5 comments about Aiptek A-HD 720P 5MP CMOS High Definition Camcorder.

1. Yeah, the audio isn't so great, but for the price it can't be beat for the "fun" factor.
   
   Where the camera suffers the most (besides not having an optical zoom) is at action shots - I've taken this camera out snowboarding a few times - there's a noticeable "wavy" effect on the video when panning fast or if there are many moving objects. But honestly, not that much of a deal breaker for what it is.
   
   With an 8gb SD card, you can get over 4 hours of HD footage (FYI - the battery only lasts around 1 hour)
   
   Still shots with the camera are really nice.
   
   Editing the footage with iMovie '08 is a breeze.



2. I bought the Aiptek A-HD 720P 5MP CMOS High Definition Camcorder about a month ago, and unfortunately, haven't used it quite as much as I'd envisioned. Still, the few times that I have used it, the open, point, and shoot simplicity, the image quality, and the ease of exporting to my Macbook Pro have certainly been well worth the price.
   
   For under $150, this is a fairly impressive little camera. It works pretty well in fairly low light conditions, the audio quality is quite good, and the picture quality, while probably leaving a bit to be desired if the unit cost several hundred more, is quite good, particularly when rendered in native resolution. Manipulating and exporting the resulting video and still image files is straightforward, and the file sizes it produces can be very reasonable once converted for web delivery.
   
   With the limited opportunity I've had to use it, I can't really comment on overall battery longevity, but I can relate that after fully charging the unit via the USB interface to my Macbook, it sat around for a couple of weeks before the next use, at which point it performed as advertised, and I probably had it on for well over 45 minutes total shooting and reviewing video items, without the battery indicating it was about to give up the ghost. Looking at the numbers, however, lead me to believe that with a 4GB card in the slot, you'd probably run out of battery before you ran out of storage space for whatever you are shooting.
   
   Overall, very light weight and easy to control, with excellent preview via the screen.
   
   The only negatives to report are a slight shutter delay from the time you press the button until the camera actually captures a still image - almost a full second or so. Kind of limits the unit for 'action stills' applications. Also, in a 'busy' close up environment, the autofocus has an annoying tendency to base focus on all sorts of things except what you're shooting, but this only occurs at ranges of 3 feet or less.
   
   Generally, I'd say that I'm satisfied with the product!



3. this product works very well. I like the style and the HD quailty is amazing. I still need to use it more, and I will on my vacation to the Bahamas in June.



4. I own an expensive Sony HD camera that takes great video and decent sound. But I hardly ever used it. After taking trips to Hong Kong and Costa Rica wit the Sony, and coming back with almost no footage, because the camera was too bulky and expensive to want to carry around, I decided I needed to look into something better suited for my needs. The Aiptek is something I use all the time. I purchased this camera so I could take quick videos of my son, or anything else I wanted to post to YouTube or Vimeo. I did some research by going to Vimeo and searching for Aiptek A-HD. I found some great clips that showed me exactly what the camera can do in HD.
   
   The Good
   Picture quality is very good. It doesn't beat my Sony, but it will beat just about any camera you could have purchased for under $2k 5 years ago.
   
   The camera couldn't be much simpler. Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White) is obviously the easiest camera to use, but the Aiptek is not going to stump anyone.
   
   Fast upload. Unlike the long time my Sony took to bring video in from DV, the Aiptek is super fast at transferring those movies onto my machine.
   
   Good use of space. I have a 4 gig card in mine, and it looks like I can get a little over 2 hours at full 720. Cards are so cheap now that I think I should have just got an 8 gig that should cover 4 hours.
   
   Small and light. I take this camera everywhere. I hardly ever shot video with my Sony, but this thing I use all the time.
   
   All cables included. This was a nice surprise for such a cheap camera, especially in a time of 1 game controller in $400 game system. The box included USB to mini USB, power cord, and even cords to hook up to the TV for normal and HD TV. No HDMI.
   
   The Bad
   Sound quality. The microphone is not great, and it's set to the rear. It feels like Aiptek set this up so that the person shooting the video could narrate the shot. But the lack of a external mic jack does limit the use of this camera.
   
   No optical zoom. The camera does have a 2X digital zoom, but that's not ideal. The slightly more expensive Aiptek GO-HD High Definition 720p Camcorder with 3x Optical Zoom has 3X optical zoom if yo
   
   Construction. With a low price comes low quality material. When I got my camera in the box, the "camera" button had already fallen off. Not wanting to deal with returning the camera through Amazon, I just superglued the thing back on and it's worked fine since. The camera feels sturdy enough when you hold it, but it does feel a little cheap in the buttons.
   
   No stabilization. Since this is a cheap camera it does not come with any built in stabilization, so your shots can come out a little shaky if you're not steady handed.
   
   As a digital camera the Aiptek works about as well as most inexpensive point and shoot models. The pictures are acceptable, and the built in flash does a good job exposing details.
   
   Like most people will say, this is a great camera for the money. If you're someone who wants to take serious videos and need things like stabilization and external mic jacks, this isn't for you. But if you're someone who would like a good camera to shoot everyday events so you can post them online or save them to disk, this is a camera you should be happy with for a couple of years.
   
   It does fit the need for travel as well. It's small enough to throw in my cargo pant pocket, and cheap enough that if lost or damaged, it wouldn't ruin my vacation.
   
