No comments about Samsung SC-MX20 Flash Memory Camcorder w/34x Optical Zoom (Red).

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS320 3.1MP 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. I have the Panasonic PV-GS320 for about 3 weeks. Took it on a trip to get some practice with it. Easy to use and set up. Make sure you have an extra battery. The one that come with it is good for about 25-30 minutes.
   
   Best results are outdoors and in bright light. It has a camera feature to allow still pictures to a 1 GB storage card, which is kind of neat. Cassette tape goes in and out easily.
   
   Single worst feature is the lack of good quality sound. It has no audio jack, so the sound is a bit garbled if you don't speak loudly and into the mike. Otherwise, for the money, it is a good camcorder which is fun to use.



2. This is a great camera. I bought it a few months ago for an rv trip and the moment the battery was fully charged i hooked it up to the camera, put in a tape, and walked around the house experimenting. On the trip, it performed excellently. When properly exposed, the camera's three CCD chips reproduced colors surprisingly well. The microphone has a neat wind-cut function that works very well.
   
   Pros
   -great image and sound quality
   -10x zoom
   -color electronic view finder (which is becoming very rare in consumer camcorders now)
   -very simple menu navigation
   -photoshot feature
   -nice joystick navigation for menus
   
   Cons
   -Poor low-light shooting
   -no hot shoe
   -no manual focus ring
   -manual/auto switch inconviniently located
   -no firewire input
   -you have to remove the battery and go through a messy process to hook the camera up to a computer
   
   
   
   
   I highly recommend this camera for beginners or even enthusiasts with a low budget.



3. Great camcorder, watch for the color settings, It would help to point it at something neutral, like a hand befoe using it in extreme sunlight. Excellent product for the price!



4. I bought this camera for two purposes: 1) to replace an older VHS camera and 2) to use for converting my VHS tapes to DVD's. I give it 4-1/2 stars for #1 and 0 stars for #2. (In my research before buying the camera, I managed to miss the fact that the GS320 does not have AV input, so can't be used to convert analog to digital. Rats!)
   
   However, for everything else I wanted, I was very satisfied. Other reviewers have pretty well expounded on the pros and cons. I'll just say that the quality of pictures (both video and still) that we get with this camera is really great. When I first got the camera, I handed it our son who is studying Film Production and works with professional camcorders. After fiddling with the controls and looking over its features, he expressed great delight with my purchase. (Yesss!)
   
   It took me a while to figure out the menus and I haven't enough experience to handle the manual control options well, but overall, I would highly recommend this camera.



5. Choose this camera if you want quite good picture quality but don't care about extra features.
   
   (I've owned this camera for six months and use it fairly regularly.)
   
   The Leica lens and the 3 CCD's are normally in much more expensive cameras (often called "prosumer")
   
   The picture quality really does look great -- the video picture is sharp and the colors wonderful (not so much on the still pictures, though). I am totally happy with the quality and, for me, that's the main thing.
   
   It DOES have a few "extras" that I use:
   
   1) The still camera. While not a good quality as my dedicated digital camera, it is adequate. It solves the problem of having to carry two cameras.
   
   You can also take "web quality" frame grabs from footage as you review the tape. This is pretty useful if you are posting trip photos to a blog.
   
   The photos conveniently go onto a card which can easily be removed and put in a card reader.
   
   2) A/V out
   You can hook this up to your TV and it works nicely. This is one of the few feature for which you don't have to remove the battery.
   
   3) "Quick Movie Magic" software
   This is very basic software to get the footage onto your hard drive. It works nicely and allows you to fairly easily divide the scenes up and the like. I then use the clips in the editor of my choice.
   
   4) Manual focus
   5) Back light
   6) Find end of tape, search
   
   (All these items are easy to find and turn off/on)
   
   Honestly, that's about all the extra features that I use.
   
   FEATURES MISSING:
   
   I don't care about bells and whistles and I like basic "do the job" equipment.
   
   However, I miss:
   
   1) Plug for an external mic.
   2) Plug for headphones
   3) A proper shoulder strap
   4) White balance

5 comments about Samsung SC-HMX10 8GB Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (SDHC compatible).

1. I love this camera, the picture, the size and all. But its definitely not too Mac friendly. If you get one DO NOT try to import using imovie, or you'll get a whole slew of problems (it'll try to convert the files to an AIC format, and then usually will crash). You can easily drag the files directly over from the camera though, onto your computer. And Quicktime handles the files really well, especially if you have Quicktime Pro.
   
