by pretty much everyone that a UV filter be purchased (77mm filter size). I add to that by saying: buy only the Multi-coated from B+W or Hoya if you're shooting digital. Yes, they're usually somewhere around eighty bucks, but spending forty on something that will bring you ghosting/contrast woes is not worth it.

The hood of this lens is hilarious. It's almost five inches wide and maybe an inch and a half tall. I simply don't use it (I can't geometrically see how it helps. I think it may be something of a feel-good-hood if you're not consiencious about flare.) The lens is less conspicuous without it and I really don't have a flare problem.

Conclusion

I'm really not satisfied with the sharpness issue. It seems at least somewhat appearant on almost all Canon's lenses below 35mm. (Except for the 24-70 and 24-105, which is odd). I think they're still working out their wide-angle formula. Appearantly, the new 17-55mm f/2.8 is supposed to be sharper than both the 17-40 and 16-35, so they are probably on the right track of improving the issue.

In the end, if you've never used L glass and are considering this one, buy it. You will be very pleased, I assure you. But if you own a good deal of L glass, you may want to hold off from this one and wait for Canon to improve their optics. You may find yourself like me, using other L pieces and only using this one when I absolutely have to.

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SanDisk Ultra 16GB MicroSDHC Class 10/UHS-1 Memory Card Speed Up To 30MB/s With Adapter- SDSDQUA-016G-U46A (Label May Change)

SanDisk Ultra 16GB MicroSDHC Class 10/UHS-1 Memory Card Speed Up To 30MB/s With Adapter- SDSDQUA-016G-U46A (Label May Change)..

Grab Now SanDisk Ultra 16GB MicroSDHC Class 10/UHS-1 Memory Card Speed Up To 30MB/s With Adapter- SDSDQUA-016G-U46A (Label May Change) By SanDisk

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1682 of 1739 people found the following review helpful.
Great w/ Galaxy S4 - No Complaints Here
By Hyoun Kim
I haven't had to buy a microSD card in a long time. The last time I bought one was for my cell phone over 2 years ago. But since my cellular contract was up, I knew I would have to get a newer card in addition to my new phone, the Samsung Galaxy S4. Reason for this is because I knew my small 16GB microSD card wasn't going to cut it.

Doing research on the Galaxy S4, I wanted to get the best card possible that had decent capacity (32 GB or greater). This led me to find that the Galaxy S4 supports the microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I card, which is the fastest possible given that class. Searching for that specifically on Amazon gave me results of only 3 vendors (as of April) that makes these microSDXC Class 10 UHS-1 cards. They are Sandisk (the majority), Samsung and Lexar. Nobody else makes these that are sold on Amazon.

Seeing how SanDisk is a pretty good name out of the 3 (I've used them the most), I decided upon the SanDisk because Lexar was overpriced and the Samsung one was overpriced (as well as not eligible for Amazon Prime).

But the scary thing is that when you filter by the SanDisk, you literally get DOZENS of options. All of them have different model numbers, different sizes, etc. Then there's that confusion of what's the difference between SDHC & SDXC?

SDHC vs SDXC:
SDHC stand for "Secure Digital High Capacity" and SDXC stands for "Secure Digital eXtended Capacity". Essentially these two cards are the same with the exception that SDHC only supports capcities up to 32GB and is formated with the FAT32 file system. The SDXC cards are formatted with the exFAT file system. If you use an SDXC card in a device, it must support that file system, otherwise it may not be recognizable and/or you have to reformat the card to FAT32.

FAT32 vs exFAT:
The differences between the two file systems means that FAT32 has a maximum file size of 4GB, limited by that file system. exFAT on the otherhand, supports file sizes up to 2TB (terabytes). The only thing you need to know here really is that it's possible your device doesn't support exFAT. If that's the case, just reformat it to FAT32. REMEMBER FORMATTING ERASES ALL DATA!

To clarify the model numbers, I I hopped over to the SanDisk official webpage. What I found there is that they offer two "highspeed" options for SanDisk cards. These are SanDisk Extreme Pro and SanDisk Ultra. SanDisk Extreme Pro is a line that supports read speeds up to 95MB/sec, however they are SDHC only. To make things worse, they are currently only available in 16GB & 8GB capacities. Since one of my requirements was to have a lot of storage, I ruled these out.

The remaining devices listed on Amazon's search were the SanDisk Ultra line. But here, confusion sets in because SanDisk separates these cards to two different devices. Cameras & mobile devices. Is there a real difference between the two or is this just a marketing stunt? Unfortunately I'm not sure but I do know the price difference between the two range from a couple cents to a few dollars. Since I wasn't sure, I opted for the one specifically targeted for mobile devices (just in case there is some kind of compatibility issue). To find the exact model number, I would go to Sandisk's webpage (sandisk.com) and compare their existing product lineup. From there, you get exact model numbers and you can then search Amazon for these model numbers. That is how I got mine (SDSDQUA-064G).