   I do think it's likely that I'll outgrow this camera as I want to do more video. I'm waiting to see the Sony HDR-TG1 4MP High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Super Steady Shot Zoom (4GB Memory Stick Included), which is about 6 times the price, but looks to be amazing. Maybe a Christmas present for myself.
   
   This camera would also be great for teens to start shooting footage beyond their camera phones. I'll likely just hand mine over to my son when I upgrade.
   
   When you transfer files to your computer they come in Quicktime, which works great for me since I'm on a Mac. This is perfect for iMovie.



5. I got the camera for vacation and It is very easy to use and the photos and video came out very well. I didnt have a problem so much with the sound. Out of nowhere the middle joystick button broke. It moves up down, right left fine but it wont push in anymore and click like it used to. I can still use it but I have to ave very light pressure on the joystock or else it will think im clicking down allthe time. PITA. Thats the only bad flaw that I have with it. The zoom in and out flickers somtimes and you cant hold the camera still at all if its zoomed in but what do you expect for under 150 bucks.

5 comments about Canon ZR850 1MP MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom.

1. I had trouble connecting to my computer. The problem turned out to be that I had external hard drives plugged into the fire wire ports. When I removed all other fire wire connections, it connected.



2. I bought this camera from amazon. The price was the best price. The shippment came before I was expecting. I bought it to give a gift to one of my family members for their 25th wedding anniversary. I have already have Canon ZR 300. I am very happy with that too. Canon makes great. product.



3. I was quite apprehensive after seeing many reviews about this product.
   
   Agreed that the picture quality is not as good as the 8 mm tape camcorders, and the manufacturing lacks sturdiness, but its an excellent value camcorder. I only paid 180 for it.
   Its quite easy to use -- even the wheeltrack on the display screen.
   Primary reason for me to get this was the combination of camera and camcorder plus its quite light compared to my old 8 mm Sony.



4. I had a ZR200 Canon that I take everywhere. It was easy to use so after many hundreds of hours of filming sports events etc. it died. I didn't want to spend thousands of dollars so I purchased this for about the same price I would have had to fix my old camera. This is an excellent camera expecially for price. Excellent Buy! I recommend this without any reservation. You can't go wrong!!



5. I bought this camcorder to make some fundraising movies for my 3 day breast cancer walk. It has been SO easy to use, and to create some GREAT looking videos. I took it out of the box, and shot some video then plugged it into my VISTA laptop and downloaded the video in about 3 minutes... Great for a first or casual user. Has some nice options like widescreen and SD card for still photos. The light only works very close up but is a nice option if you are interviewing someone at night. All in all I couldn't be happier with this camera, and the price is AMAZING for the features you get... (lots of USEABLE features without all the useless bells and whistles that the $$$$$$ cameras have - that you never use anyhow) If something were to happen to this camera I would replace it with another zr850... The only thing I wish it had was a mic jack... but the built in mic does a fantastic job... see some video made with this camera at www.myspace/adels3day.com

5 comments about Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. Everything you read about this camera is true. I owned one for a couple of days and the picture was extraordinary... the camera was a breeze to use...
   
   And then I turned up the audio. Whoa. What's that humming?!
   
   Now, I had seen plenty of reviews (even on the older HV20) warning of a little tape noise in the audio. I own two other Mini DV cameras, and you do hear a little bit of the mechnism working. But this is different. It's disruptive. And I'm not alone in my thinking here. Do some digging and you'll find a few other reviews cropping up online with this complaint now.
   
   If audio's not a big deal to you, or you plan on using extrenal mics, I'd say this is still an insanely great camera for you. But if you're getting it to grab baby's precious moments or anything like that, I have to strongly warn against getting this due to the tape noise in the audio. I consider it a deal-breaker.
   
   On the upside, I'd like to note that I got a great deal on this camera using one of Amazon's partners on here, Butterfly Photo, and they were prompt, courteous, and easy to deal with when I returned the camera. Recommended. I'll likely be using them again to order my new camera (gonna give the HF100 a try instead... possibly an ever-so-slightly less perfect picture quality, but most reviewers are saying no moving parts = prestine audio and for me that makes it a far better overall final product.)



2. I have owned the Canon HV30 for a little over a month. I have used it strictly for wildlife video in combination with the Canon TL-43 1.7x tele-converter and the DM50 directional microphone.
   
   The picture quality is fantastic for a camcorder at this price. I shoot in HD 30p with Cinema Mode enabled. I also enable peaking and use focus assist magnification for better manual focus.
   
   [..] there is not a full manual mode for adjusting exposure. Also the manual focus wheel is a little small.
   
   The following url address is a two minute video shot entirely with the Canon HV30. While my skill level with camera is at a novice level, I think you will agree the picture quality is very good.
   
   [..]



3. Great camera! There's a great website hv20 dot com that show how to get the most out of this camera and answer questions that are vague in the manual. This camera doesn't need more help but there's a lot more you can do than what comes out of the box. The video quality is superb, but the sacrifice is that you might want to buy an add on mic. I got the canon boom mic for another $150 to get a great whole package.



4. I've spent the weekend shooting and editing with my Canon HV30, and overall, I'm very pleased with it. The image quality and color reproduction (when you switch "vivid" on in the settings) is superb. It's small, lightweight and the controls make sense. In a couple of hours I was able to put the manual away and know what I was doing. Low light performance is pretty good, with just a bit of noise all the way at iso 1600 (outside at night). It shoots very well indoors in normal lights and the auto white balance works perfectly as well.
   