   The codec the camera shoots on is weird and hard for the computer, so if you want to edit, or even make a DVD of your video you'll need to convert the files (you can edit in Quicktime without converting... if just want simple edits). I work in TV production and have a whole slew of conversion tools, my favorite is Compressor, but you can also convert the files using Quicktime export...
   
   Conversion takes a while, but when its done... you end up with really nice footage. I really love the camera. Was a little bugged by the fact it wouldn't just import using imovie (especially since it looks like it'll work when you try), but love the picture and everything else about the camera. The photo function takes great photo's, and they import just the same as any camera with iphoto. And hooked up to my HD screen, the picture is great. I have the little base station connected to my TV at all times so setting up takes less than 2 seconds. And using cards as a sort of DVD-medium between the computer and my TV has been nice.
   
   Its a nasty process to get it too DVD or editing, but the codec it shoots too is relatively new, so I imagine it won't take much longer for an update to Mac owners that want to use imovie or Final Cut. After that... I absolutely love the camera.



2. I am very annoyed by all the negative reviews that are not the cameras fault but USER DEFAULT. That's not to say the camera is perfect but it comes close esspecially for the price $397.00!
   
   I want to clear up some of the problems other people were having based on them just not reading directions or their tvs, pcs etc. having issues.
   
   First of all you have to have a HD tv with a HDMI cable. It does not come with the HDMI cable! They can be very expensive and but if you have HDTV you should already have one to be able to view your cable, sattelite or bluray in HD so rest assured.
   
   Hooking up the video camera to the HDMI cable was so easy... you just unplug your HDMI cable from whatever it is in (cable box, dvd player) and plug it into the port, put it on the right input & turn on the camera! voila! very simple and easy.
   
   Like someone else reviewed they are VERY specific on the specifications the computer has to have in order to run the software it comes with! And even if your computer meets those standards if it is bogged down with lots of programs, pictures, games etc. it is not going to work correctly!
   This is pretty easy to get around though you can edit your videos on the camera and just hook up your camera and burn it to a dvd (which you should already have on your computer if you have a dvd burner) that way you dont have to have the software on your computer if it is slower or doesnt meet the standards.
   
   I do not reccomend this camera for anyone who wants to record in low light situations! It is not terrrible but it is not good. As far as recording in dark situations I would rate it a 5 out of 10. But I do not plan on using it in the dark much if ever so this isnt a issue for me. I do plan on tweeking the settings more though to get it to look better in low light but it might also just be easier to turn a light!
   
   Another complaint is the zoom and focus. It is only 10x zoom... This is fine for everyday use but if you plan on using this for concerts or anything far away this may annoy you. Also I hate how it sometimes takes a little bit to focus this might be something I can get in there and fix with the advance settings and you can always edit that scene out which I have already done directly on the camera.
   
   Now with the complaints out of the way I want to rave about the camera!
   
   First the Clarity! It is unreal and even my husband was shocked. I couldnt belive the detail it could focus in on on our daughters Elmo stuffed animal... You could see the details of the fuzz and stiching it was amazing! It was raining when I got the camera and I sat inside and opened up the door and focues in on the rain dropping and for a distance it was crystal clear! I am going to try and upload still pictures of this to share on this review later.
   
   I love the touch screen it isnt the kind where you barley touch it you actually have to tap it which I like because a overly sensitive touch screen can be very annoying and cause problems.
   
   The size is perfect... it's very small but not annoyingly small. It comes with a soft pouch and it fits perfect in my purse and I look foward to being able to keep my digital & video camera in my purse when I leave the country in 2 months.
   
   The swivel grip is a nice touch and we have already used it when taping our infant on the floor.
   
   I reccomend this camera to anyone who has HD in their home and want something cheap & easy to use. It isnt anything professional and isnt perfect but it is very close and for $397.00 you cant beat that. I had the choice between this camera and a few other standard cameras for the same price... why not get the HD camera that is capable of standard recording and hd? It is also very trendy looking so for all you starbucks artsy people this will definitly impress your friends with it's cool design and touch screen.
   
   I think for the $397.00 price tag this is the best camera you could get. If you want to shell out $1000 for a HD camera then go for it but if you cant afford that and were already looking to just get a normal camera for under $500 then this is the camera for you. I also wanted to add there are 3 recording resolutions HD, Standard and below standard... Standard looks almost as good as HD & below standard looks pretty darn good too! the only diference is you get more recording time on the 8gb drive and like 5 minutes more battery time.
   