As for speed tests, I haven't run any specific testing, but copying 8 GB worth of data from my PC to the card literally took just a few minutes.

One last note is that Amazon attaches additional characters to the end (for example SDSDQUA-064G-AFFP-A vs SDSDQUA-064G-U46A). The difference between the two is that the "AFFP-A" means "Amazon Frustration Free Packaging". Other than that, these are exactly the same. If you're wondering what I got (and want to use it in your Galaxy S4), I got the SDSDQUA-064G-u46A and it works like charm.

1310 of 1375 people found the following review helpful.
Top of the class among all (budget-priced) micro-SDHC cards I have tested / Works great in Galaxy S3
By NLee the Engineer
I have tested dozens of SDHC and micro-SDHC cards. One disturbing trend I noticed is that: the speed class rating for micro-SDHC is typically inflated. For example, a 'class-10' rating means the card must deliver a sequential write speed of at least 10MB/s. But somehow, a class-10 microSDHC cards is always slower than a class-10 SDHC card from the same manufacturer. Case in point: the PNY 32 GB microSDHC Card (P-SDU32G10-EFS2) claims to be 'class-10', yet it can only write at 8.6MB/s maximum, while the full-size PNY P-SDHC16G10 achieved 13.4MB/s according to CrystalDiskMark v3.01.

This SanDisk Ultra 32 GB microSDHC Class 10 UHS-1 card (SDSDQUA-032G-U46A), however, proves to be the exception. It achieved a sequential write speed of over 10MB/s according to two different benchmark programs (11.8MB/s in "CrystalDiskMark", 10.6MB/s in "H2testw v1.4"). This is faster than all my other microSDHC cards, including two 'class-10' cards from PNY and Polaroid.

A closer look at the file transfer speed using "Flash Memory Toolkit" revealed another nice surprise: For writing small files, this Sandisk Ultra microSDHC card performed just as well as its full-size counterpart, the SanDisk Ultra SDHC (SDSDU-032G-AFFP). In contrast, all my other class-10 microSDHC cards perform poorly while writing smaller files. See the benchmark results I uploaded to 'Customer Images' for details.

When you use a memory card in a digital camera to record HD video, it needs to store a huge video file each session. That means its sequential write speed is most critical. When used in a tablet or a smart phone, however, the card's random write speed for small files is more important. That's why in such applications, the Sandisk microSDHC will perform faster than the PNY and Polaroid cards, even though they are also rated as 'class-10'.

[Bottom Line]
As of this writing, the Sandisk Ultra microSDHC card ia actually priced lower than other class-10 cards from PNY and Polaroid. This makes the Sandisk the best value - especially if you need honest class-10 performance across all platforms.

[Side Notes]
- Do not confuse this Sandisk Ultra card with SanDisk Mobile Ultra microSDHC (SDSDQY-032G-U46A). The latter is rated for class-6 only.
- The size of this '32GB' card is 29.7GB according to my computer. This is actually normal because computer people count one Gig as "2 to the power 30", which is 7.3% larger than one billion. So 29.7GB translates to 31.9 billion bytes, which is '32GB' according to marketing people.

[Update on Feb 4, 2013]
1. Amazon combined the Sandisk Ultra 32GB and 64GB cards on the same product page. Please beware that your intended appliance must be compatible with 'SDXC' in order to used the 64GB version. My original review refers to the 32GB 'SDHC' version.

2. There are two part numbers for the same card. If you start from the Amazon product page and select 'Retail Packaging', you'll see the part number of SDSDQUA-032G-U46A. But if you click on 'Frustration Free Package', the part number changes to SDSDQU-032G-AFFP-A.

[Update on Oct 5, 2013]
The Sandisk microSDHC card works great in my new Samsung Galaxy S3, without the need for reformat (the default format is FAT32)

[Update on Dec 26, 2013]
My old test results were limited by the card reader and USB 2.0 port used. I re-tested the Sandisk UHS1 micro card using the Transcend RDF5 Card Reader connected to an USB 3.0 port. Here are the results from 'CrystalDiskMark 3.01 x64':
- Sequential Read speed = 40.0MB/s (was 34.8MB/s when connected to USB 2.0 port)
- Sequential Write speed = 13.1MB/s (was 12.6MB/s when connected to USB 2.0 port)

1258 of 1356 people found the following review helpful.
1 Star reviews - Micro SDXC card unmounts itself in Galaxy S4 - Solution found - RMA card - Faulty card - instructions in review
By SkincareCEO
NOTE: please read the last update (scroll to the bottom) - I'm leaving this review as 1 star as it appears to help others who purchased and had a similar experience.

I give SanDisk 5 stars for customer service and 1 star for the product (for those manufactured in the past) For those newly manufactured products that contain the software ROM fix, I'd give the product 5 stars.