   It isn't all perfect, however. The manual focus control is inaccessible and sloppy. Thankfully the autofocus is very accurate and doesn't do a lot of hunting for what to focus on. The other problem is the zoom control. It is WAY too sensitive. You can set it for variable speed, but the slightest tremble in your finger causes a bump in the speed. I think I can learn to handle it. I'll just have to be very aware of keeping a light touch. I don't think I'll be able to work with the manual focus.
   
   The camera doesn't come with a firewire or USB2 cable to connect to a computer. You need to buy that separately. But I was able to download hidef video effortlessly to iMovieHD using a Mac without any other installed software.
   
   The built in microphone sucks. Definitely get Canon's optional shotgun mike Directional Microphone DM-50. That will handle just about any sound situation you run into. Also count on getting an extra battery pack or two. The included battery won't shoot long enough to fill an hour long tape. There are different sizes of batteries. Get the biggest one you can afford, along with the outboard charger, so you can be charging up the next battery while you are shooting. Also get at least four blank DV tapes to work with. You don't want to switch framerates, resolutions and aspect ratios on the same tape if you can help it.
   
   Your whole kit, including all the accessories will fit in a very small camera bag. Pretty slick. And the quality of the movies you'll shoot will amaze you. Played back on a hidef screen, this camera is capable of producing very professional looking video.



5. I had this Camera when it first came out, and so far I am very pleased... Camcorder looks and feels as a regular Camcorders however the wild factor is the Image Quality, its stunning in clarity and contrast... This is a great Camcorder for those who are looking to capture their best memories in HD mode... Under $1000, this is the best HD camcorder one can bargain for...
   
   One disappointment with this Camcorder is that the video editing software is not included... It comes with software however it is only for editing Still Images (Photos)... With that said, you need to buy your own Video editing software if you want to create DVD's on your Laptop or Desktop... Please also beware that there are very few robust software's in the market that can convert your video files into DVD's... This is where mini tapes lacks improvement, you can watch your video through your camcorder in full HD with stunning clarity however you can't convert your files into Full HD DVD... There is software that can do the job (Vegas Pro 8) however with a price tag of $500; it won't be an option for many buyers...

5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD610 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom.

1. I've never owned my own camcorder before, but THIS great device was TERRIFIC to start off with! My boyfriend kept saying, "I know you want a hard-drive camcorder, but this dvd one will be great for just recording small moments at the parties we go to -- It will help you get the hang of using video cameras before you move on to the higher-priced stuff."
   
   I agree!
   
   The camcorder comes with a "Tutorial Video Shooting" DVD that walks you through how to get the most out of your camera. It's pretty cheesey (especially the English version, wow), but whatever. :P I'm guessing it's translated from a different language? Haha.
   
   Anyway, the zoom on this is AMAZING. It's like I can get MACRO shots while standing across the room!! Wow, right?! That was some high quality chin stubble (from the test shots I took, lol!).
   
   It's always good to get a few starter mini-dvd's, just so you have more room to play around. That way, when you mess one up, you won't feel bad!
   
   The camera is super-light, by the way. I only way 95lbs, and I'm definitely NOT athletic. But this was incredibly easy to operate! I wanted to get something small and portable, so this is definitely a great option for me.
   
   Oh, and the "night-shot plus" mode is awesome! It takes good low-light shots with the normal settings, but you can set your camera to brighten up the shot with the touch of a button, or switch the "night shot plus" mode on! It takes video in ABSOLUTE DARKNESS. It's like NIGHT mode. It's intense. I turned off all of my lights and tested it out (complete darkness), and it lit everything up like magic! It doesn't use an actual LIGHT, so you can definitely creep around in the dark and test it out. LOL.
   
   You can film your FRIENDS in the dark. Haha.
   I definitely wanna' use this at parties!
   
   Right now, I'm looking into getting the starter kit on Amazon (it comes with a battery, a carrying case, a DVD+RW and DVD-R disc-set. The battery alone costs over $50, so the prices you can get through Amazon are amazing! I'll need a tripod too (which I'm also working on getting!).
   
   I suggest picking up these items as well as a wall-charger for your battery (just in case you plan to go out and need to charge your extras!). :D
   
   Thanks Sony for making such great products!



2. I am enjoying this camcorder. I am still learning how to use some of the many features. I got this just a few days before I took a trip. I bought an extra battery and charger to always be ready for what I want to do.
   I am very pleased. This is the first time I have had a camcorder.



3. Gave this camera as a wedding gift to a couple and the said that they love it.



4. This is a great camcorder. It's affordable, produces good video quality, NEAT nightshot mode, and zooms in very far.
   
   There are no cons, it's just a great camcorder.
   
   With every Sony product that I buy my satisfaction of their quality gets better and better. Their quality is really unbeatable. Their products are usually slightly more expensive than other brands, but trust me it's worth it. (my Sony tv is almost 10 years old and works like it's brand new, it's held up fantastically)



5. I hate this camera. When I use it in direct sunlight I cannot see anything in the viewfinder because of the glare. Is this a fluke or are they all like this? Would love to hear if others have this same problem. Best Buy will not take it back (thank you, customer no service), so I'd love to know if this is something Sony needs to fix.

5 comments about Canon VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. This is my first video camera and I am a geek so please pardon me if I get a little technical as I'm the kind of guy who shops simply by comparing specs.
   
   Before this, my only experience with video cameras where those that I borrowed from friends and family over the years to cover the occasional family event - I prefer shooting with a still camera. I have been shooting with SLR's for the past 25 years (all Nikons from the FM2 to the D3) so I am biased towards prints presentation and web sharing. This makes me a johnny-come-lately into the camcorder world.
   