   I do plan on getting a 8 or 16gb SD card but only because I am going to the Bahamas and I want to make sure I can take lots of HD videos of the beach :-) I think the average person can get away with the 8gb hard drive and a 2-4 gb card. It does come with a card that tells you how much time you will get out of the hard drive in all the modes & how much time you will get with a 2, 4, 8 & 16gb sd card which I think is nice they included that information.
   
   I am sure I will update this review as I use the camera more and hopefully get a good still image of my HD recordings to share with all of you.
   
   I was worried about buying this camera because of the mixed reviews but I went through and read all of them and when I saw most of them were user default I figured this was the best option for the price and boy was I right!!
   
   ~Oh one more thing I gave it 5 stars based on the price. If I had payed full price I would have given it a 4
   
   
   



3. The camera takes excellent video in outside sunlight. I was very happy with a lot of the video I took. It did decent job when it was cloudy before a rain storm. But indoor florescent lighting must have turned on the auto gain because all the pictures were grainy.
   The auto focus is horrible, the manual focus is too difficult to use.
   I like the fact it has a standard definition mode and has S-video out.
   It does have a mic in, but wish it had a headphone out.
   
   Trying to navigate the touch screen while recording causes jumps in the video. Navigating the touch screen was not the greatest, but I could have lived with it.
   
   The "out" ports were inside which I didn't think was a good design.
   
   The video format is MP4, make sure you have a PC that can handle this compression. MP2 would have been nicer video compression and less of a resource hog.
   
   My *biggest* problem was that nine out of ten times I turned it on it would tell me my SDHC card wasn't formated. I would turn it off and turn it back on and it was fine, I used two cards. If it didn't give me that error the camera would just lock up, I would have to remove the battery to get it to work again.
   
   Overall I liked the camera and would have put up with the other disappointing features if I didn't have the format/lockup problems. I ended up returning it. I would recommend spending a little more money if you can.



4. So, after hunting around for software that could play the video I finally found a good article posted on the net here:
   
   http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/2775.page
   
   A poster says "Hey, some formats you can actually just change the file name to .mp2 and it'll open up on any player."
   
   I thought he was joking, then I tried it and it actually works!
   
   I couldn't open it up in WMP or Premier CS3 before. The only thing that would open it was Zune software. Well, VLC player would open it, but it would be VERY slow.
   
   But as long as the right codecs are installed, renaming the file to a .mp2 extension allows me to open it in both WMP and edit it in Premiere. Although Premiere still jerks around, I probably just have to render it (which looks like it'll still take a long time btw). But, just playing back in WMP I can jump around like it is a regular video without any problems.
   
   Hope this helps.



5. This camera was an excellent product for the price. The HD picture, touch screen ease, on camera editing, and built-in memory are all well worth the price. Figuring options out as you go (I'm not much of an instructions reader) was straightforward. Reviewing video either on the camera or on a HDTV was easy.
   
   Warning: If you want to use your videos on a computer, the file type the videos save as (MP4) may not be compatible with Windows type players. You'll need to purchase/download a video converter program to change the file type to something your Media Player can read, MPG for example. Once you convert the file, you can edit or view your videos, burn them to DVD's, or post them on Facebook, etc. I used the Xilisoft Video Converter file.

5 comments about Canon DC210 DVD Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom.

1. I found out that if I had the side screen open I could not finalize my disc. It took me a whole day to figure out that if you close the side screen, and look through the eye hole, the finalize option is activated and I am able to finalize my disc CD R.



2. I bought this camcorder on sort of a whim w/ my "stimulus check", at Office Depot, on clearance (brand new in a box) with a one year money back extended service plan for $141.00. I've had a Panasonic minidv camcorder w/ better features (usb, software, etc.), but found the editing of videos with the tape was laborious. The idea of editing more quickly was what drew me to the minidvd comcorder, and, once I found some conversion software (AVS) for about $40, it works fine. Ok picture, lightweight, wish it had a light, though. Yeah, a quick guide and better docs would be nice, but I got what I paid for, and plan on keeping it. I bought an 8mm videocamera back in the late 1980's for $1100. It had a much poorer picture, and was an absolute nightmare to edit with. So, considering inflation in the last 20 years, I think this camera is great! (But not for everyone)



3. I was surprised at just how compact the CANON DC210 was when I opened the box. It fits snugly in my palm (and I have pretty thick hands) and I was able to maneuver the controls very comfortably. I was worried about the positioning of the battery but that turned out to be a non-issue. I'd highly recommend this as a beginner to mid-level digital camcorder for anyone interested in digital videos.



