2012 PIECHA Design Mercedes-Benz SLK R172 Accurian RS

PIECHA Design has unveiled a new tuning programme for the new Mercedes-Benz SLK R172. And thus, they present the “Accurian RS”, a sporty, elegant interpretation of the Stuttgart-based roadster. Piecha gives the new, more defined front of the SLK an Accurian RS front spoiler lip with lateral grids. The lip can be combined with a cover, which turns the grid into a three-part piece and further emphasises the LED daytime running lights on the right and left side. For a quieter airflow around the lateral body of the new SLK, PIECHA Design installed a set of Accurian RS side skirt covers. The covers are bonded easily and positively on the original side skirts. Furthermore, the opposed installed grids provide for a more prominent design. For all R172 models, no matter whether with the side skirts, the AMG or also the Accurian RS sills, PIECHA Design offers per side four LED recessed spotlights each.

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Nikon Coolpix S4000

The Nikon Coolpix S4000 can deliver good images and a mostly satisfying touch-screen experience at a sub-$200 price point, but it requires a few compromises.

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Nikon D3100

Nikon's D3100 is an excellent entry-level digital SLR, and is currently the only D-SLR to offer continuous autofocus during video recording for a true camcorder-like video-capture experience.

Angle

At $700 with lens, the Nikon D3100 is easy to recommend—it offers great image quality, a helpful Guide Mode for newbies, and continuous autofocus for those who want a true D-SLR with simple video recording. 

Top

Controls are standard: all the usual suspects are there (Mode Dial, Scroll Wheel, Directional Pad), and little else. 

Left

At 3.75 by 4.75 by 2.5 inches (HWD), and 1.09 pounds (1.69 pounds with its included 18-55mm lens), the body of the Nikon D3100 is small and light for a D-SLR, but it still dwarfs a pocket point-and-shoot or compact-interchangeable-lens camera.

Right

When using the optical viewfinder for shooting, the D3100 is lightning fast. It starts up and shoots in an average of 1.35 seconds, and then delivers 3 frames per second in continuous shooting mode.

SD Card

The D3100 is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and writes to SDHC/SDXC cards. 

Back

The 3-inch LCD the back of the D3100 offers a nice big view of your image, and large text so menus are easy to navigate. It's not very a sharp screen, however. 

Ports

Connecting the D3100 to a computer is simple, since the camera is armed with a standard mini-USB port. 

Lighting

In terms of image noise, the Nikon D3100 can go past ISO 3200 to ISO 6400 and keep noise under the 1.5-percent threshold for useable images. This means the D3100 is well-suited for shooting in low light environments without flash. 

Tracking

The camera can detect faces, lock on, and adjust the focus automatically to make video capture even easier. 

Menu

Nikon's user interface is simple and straightforward across all models, and it makes the D3100 easy to use. 

Movie

With the D3100, HD video can be captured in 720p at 24 or 30 frames per second or 1080p at 24 frames per second. 

Angle

With the D3100, HD video can be captured in 720p at 24 or 30 frames per second or 1080p at 24 frames per second. 

Price Range $599.00 - $599.99
 

Spec Data

Type D-SLR

Megapixels 14.2 MP

Media Format Secure Digital High Capacity, Secure Digital Extended Capacity

35-mm Equivalent (Wide) 18

35-mm Equivalent (Telephoto) 55

Optical Zoom 3 x

LCD size 3 inches

LCD dots 230000

Wireless Connectivity No

HD Video Capture Yes

Boot time 1.35

Recycle time 0.33

Lines Per Picture Height 1623

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T-Mobile Sidekick 4G

The T-Mobile Sidekick 4G is a terrific messaging smartphone with a very strong, unique design viewpoint.

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Sony Alpha55 (SLT-A55VL)

The Sony Alpha55 (SLT-A55VL) offers faster-than-D-SLR focusing speeds along with D-SLR-quality images. The only thing you don't get is a true optical viewfinder.

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