   2008 saw the confluence of our first HDTV, Canon's release of an affordable true HD-resolution camcorder, and cheap flash-memory storage. So it finally hit me that *right now* is the time to get into recording life's sweet moments on "tape." (And at 16:9 1920x1080 resolution at that! I'm a geek remember?)
   
   I live in a developing country in Asia where new gizmos are always late to market and priced 30-50% more so the only way to find what I want is to shop online by specs. I've compared and read every user review of all the available models from Sony, JVC, Panasonic, and Canon and the recently-announced and released HF100 sure got everything right on paper! I received my Amazon package 2 days ago and I'm happy to report that this little gem is EXACTLY what I wanted and expected!
   
   These are what I was looking for and which, happily, I got:
   
   1. Flash-memory based recording on SD
   I can't deal with tape nor am I comfortable with a spinning drive inside a piece of equipment that I might drop. Sony's Memory Sticks don't fit my world and with Transcend Class 6 16Gb SD cards priced at only $74, the HF100 is perfect for my workflow! (I spend 10-16hrs a day in front of a PC.)
   
   I've decided to shoot all my material using FX mode and a 16Gb card is good for 2hours worth of video. (Side note: the standard BP809 battery is good for only about 1hr so you better get an extra one.)
   
   2. True HD quality
   I still have to get myself a HDMI cable but the component-out signal on my LCD is crisp and more than what I expected! To my eye, it's as good as the prosumer-level models that I've been wanting to get but can't justify.
   
   3. Fast focus
   The focusing works darn well. It's not 100% but it's very close. And this is from a guy who's spoiled by the fast- and multi-point focusing of pro-level DSLR's and lenses.
   
   4. OIS
   Generally works, you gotta give it a half-second or so to stabilize and the LCD viewfinder is a great way to balance the unit with 2 hands. Once you zoom all the way to 12x though, I recommend using a tripod esp when shooting for long periods of time (like stage performances).
   
   5. Output files
   The files are saved in MTS format and after Googling for half an hour, I was able to download a couple of freeware transcoders and converted a 46-second 89Mb 1920x1080 clip and downsized it into a 16Mb 848x480 XVid AVI which is gentler on my Mediagate MG-350 hard disk media player. I intend to archive all originals on BluRay and downsample the files to make it easier to share, think YouTube, Windows Media Player, hard disk media players, iPhones, etc...
   
   6. Size and build
   Yep, it's really the size of soda can and very, very insconspicuous. It has metallic gun metal finish and, although not as aesthetically pleasing as the black HF10, it's better-looking than the pics on the web. The size is a welcome change from the routine harassment I get from overzealous mall security who thinks I'm out to make a quick buck selling pictures of mall scenes and/or architecture everytime I fish out my so-called 'professional' DSLR. I shot all day today and no one even noticed. The build is perfect, like what we're used to expect from high-quality, super-miniaturized products from Japan. For what it's worth, the unit I got is labeled Made in Japan.
   
   7. User interface
   I haven't read the manual yet as the basic camcorder stuff is easy. But I concur with the observation that the START/STOP and CAMERA/VIDEO RECORD/PLAYBACK switches could have been designed better. I prefer the Sony approach where a rotating collar representing the different modes rings a big round red button. The on-screen menu can be better but it's liveable. I'm so used to the intuitive interface of Nikon cameras so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that (just) some of the quirkiness of Canon's camera interface design can also be found on their camcorders. For example, there are way too many clicks to get a clip deleted. I also wish that scrolling through the clips is fast as browsing through a digicam's thumbnails.
   
   8. Optics
   Based on what I see on the LCD TV, they're great! I'm a wide-angle shooter so my next purchase is a 0.5x wide angle converter, but I'm now hesitating against buying the $50 models as they may not do justice to the camcorder outstanding optics. Information on photographic lens quality such as resolving power, MTF charts, etc.. are readily available online but there seems to be less on video-related optics so I gotta spend some time finding the right one for this.
   
   9. Control layout
   I think the layout is okay. The AV jack, HDMI jack, and composite jacks are on 3 separate sides, I hope they can put them all on one side in the next iteration. Oh, the tactile feel, location and size of the photo capture button is awkward. Coming from a DSLR, how I use/misuse this button often results in blurred pictures esp when in dim light. There's just no way of releasing the shutter without causing camera shake. But then again, why use a camcorder as a camera? :P
   
   10. Audio
   I think the audio recording is okay, it records my narrative clearly. I haven't shoot enough to judge how audio from the subject sounds like but I will attend a beach wedding in a couple of weeks, so I'll report back on how the wind filter and audio pickup performs in such an environment.
   
   I'm truly happy with this purchase. After 2 days with it and experimenting on post-production workflow, I'd rate this product a 10/10.
   
   Get one!
   
   ---
   
   2008.05.01 Update
   Start up time from stand-by is 1sec. Start up time from dead cold is 6 seconds regardless of your flash capacity (I tried it on 1, 4, and 16Gb) and regardless of how many clips are already in it.
   
   Finalists on my list before I got the HF100 are the Sony HDR-CX7 and the Panny SD9. They're worth taking a look and the reviews should tell you why I chose the HF100 instead.
   