4. Purchased this camcorder for an extended trip to Eastern Europe. Shame on me for not researching better. Found out too late that the files are in a difficult to use .VRO format. Being a mid level computer user & a low level video user, I have not been able to get the files to a point where I can email or post them on our blog. I have neither the time nor the interest to learn the specifics of the various digital formats. Plug & play, not fiddling with files like an old DOS program.
   
   Ordered the AVS software discussed, waiting for the registration key (another story). Hoping that will work, otherwise this camera will likely be left in Russia (in a dumpster). This is an important event for my family & I am furious that this camera is basically a mini DVD maker. My fault for sure, but it seems to be a fundamental task to produce a file that can be emailed or uploaded to a web site, it is 2008 correct?
   
   So far, the videos played in MS media player are honestly disappointing, grainy & weak color saturation.
   
   Caveat Emptor, buyer beware. Be sure this camera can do what you want it to.



5. This my first ever camcorder/digital camera...it's an awesome piece of equipment, it was easy to figure out (well, okay I mistakenly was plugging in the charger into the av port but after examing the user guide's appendix illustrating what and where each button/joystick/etc. was...and also looking the camera over very thoroughly again; I did find the proper port for charging the camera)....that's been my only complaint....it's easy to figure out....if you'll just play with it....and read the other ratings/reviews on this page...because people have instructed on how to finalize the mini-disc.
   
   I highly recommend this camcorder and HP 8cm 4x 1.4GB Data mini-disc to use for your videos/still pictures.

4 comments about ARCHOS Helmet Camcorder.

1. The camera seemed to work ok and the picture looked good. I was just hopping something made to mount on a helmet would be much more durable. Sound was low and hard to hear. After reading the instructions I was afraid to use this on my dirt bike. It is not water resistant and it also said not to use in a dust or sand environment. Also the camera attaches to the Archos similar to how the docking station does. It just seems way to weak and easy to break. The mount strap might work ok for a bicycle helmet, but will not work at all for a motorcycle. If you plan to ride a bicycle on the road, this might be ok, but for a dirt bike, forget it! I ended up returning it because I do not think this would be suitable for a motorcycle. Chad



2. The Archos Helmet Camcorder is good in the sense that it's extremely easy to use and setup. However, the lack of picture quality is enough for me to start looking for another bullet camera to replace the Archos.
   
   Here are the three things that rock with the Archos bullet cam...
   
   1) Easy to setup... You take your Archos Helmet Camcorder and plug it directly into your Archos recording device, and you're good to go.
   
   2) The Archos Helmet Camcorder is powered by the Archos recording device, (Archos 604 for example). For those of you that have never owned or have seen the other bullet cam systems, most of them require a separate power supply to power both the camcorder and the microphone. The Archos uses the battery power of the Archos 604 to power both the camcorder and the microphone.
   
   3) Control of record start and record stop are at your fingertips. No need to purchase an extra control Lanc. device, or any other third party remote that may or may not work with your setup. The Archos Helmet Camcorder has the controls you need, in a place that's easy for you to get to.
   
   Now the downside...
   
   PICTURE QUALITY!!! Yes, 420 lines of resolution is good, and yes 640X480 is good, but it's just that... Good. If you're looking for great, you need to go for a bullet camera that has 520 lines of resolution or even splurge for the Sony 580 ExView bullet camera. The problem with these bullet cameras however, is the problem I mentioned above. These bullet cameras require extra power supplies. Now, you're probably thinking what's the big deal with an extra power supply? Let me say this. I ride dirt bikes with three other guys that own bullet cam systems, but they never use them because it's such a process to put them together. That's the difference between the Archos helmet cam, and all the others helmet cameras out there. The Archos unit is easy to use and setup... It's as simple as that.
   