To all those who purchased this card due to all the great reviews.... and then used it in a Galaxy S4 (GS4) smartphone for storage, the solution to the problem is not one you can solve without returning the card to SanDisk for a replacement under warranty. Believe me I tried everything that the Google searches returned as solutions... formatting as exFAT, formatting in the GS4 then copying data to the card while in the phone etc.... nothing worked... and so now please stop pulling out your hair and hopefully you will get the same result which I hope to get soon (just RMA'd and will send it back tomorrow for a free replacement under warranty).

The problem (As confirmed from the SanDisk customer support rep when I asked specifically asked him):

- When used in the GS4, this card will unmount itself inadvertently (may be true only for cards manufactured before the ROM patch described below was implemented in manufacturing). This can cause the data to become corrupt (luckily was not my experience) and / or can be very frustrating as most of us are saving 13 MP camera pictures to the card (or MP4 movies that stop in the middle of the movie) and it unmounts when you view the picture in the gallery or worse, right when you take the picture (this was the issue I experienced).

- SanDisk knows about this issue. Again, SANDISK KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND WILL REPLACE YOUR CARD. Call them (info below) and they WILL take care of it under warranty. They have a good name for a reason and they want to keep it. (sorry SanDisk about the 1 star, but I thought it was the way to get the message out to those searching for a solution)

- The customer rep told me that SanDisk tried to work with Samsung to resolve the issue but Samsung refused to acknowledge a problem exists with this card and some of their phones (especially their flagship GS4 phones).

- The customer rep told me that to their knowledge the card works fine in regular cameras (not Samsung GS4 phones with cameras, obviously) and even worked fine in some phones from HTC etc. that could accommodate the 64 GB cards. Hence the 5 star ratings from others.

- The solution SanDisk came up with was to write a patch into the ROM of the card itself to specifically address the issue on Samsung GS4 phones (and maybe other Samsung phones like the GS3). I was assured that the new card I would get would work flawlessly. will see in about 3 weeks.

- I purchased my card from Amazon June 2013, so the ones currently being manufactured and the one I should get will have the new patch. However, as SanDisk manufactures in batches (like most of the industry), old batches of "unpatched" cards obviously exist in warehouses.

- I asked about a software patch I could download and was told it's not possible... hence the "hard coded patch" in the card's ROM

So... how to take care of the problem....

After speaking with the SanDisk US customer support (link and info below), this is what I learned and did.
Go to the SanDisk site

1) [...]
2) call consumer products support (this is the US no.) 1-866-SANDISK (726-3475)
3) Tell them that the card is unmounting itself in your GS4 (I assume this is also a problem experienced by GS3 owners too)
4) They will then confirm your information, approve your return (10-15 min approval window by mine was basically instantaneously), and then send you emails with a UPS return label and instructions.
5) BTW, they also asked if I had a magnifying glass to ID the serial no. on the card, but I didn't and couldn't read it myself (those numbers are super small printed into the plastic... don't believe me? take a look yourself.) I told the rep I couldn't read them and he said no problem, they would process without the serial no. I assume this is because they send you a new replacement card only when they receive your card you send in. Makes sense.

Well, that's it. Problem (hopefully) solved. Let's see in 2-3 weeks. The rep was super nice about it and seemed like they were all too familiar with the problem. KUDOS TO SANDISK FOR TAKING CARE OF IT... however, it would be nice if there was some type of communication / notice of the issue besides Google info sources, forums etc. I spent hours, maybe a couple of days total hours worth, thinking it was an issue with my phone / my data transfer. oh well, that's how it goes.

I really hope that this review helps some of you out there with the same problem as me. GOOD LUCK!!

(btw, I'd give the card 5 stars if this problem was solved in the patched ROM of newer cards as the data transfer speeds are awesome on the card (tested transferring data via a card reader hooked to my computer)... if the data transfer / remaining mounted in the GS4 issue never existed (pre-patch of ROM, of course))

UPDATE: 08/17/2013 - All went well with the return of the SanDisk Storage card. UPS shipping took about 2 days from when I sent it, SanDisk verified the warranty claim 1 day later and 5 hours later that same day, my replacement card had been shipped. waiting on the new card now, but expect to test it out very soon (early next week). will update the post after testing out the new card. Just as a reference, I've been using a 32GB Micro SD HC SanDisk card in the GS4 since having shipped the 64GB card. Obviously it's a different card and not the Micro SD XC kind. Other than a bit slower access speeds to the card, absolutely zero problems.... well if you don't count that it's basically filled up, hence why the 64GB option is great on the GS4. So it proves the point on the problem with the early build Micro SD XC 64GB cards.

I'm happy to see that my review has helped some others out there. Good luck to you in your warranty claim. my experience with SanDisk customer support has been excellent so far.