   I've just finalized my AVCHD to DVD workflow and it basically involves transcoding from MTS > AVC (Using DGAVCIndex) > MPEG2/DVD (Using ConvertXToDVD & AVISynth). I don't have a Blu-Ray player yet so I'll figure out that workflow some other time. Checkout www.videohelp.com for all the tips and tricks you'll ever need.
   
   I think my DSLR's will see a lot less action in as far as shooting family is concerned. :)
   
   ---
   
   2008.05.03 Update
   
   For easy 1-step conversion of AVCHD files to DVD discs, one probably has to use commercial software such as iMovie, Nero 8, ULead 11, etc...
   
   The geek in me was somehow drawn to open source/freeware software I found via the www.VideoHelp.com forum, specifically as illustrated in this thread - http://forum.videohelp.com/topic346331.html.
   
   I learned (over the past few days) that AVCHD recording saves your material as an MTS file which you'll find in the STREAMS subdirectory. MTS files combine the actual AVC video (MPEG4/H264 format) and AC3 audio into a single 'stream.' As such, you need to demultiplex or split up the streams into their individual video and audio components before you can get any transcoding done (conversion from one format to another).
   
   To demux the MTS file, I used a software called DGAVCIndex (downloadable via a link in the above thread) and a utility called AVISynth which acts as a frameserver or translator to a final software that creates your final output. The final software I chose to use are VirtualDub for creating DivX- or XVid-encoded AVI files which you can view on your PC. On the other hand, I use ConvertXtoDVD to create DVD discs that I can view on any DVD player out there.
   
   Yeah, that made my head spin too!
   
   Anyways, that's DGAVCINDEX to split, if you don't split you won't get anything done. AVISYNTH to act as a pre-processor for the split files - add fade-in/out, resize, sharpen, adjust color, etc... CONVERTXDVD takes that pre-processed files and convert/burn the output directly to DVD.
   
   Those are all freeware but the commercial stuff aren't too expensive either. I just hope that the little explanation helps you better understand/appreciate the conversion process. I heard that it wasn't this easy dealing with AVCHD files as late as a year ago.
   
   Happy shooting!



2. If you can wait a few weeks, the price may continue to fall. The price has fallen about 24 dollars in 12 days.
   
   Anyway, overall I love this camcorder. It's small enough to put in a large pant pocket, but fits nicely in my hand.
   I filmed a birthday party last night. I felt like I could almost conceal it, it's so small. Maybe it's less invasive than a larger camcorder.
   
   Low light filming is Ok. I would like to see a larger sensor on the next iteration, but this thing is already very small. For what it is, it does an excellent job. With proper indoor lighting, you can get some very nice results.
   Don't get me wrong, it's ok for recording with normal indoor lighting, but when you go outside with this thing, wow!
   
   
   The other day, I filmed outside in bright light and this little tiny camcorder is AMAZING. I'm not an expert, but it seems close to broadcast quality. That's impressive for such an inexpensive little camcorder with AVCHD compression recording to a regular class 6 SD card. Funny, because the camera only recognizes it as a class 4. It may not have the ability to recognize class 6 cards. Still, It turns on almost instantly, and is ready to record in about 1 or 2 seconds!
   
   Can you say 30P? I havent tried 24P, but should be good in low light situations without fast movement.
   
   [...]
   
   I use Sony Vegas Platinum 8 to edit the AVCHD files and it works very well. HD does require a pretty fast computer, but it still works on my Pentium 4, 3.2 GHz single core computer. Playback can be a little choppy, but I only have 1 GB or Ram.
   
   You may want to buy a HDMI to Mini HDMI cable to connect to your HDTV.
   
   One last thing. You may want to look into the Canon DW-100 DVD recorder. It's very easy to burn HD dvds on regular dvd-r discs. It holds about 30 min of HD content on a single layer dvd-r, and I believe it burns close to real time. So 30 min of content should take about 40 min to burn. I've been using mine, and have found it to be an excellent companion to the Canon Vixia HF 100.
   Good Luck!



3. Got it and immediately brought it on a vacation to South Florida. Upon coming home I plugged it into my iMac and effortlessly loaded clips onto iMovie. Also, connected it to my 1080 40" LCD display -- and played back in full HD resolution. Lightweight, great battery length and a very simple to use!



4. this is the best HD camcorder at this size and price. I also had the Pan sd9 but like the low light performance better on this. Make sure you know the difference between CCD and CMOS.



5. I bought the Vixia HF100 for the fantastic all-in price of $750 at Amazon/J&R. I chose this Canon over comparable flash-based Panasonic and Sony cameras because it had better reviews, and I liked the external microphone option because I record a lot of concerts. After 2 days of experimentation, my conclusions:
   
   PROS: Small, light, quiet. Also, it wasn't clear from the reviews, but you can actually adjust the volume of the built-in mikes, and not just external mikes. Audio level control is a big plus for recording loud rock concerts without distortion. There are also windscreen and mike attenuation options, but I haven't had any loud outdoor concerts to test these as yet. Sound was very clear. Daylight and bright light video was crystal clear. I didn't notice any "purple fringing" or any distortion when viewed on my 50" plasma. Unlike another reviewer, I had no problems snapping multiple photos while recording video -- I'm using a class 6 SDHC Transcend card, so it may be function of using a higher speed SDHC card. For 2/3 megapixel snapshots, the photos look decent, better than one would expect if you took a screencapture of the video, but not really good enough to make enlarged prints. The autofocus works as advertised, superfast.
   