   I gave the Archos Helmet Camcorder three stars because Archos is on the right track. They just need to come out with another helmet camcorder, just like this one, only next time with more resolution! Also, the DVR travel adapter that allows the helmet camcorder to attach to the Archos recording device (which is included) is a little rickety. Sometimes the DVR travel adapter will pop off of the recoding unit, making your video stop in the middle of its recoding. This is bad! One more thing... I had to purchase a helmet mounting kit from a third party, (Viosport). Why wouldn't Archos sell helmet mounts? They sell a helmet camcorder, but don't sell mounting kits... Whatever!
   
   If I had to put another helmet cam system together, I would buy the Archos 604 recording unit, and buy a higher quality bullet camera. Get yourself the proper Viosport mounting kit and you're good to go. Pass on the Archos Helmet Camcorder.



3. For none professional, this is a pretty good device for out doors or party, video doesn't come out good in dim light, but pretty clear if you have good lighting or out door in daylight.



4. Is this version of the camcorder compatible with the 604?
   
   I can't tell from the description.

5 comments about Sony NSCGC1 Net-Sharing 5MP CMOS MPEG4 Camcorder.

1. I never have been a video recording nut. My wife and I take ballroom dance classes from Parks & Rec, but while we can do quite well during classes, only a few weeks later we have forgotten what we learned. Using this to record what we learned while at our last class provides us with a great visual 'review' to remind us just before we go out dancing! For a minimal investment, this has served us very, very well.



2. It takes great pictures but the video is not all that good but its a nice little gadget.



3. This is a convenient camcorder with its size the ease of use, though need a little time to figure out how selection button works. The video quality is not good, but uploading to Youtube is fun and easy. Overall, I like it, except the blurry video quality.



4. i got this camera a year ago and its still working to this day i use it almost everyday.... one thing i love abot this is that it uses a memory stick for its memory and if u have a psp u can just put the memory stick in there and view ur videos or pics without downloading anything... the handstrap that comes with the camera is also very usefull its comfortable and doesnt feel cheap... as for the camera itself its nice small easy to navigate and its incredibly small for a videocamera and the battery lasts for a long time. the video quality is not the best.... and its not the cheapest its DECENT its gud enough, lets say that
   
   now the only downsides are....
   
   recording at night, does not work all that well in low lighted areas..... u cant get an extra battery for it... the battery indicator sometimes isnt very accurate but that really isnt a problem unless u are going to use ur camera for long period of time wiht out charging
   
   overall the camera is GREAT for the price i got mine which was $100(but did not get it on amazon) dont spend over 200 on this camera...... :)



5. the shipping was too late.
   
   the camera works nice, but I think that to use this as a cam is not possible.

5 comments about Canon HV10 3.1MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. FOR ALL YOU FOLKS OUT THERE WHO HAVE HD TV'S YOU WON'T REGRET GETTING THIS CAMCORDER. THE VIDEO IS CLEAR ,SHARP AND COLOURFULL. I HAVE TRIED THREE OTHER CAMCORDRERES SONY,SAMSUNG AND OTHERS AND NONE COME EVEN CLOSE TO THE PICTURE QUALITY OF THIS UNIT......got it for 595.00 shipped from amazon
   
   PROS
   excellent video quality
   sharp video
   good lowlight video quality
   built in video light
   very portable
   lightweight
   high definiton playback up to 1080i
   
   
   
   CONS
   NO PREPACKAGED HD CONVERSION SOFTWARE FOR CREATING YOUR OWN HD EDITING....however a free downloadable program called HDVsplit allows you to import HDV files directlly from the camcorder also you will need another program called ffdshow for the HD codecs so you can edit it using windows media encoder



2. i am so far impress with the image quality, there are problems but it is a good deal for the price cannot beat hat,



3. The HV10 produces some great video. Fits my hand well and is easy to use. It uses the older DV tapes, but still has great video quality.



4. I choose this product because I owned one but not hi-def. yet and was stollen but i still have some accessories of canon brand.What can I say with this was owesome simlpy magnificent bright colors that you can see through the LCD screen even in a bright day light.



5. I've owned this camera for some time now and have found it to be an outstanding camera in every way. I have not written a review on it until now. Yesterday I fell into a stream in the Great Smokey Mountains while filming grandchildren. Need I say I thought it was "history" for the camera. To make a long story short, in between a few emails to Canon's very good custmer support, I found a way to return the camera for possible repair when I returned home. In the meantime, the Canon slowly dryed out as functions became normal. Now, about 24 hours after my unscheduled swim, the camera still has a bit of a problem with the LCD monitor but it is back up and working! Now your experience might be different and maybe I am just a lucky guy, but I cannot say enough good about this camera. It is fantastic! It is small enough to carry in your pocket. Had I carried another larger camera on a recent trip to Egypt I would never have taken it along for a ride on a camel. The Canon made the trip and we have some super shots of the pyramids from aloft the camel!
   