Update: 08/21/2013 - Received the new replacement SanDisk Storage card just a few days ago (shipping back to me once they agreed it was defective was a very short time window). Have had it running in the Galaxy S4 for a few days now without any jumps, stutters or card unloading in the middle of picture or video taking. Card seems to work flawlessly as the SanDisk Rep mentioned it would. One would think it's such a short time to test after a few days of use, but if this were not fixed already it would have dismounted in the first 45 minutes... that's how often and how fast it was occurring. so it would seem the problem is solved. The new SD card makes the phone even more responsive when moving between pictures in the gallery and performing other tasks like copying files to the card. Thanks SanDisk! Unless I update this review by next week, you will know that the problem has been fixed.

Good luck to those with similar problems as we now know how to get it fixed thanks to SanDisks great responsive customer service.

Update: 08/31/2013 - This is the last update to this review just to "close the loop". The new replacement card from SanDisk has been running flawlessly for about 2 weeks now. I have not experienced any of the initial problems. SanDisk really did fix the issues in the new batch of cards.

Update: 12/09/2013 - The card has been running in my GS4 flawlessly since replacing it around Aug 21st. Pretty good track record so far (~ 3.5 months) so it appears to be fixed with the newly manufactured (replacement) cards.

For those that have left comments that I should change the rating upwards now that the issue is fixed (see my addition at the beginning of this review)... When searching for a solution to a problem with a purchased product, most people start at the 1 star reviews to see what others have experienced. This is especially true for products with a lot of reviews (this is what I did in the beginning with this product). Therefore I think leaving it at 1 star and adding the comments at the beginning should clarify the review.

Thanks to review commenter "Da Shocker" for his input. I think he sums it up very well when it comes to the value of files stored on media like this:

"One more thing.. to those not happy with the one star rating by this person go ahead buy one. Take tons of pics vids and save some music on there then when the card crashes come back and give it a five star. A card cost $50-$100 pictures from a vacation or family event are priceless.. "

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Photive Original LP-E8 Ultra High Capacity Li-ion Battery For Canon T5i, T4i ,T3i and T2i (Canon LP-E8 Replacement)

Photive Original LP-E8 Ultra High Capacity Li-ion Battery For Canon T5i, T4i ,T3i and T2i (Canon LP-E8 Replacement)..

Grab Now Photive Original LP-E8 Ultra High Capacity Li-ion Battery For Canon T5i, T4i ,T3i and T2i (Canon LP-E8 Replacement) By Photive

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147 of 149 people found the following review helpful.
Great Batteries!
By bkbz
I have used these batteries for a couple of weeks now. I can tell no difference from the original Canon batteries other than these last longer. I use 2 batteries at a time (grip), and have snapped ~1,000 shots without the battery bar going down once.

These batteries are packaged well and shipped very fast.

It took about 2 hours to get to a full charge out of the box. If you are looking for T2i batteries, look no further!

**UPDATE**

I have had these batteries for a few months and still feel the same way as mentioned above. I have been using the batteries without the grip (1 battery at a time) and seems to get about 20-30% more shots than the stock Canon battery. Recharge time is about 2-3 hours from dead. Spend your savings on lenses, not "Canon" branded batteries.

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful.
Great battery life, but keep a watch handy
By kronabus199a
I just bought this battery, and decided to do a side-by-side comparison between a 3 week old Canon battery, and this brand new battery.

First off, both batteries were tested on a Canon T3i, at 1920x1080 24fps, with a Sandisk Ultra 16GB class 10 and a Transcend 16GB class 10 as the SD cards of choice. Also, both batteries were tested with continuous recording, 'til each battery died.

The Canon battery lasted approximately 90 minutes, while the Photive battery lasted approximately 86 minutes. So, it holds up within just a few minutes against a brand name battery, which is amazing for the price.

However, there is a catch. The battery meter does NOT show the battery life. It will go from full to dead with absolutely no indication. Not even the halfway mark. As it states in the title, keep a watch/timer handy to keep track of your battery life.

Other than the guessing game you may play with its life, it's well worth the price tag given how long it lasts. And the fact that you can shoot 2 full 16GB cards worth of video without changing batteries is big plus.

I would recommend going with the STK battery, as it lasts about a minute longer, and costs $2 less. And neither of these batteries report to the battery meter.

63 of 66 people found the following review helpful.
Photive LP-E8 battery
By TA Greene
Great buy. I purchased this product as a second battery for a Canon T2i camera. This battery does a good job. It operated my camera for over 700 photos. 100+ photos were with flash and auto focus operation. Recharging this product in the Canon charger was the same as the original Canon battery.

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READ MORE - Photive Original LP-E8 Ultra High Capacity Li-ion Battery For Canon T5i, T4i ,T3i and T2i (Canon LP-E8 Replacement)