   CONS: Doesn't include mini-HDMI cable, only component and RCA. Most important, I was not pleased with the video shot in indoor lamp light (around 200 watts incandescent lighting for a 20'x15'room). There was a lot of noise, which suprised me because most reviewers gave this camera above average low-light performance. The low-light video looked a little better when you changed the default settings -- decreasing the sharpening or using cine mode. Also, I'm a video amateur so I can't explain why, but the low light video quality was less noisy in 30p mode versus 60i mode (I thought this setting would only affect fast motion scenes). Ergonomically, I wish it had some rubber on the grip for comfort, and that some of the functions which require the joystick could be accessed using the same hand holding the camera.
   
   I haven't played around with the bundled software so I can't comment; but I was perfectly willing to shell out the extra cash for Pinnacle or Sony Vegas software to handle the AVCHD format.
   
   For me, the poor low light performance is a dealbreaker, so I'm sending this puppy back. I don't see the point of having a high-def camera which produces a lot of noise/grain on the video. I'll wait for the next gen AVCHD camcorders, and will make do with a standard def HDD camcorder for less than half the price for now.
   
   4 stars because everything else besides low-light video was great, the price isn't too outrageous for new technology, and the audio input flexibility is welcome.
   
   UPDATE 5/2/08: After mulling over this overnight, I've decided to keep this camcorder as the pluses outweigh the minuses for me. If you're considering buying this model, I would suggest you go to a bricks-and-mortar retailer and test drive this camcorder yourself, not in the well-lit camera display but in a darker section of the store, like the home theater section. You will be able to see the noise even on the small 2.7" LCD, and you can judge for yourself whether you find it acceptable.

5 comments about Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. The existing reviews here are great and pretty much cover what you need to know about the HG10. What you'd REALLY like to see is some sample footage, right? Look no further than vimeo... there is a HG10 "channel" on vimeo where you can see a ton of sample footage and short films, etc, all shot with the HG10. [...]I've been using my HG10 for about 2 months and I love it. You'll find some of my sample footage on that channel. A few recommendations if you purchase this camera:
   1. use an external mic if you really care about sound quality. the internal mic is ok, but it picks up the (very quiet) lens sounds during focusing and zooming, and it is located on top of the camera instead of the front... so you get the sound of your own breathing instead of what you really want to hear, the stuff in front of the lens.
   2. invest in Sony Vegas Movie Studio for editing this footage. totally solid software and works great with the AVCHD footage.
   3. make a lot of backups! we've all been using various magnetic tapes (and even film) for years and years, many of them still sitting on shelves and ready to be pulled and played in some ancient system if you wanted to relive some old memories... DVD-Rs are not permanent! if you only backup to them, you'll try to play/copy/read them a few years in the future and they won't work. That fantastic video you got of your new baby will be gone when the kid gets old enough to want to watch it. Get those video files on to some form of magnetic media (harddrives are cheap) and archive, archive, archive.



2. This was my family's first HD camcorder. We had a really old SONY camcorder that lasted for 8 years, but it finally died. We were in a hurry to get a camcorder, but I thought we should get a pretty descent one and found this. The SONY one's cost over $1000 this cost $800. This camcorder has great picture quality. It looks like your actually in it. The battery life might be a little short, but you could get a bigger one. It comes with cables, so you can watch the recorded video and also comes with software that lets you edit and burn videos.



3. This camera has serious problems. First, if you want to burn a high-def disc, what canon doesn't tell you is you need their dw-1000 burner costing hundreds of dollars and blue-ray burnable dvds. Oh, you want to play that burnt disc, you will need a blue-ray dvd player. Ok, so maybe you want to just burn a regular dvd? Well, you will need an intel 16-quad core, 2^32 gb of ddram and about 4 weeks computing time. Of course, why would you want to buy a high-def video recorder to burn standard dvd? Oh you want an avi or mpeg? Forget it! The software that comes with the camera is absurd. First, it is replete with spelling and grammatical errors - should make you feel confident! Then it is virtually unusable. Canon actually told me to purchase sony vegas dvd software for hundreds of dollars too. I told them no way and they said try IMovie 08 - of course on a pc, that is not too easy to do! And if you want support, forget it, you are on your own. The goal of canon support when I contacted them was to simply get me off the phone - not really a problem since they knew next to nothing. Oh and you want to take a pic with the camera, better get yourself a micro-sd memory card - sure their is 40gb of hard-disk space but you can't use any of it for your 800kb crappy picture. And when plugging in to usb, even if the battery is charged, you must have the power cable in. And good luck focusing in on anything in close range. The camera never can so it just continues to adjust the focus constantly. Long story short, I would not pay $50 for this camera.



4. Pros:
   Much smaller than my old Canon Optura Xi
   Fantastic 1080i HD @ 60 frames per second
   Can convert to 1080p @ 30 frames per second (with help...)
   Image stabilization works well at maximum zoom
   Uncompressed AVCHD has much better quality than flash based MPEG4 cameras
   Good low-light performance
   
   Cons:
   Stills are useless (just frame-grab from video - same quality)
   Much bigger than my friends new Panasonic (it is only SD though)
   Wish the camera did 1080p natively :(
   24p mode is useless.
   
   Notes:
   I also bought a Sanyo Xacti 720p - the Canon is *way* better. The Sanyo has pretty bad compression artifacts including jaggies and macroblocking. On the other hand, the Sanyo takes much better still pictures.
   
   Also, I tried using Apple iMovie '08 to edit - would not de-interlace at 1080p, only 720p. So if you want to convert to 1080p, you will need another video editor (I bought Final Cut Express 4, but have not tried it yet...)