   One last point. Some may have wondered about compatibility with the Apple operating system. (The above narrative describing this camera mentions Windows but not Apple.) I have found no problem whatsover transferring footage from the Canon to my Apple G4 via the firewire connection.

5 comments about Sony HVR-V1U 3-CMOS 1080i Professional HDV Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.

1. I got burned on my VX-1000 with its 32K stunted audio, no firewire in and no manual zoom. The PDX-10 that followed was great- except for still missing a manual zoom. I looked really hard at the first HDV cameras- and decided to wait, and V1U was well worth it.
   Bought the Sony HD- and am totally amazed at how much faster my edit process is. The picture quality is phenomenal- but, we've mostly used standard DV since clients are quite ready to pay for HD.
   If you've shot with a PD-170 you'll find the form factor very familiar. Still not in love with the way Sony sets white balance- it's not really totally intuitive- but, overall- this is the best camera I've worked with. Friends who've borrowed it are gaga- and they are used to shooting with Sony pro cameras. As always- audio is the most difficult part of shooting with a prosumer camera- and the handle mounted dials are a bit tough to manipulate while shooting- but, all that aside- this camera is amazing.
   Also picked up Sony's LED light- it amazes me every time I use it- great light- no heat- and forever battery life.
   One thing about all the accessories- there isn't a really good solution to mount HD, Light, Wireless receiver to this small frame. We've bought a bracket off e-bay that makes it easy to mount at least the HD and wireless box to the camera- when the light is on- and the battery for the light has to be on the extension cable. Still- very hand holdable.
   Only thing I miss from the VX-1000 was my Century .55x plus fisheye reversible lens- haven't seen anything like it for 16x9 aspect ratios.
   If you've shot with Sony in the past- this is the camera for you.



2. I have had the chance to use this camera a few times, plus compare it to some other HD cameras out there in it's price range, and came away impressed by a few aspects, and more knowing about a few others to consider.
   
   All in all this is a great little HD camera that takes great pictures right out of the box. It handles really nice, has a true microphone that comes with it, and the lens is great on it with it's 20x ratio. It's slow-motion, though at quality a little less than SD, looks fantastic and is great fun to play with. The camera's low light capability is not as good as the Canon XH-A1 in the same price range, or the Panasonic HVX200 (another $2k+), or as good as the older Sony Z1 (which doesn't shoot 24fps). Looking back, the Sony PD170, which was the low-light standard is about 2 stops better in very low light. But the V1u's low light performance is almost one of taste. The camera tends to give a little more fine grain in such low light, kind of like film in some ways. My guess is that this "effect" is pleasing to some people, who don't view it's low-light grainy issues as a problem. Test for yourself before buying. The display and viewfinder are very nice too. Very sharp, with great readout info, including histograms, making sure every shot is properly exposed. The camera also has a really nice automatic gain control. Much better than the Canons in it's price group. Nice focusing features too.
   
   The camera is also part of a larger packaged idea - it doesn't come with, but works perfectly with a portable hard drive (HVR-DR60) that allows you go HDMI out, for much less compressed picture (though most people will think going to tape looks fine) and those files can be dragged and dropped right onto your computer - no more capturing! The LED light is really cool too. Again, these are extra cost.
   
   Pros -
   
   Gorgeous picture quality in most all lighting conditions. Doesn't require a lot of tweaking, it looks good almost all the time right out of the box. But if you want to tweak, you can. If you want to really tweak, consider the Canon line-up.
   
   True 24fps, and true progressive chips, for filmmaking. Great film like gamma curves.
   
   Feels great in your hand. Very well balanced.
   
   True 20x zoom lens. The 30x digital zoom looks terrific!
   
   Nice zoom and focus ring. I was expecting lower quality.
   
   CMOS chips have very nice lack of smearing you see on most cameras that have CCD chips (those sharp vertical lines you see when taking footage of sunsets, for example) and the chips have a certain film like look to some more than other video cameras with 24fps features (including me).
   
   Comes with a true microphone - while not a $500 Sennheiser, it's better than most any other on-board camera, which is a nice extra.
   