5. Good packaging great accessories put together well the quality is gorgeous but need a ps3 to view the recordings

5 comments about Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Pink).

1. Pretty easy to use, no problems at all. I found that other reviewers complain a little bit about software and the like, but I found no problems whatsoever. I got my kids to use it to tape (or is there a better word?...) scenes from their daily lives. They found no problems either.
   Perhaps it would be nice if one could find a way to choose the resolution of the compressed files for e-mailing or storing, that part of the software is somewhat limited, but I think that this would be a great addition.



2. This camera worked right out of the box for making videos. However, when I plugged it into the USB port the problems started.
   
   I could write volumes but I'll just say that after spending several days trying to get it to work I finally decided that you really do get what you pay for.
   
   I returned it today for a refund.
   
   Jim



3. THREE STARS:
   
   Why? Well, I received the camera. It worked great, then the screen went Snowy. I turned it off for the day. Came back to it the next day. No problems. I could not figure out how to add my own music yet. But that is operator error I am sure. Wish it was a little easier to do that. After I received the product I went to BEST BUY, found it for $20.00 CHEAPER. So, SHOP AROUND before you go crazy and get it on AMAZON.



4. I love the flip ultra. I use it with my mac with no problems. The first time I hooked it up, I didn't have sound to the videos but I updated quicktime and now I have no problems. I know the quality isn't excellent but it's pretty darn good for how much it is. The first thing I did was hook it up to the TV to see some of the test video and my husband and I were impressed. We still have our expensive camcorder that we'll use for important events but now I'm capturing all the cute little things my 1 year old does day to day because we just pick it up and push a button. I've been using it now for a couple months here and there and still haven't had to change batteries. It is decent in lowlight. It's challenging to keep it steady, you can compare that aspect of it to holding a phone steady while taking video - it's small and handheld so that was expected. The ring around the lens seems to scratch easily and I do keep my in the bag at all times when I'm not using it so I'm not sure how that happened so quick but the lens is fine and I've had no other problems.
   
   Bottom line is that it was just what I wanted. I missed out on so many little cute things my one year old was doing because I didn't bother to grab the camcorder out of the camera bag and once I turned that on, I would tape for a while and it is such a process to hook my camcorder to the computer and upload the video. This takes care of those little moments and uploading is so easy. I try to keep our home videos interesting by just including small clips instead of long drawn out recordings so this was perfect. I LOVE my flip. At first my husband was like, "Oh no! What did you buy now!!". But now he loves it just as much and loves to show it off to our friends. In fact, 2 other friends of ours with kids just bought them because they were impressed with ours.



5. This tiny video camera is perfect simplicity! My kids and I were using it as soon as we put the (included) batteries in, without reading even the very brief instructions. Picture is surprisingly good and we can't wait to take our Flip Ultra on vacation.

5 comments about Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Orange).

1. Pretty easy to use, no problems at all. I found that other reviewers complain a little bit about software and the like, but I found no problems whatsoever. I got my kids to use it to tape (or is there a better word?...) scenes from their daily lives. They found no problems either.
   Perhaps it would be nice if one could find a way to choose the resolution of the compressed files for e-mailing or storing, that part of the software is somewhat limited, but I think that this would be a great addition.



2. This camera worked right out of the box for making videos. However, when I plugged it into the USB port the problems started.
   
   I could write volumes but I'll just say that after spending several days trying to get it to work I finally decided that you really do get what you pay for.
   
   I returned it today for a refund.
   
   Jim



3. THREE STARS:
   
   Why? Well, I received the camera. It worked great, then the screen went Snowy. I turned it off for the day. Came back to it the next day. No problems. I could not figure out how to add my own music yet. But that is operator error I am sure. Wish it was a little easier to do that. After I received the product I went to BEST BUY, found it for $20.00 CHEAPER. So, SHOP AROUND before you go crazy and get it on AMAZON.



4. I love the flip ultra. I use it with my mac with no problems. The first time I hooked it up, I didn't have sound to the videos but I updated quicktime and now I have no problems. I know the quality isn't excellent but it's pretty darn good for how much it is. The first thing I did was hook it up to the TV to see some of the test video and my husband and I were impressed. We still have our expensive camcorder that we'll use for important events but now I'm capturing all the cute little things my 1 year old does day to day because we just pick it up and push a button. I've been using it now for a couple months here and there and still haven't had to change batteries. It is decent in lowlight. It's challenging to keep it steady, you can compare that aspect of it to holding a phone steady while taking video - it's small and handheld so that was expected. The ring around the lens seems to scratch easily and I do keep my in the bag at all times when I'm not using it so I'm not sure how that happened so quick but the lens is fine and I've had no other problems.
   
   Bottom line is that it was just what I wanted. I missed out on so many little cute things my one year old was doing because I didn't bother to grab the camcorder out of the camera bag and once I turned that on, I would tape for a while and it is such a process to hook my camcorder to the computer and upload the video. This takes care of those little moments and uploading is so easy. I try to keep our home videos interesting by just including small clips instead of long drawn out recordings so this was perfect. I LOVE my flip. At first my husband was like, "Oh no! What did you buy now!!". But now he loves it just as much and loves to show it off to our friends. In fact, 2 other friends of ours with kids just bought them because they were impressed with ours.



5. This tiny video camera is perfect simplicity! My kids and I were using it as soon as we put the (included) batteries in, without reading even the very brief instructions. Picture is surprisingly good and we can't wait to take our Flip Ultra on vacation.

5 comments about Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White).

1. Pretty easy to use, no problems at all. I found that other reviewers complain a little bit about software and the like, but I found no problems whatsoever. I got my kids to use it to tape (or is there a better word?...) scenes from their daily lives. They found no problems either.
   Perhaps it would be nice if one could find a way to choose the resolution of the compressed files for e-mailing or storing, that part of the software is somewhat limited, but I think that this would be a great addition.



2. This camera worked right out of the box for making videos. However, when I plugged it into the USB port the problems started.
   
   I could write volumes but I'll just say that after spending several days trying to get it to work I finally decided that you really do get what you pay for.
   
   I returned it today for a refund.
   
   Jim



3. THREE STARS:
   
   Why? Well, I received the camera. It worked great, then the screen went Snowy. I turned it off for the day. Came back to it the next day. No problems. I could not figure out how to add my own music yet. But that is operator error I am sure. Wish it was a little easier to do that. After I received the product I went to BEST BUY, found it for $20.00 CHEAPER. So, SHOP AROUND before you go crazy and get it on AMAZON.



4. I love the flip ultra. I use it with my mac with no problems. The first time I hooked it up, I didn't have sound to the videos but I updated quicktime and now I have no problems. I know the quality isn't excellent but it's pretty darn good for how much it is. The first thing I did was hook it up to the TV to see some of the test video and my husband and I were impressed. We still have our expensive camcorder that we'll use for important events but now I'm capturing all the cute little things my 1 year old does day to day because we just pick it up and push a button. I've been using it now for a couple months here and there and still haven't had to change batteries. It is decent in lowlight. It's challenging to keep it steady, you can compare that aspect of it to holding a phone steady while taking video - it's small and handheld so that was expected. The ring around the lens seems to scratch easily and I do keep my in the bag at all times when I'm not using it so I'm not sure how that happened so quick but the lens is fine and I've had no other problems.
   
   Bottom line is that it was just what I wanted. I missed out on so many little cute things my one year old was doing because I didn't bother to grab the camcorder out of the camera bag and once I turned that on, I would tape for a while and it is such a process to hook my camcorder to the computer and upload the video. This takes care of those little moments and uploading is so easy. I try to keep our home videos interesting by just including small clips instead of long drawn out recordings so this was perfect. I LOVE my flip. At first my husband was like, "Oh no! What did you buy now!!". But now he loves it just as much and loves to show it off to our friends. In fact, 2 other friends of ours with kids just bought them because they were impressed with ours.



5. This tiny video camera is perfect simplicity! My kids and I were using it as soon as we put the (included) batteries in, without reading even the very brief instructions. Picture is surprisingly good and we can't wait to take our Flip Ultra on vacation.

5 comments about Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black).

1. Pretty easy to use, no problems at all. I found that other reviewers complain a little bit about software and the like, but I found no problems whatsoever. I got my kids to use it to tape (or is there a better word?...) scenes from their daily lives. They found no problems either.
   Perhaps it would be nice if one could find a way to choose the resolution of the compressed files for e-mailing or storing, that part of the software is somewhat limited, but I think that this would be a great addition.



2. This camera worked right out of the box for making videos. However, when I plugged it into the USB port the problems started.
   
   I could write volumes but I'll just say that after spending several days trying to get it to work I finally decided that you really do get what you pay for.
   
   I returned it today for a refund.
   
   Jim



3. THREE STARS:
   
   Why? Well, I received the camera. It worked great, then the screen went Snowy. I turned it off for the day. Came back to it the next day. No problems. I could not figure out how to add my own music yet. But that is operator error I am sure. Wish it was a little easier to do that. After I received the product I went to BEST BUY, found it for $20.00 CHEAPER. So, SHOP AROUND before you go crazy and get it on AMAZON.



4. I love the flip ultra. I use it with my mac with no problems. The first time I hooked it up, I didn't have sound to the videos but I updated quicktime and now I have no problems. I know the quality isn't excellent but it's pretty darn good for how much it is. The first thing I did was hook it up to the TV to see some of the test video and my husband and I were impressed. We still have our expensive camcorder that we'll use for important events but now I'm capturing all the cute little things my 1 year old does day to day because we just pick it up and push a button. I've been using it now for a couple months here and there and still haven't had to change batteries. It is decent in lowlight. It's challenging to keep it steady, you can compare that aspect of it to holding a phone steady while taking video - it's small and handheld so that was expected. The ring around the lens seems to scratch easily and I do keep my in the bag at all times when I'm not using it so I'm not sure how that happened so quick but the lens is fine and I've had no other problems.
   
   Bottom line is that it was just what I wanted. I missed out on so many little cute things my one year old was doing because I didn't bother to grab the camcorder out of the camera bag and once I turned that on, I would tape for a while and it is such a process to hook my camcorder to the computer and upload the video. This takes care of those little moments and uploading is so easy. I try to keep our home videos interesting by just including small clips instead of long drawn out recordings so this was perfect. I LOVE my flip. At first my husband was like, "Oh no! What did you buy now!!". But now he loves it just as much and loves to show it off to our friends. In fact, 2 other friends of ours with kids just bought them because they were impressed with ours.



5. This tiny video camera is perfect simplicity! My kids and I were using it as soon as we put the (included) batteries in, without reading even the very brief instructions. Picture is surprisingly good and we can't wait to take our Flip Ultra on vacation.