   Slow motion, if lower quality, looks really cool (up to 240 fps!). Very usable for video going to regular DVD (not HD) or to the web.
   
   Cool HDMI out, with other accessories (not included) such as shooting to hard drive, or a neat LED light.
   
   Con's -
   
   Questionable low-light capability. If you're shooting a lot of night time shots, dark indoors (horror movies, dimly lit interviews) you really need to test and compare this to other cameras before buying. If you're shooting regular footage, especially a lot of outdoor, daylight, or professionally lit work, it shouldn't be an issue at all.
   
   Cost is about $500 more than Canon's comparable XH-A1 (which doesn't come with the microphone).
   
   Files that go to the HVR-DR60 HD are .m2t format, which must be converted if you're using a Mac (though still usable and convertible on the Mac).
   
   As good as the lens is, I believe the Canon is better, and has better image stabilizing capability.
   
   In summary, this is a great little camera for most uses, with a somewhat unique picture to it. Just about anyone going into a store to shop for one can easily compare this to similar cameras and see the features and issues I speak of. They should answer your questions right away whether this camera is for you or not.
   
   
   Finally, a price comparison:
   
   For $500 less, you can buy a Canon A1, which works better in low light, has more picture control, plus a better image stabilizer. But it's a little bigger, can't go HDMI out, has no slow motion, and doesn't come with a pro microphone.
   
   For $2k more you can buy Panasonic's HVX200, which has superior compression, and solid state capability, and slow motion in high definition (not down res'd, like the Sony).
   
   For $3k more, you can buy Sony's new XDCAM PMW-1, which is an extremely impressive camera with a superior picture to any of these cameras.



3. I bought my HVR-V1U and have had it a week now. I am very impressed with the quality of video with very good light. In low light the quality of this video camera is poor. But after doing hours and hours of research I decided on this model for a few reasons.
   
   1) Size - This camcorder is about the same size as a VX-2000 with the same feel and pretty much the same layout.
   2) 24p - This camcorder can shoot film in true 24p which is great if you want to give your video that "Film look"
   3) XLR - This camcorder has 2 XLR inputs to put real good microphones on it if you want and comes with a $230 microphone.
   4) HDMI - This model has an HDMI out so I can quickly and easily with one cord connect it to my HDTV. The Sony HDR-FX1 doesn't have this.
   
   I think the slow motion feature is pretty cool to experiment with. But the quality is low and of course there is no sound when you do this.
   Everything on the camcorder is made very well. No cheap buttons or parts.
   
   Disadvantages: It has a 62mm lens. The bigger the lens usually the better the low light quality since the lens can let in more light. The battery that comes with it is ok, but you definately should buy the biggest battery you can get. My extended battery lasts around 490 minutes record time or about 690 minutes on playback mode.
   
   The extended warranty Amazon offers on this model for 4 years is only $199.99. That is a really good price for a camcorder this expensive.
   
   Bottom line: If you want all the features of this model but want the best low light recordings possible, then purchase the Sony HVR-Z1U camcorder which is another $600 or so. The XLR is worth it because sound is usually the weakest link when watching any video recorded on a camcorder.



4. We use this camera in a controlled environment, 5.5kw of incandescent light, and the images are sooo nice...
   The camera has been setup to shoot 24p all the time, and the color tweaked by me and a colorist, and the results are amazing.
   
   Our casting company uses it about 90% of the time, we record to a Focus FS 4 and to tape simultaneously.
   
   The Optical stabilization works amazing when hand held, the mic is not so good, but at least it's there.
   
   Wish it would have another accessory shoe, one is just not enough.
   
   All in all, the camera works great, the images are very cinematographic, stabilization is very useful, can be tweaked a lot, its as reliable as the sunrise.
   
   I like the new Z7, but for what we do, the V1 works like a charm
   
   f3



5. Bought the camera sight unseen, which was a mistake. I shoot in a lot of low light situations, which this camera DOES NOT do well in (my old digital 8 camera blows this away). I've had to boost to hyper gain which is an extremely grainy picture.

5 comments about Sony HDR-CX7 AVCHD 6.1MP High Definition Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. The avchd software does not work with vista 64 bit PC's. The camcorder is very good.



2. I chose Sony HDR CX7 over Panasonic HDC-SD5, Samsung HMX10A and Canon HG10 after an extensive research. I want a camcorder that can record both in HD and SD format, using Flash memory card, and taking decent still pictures. The reasons why I bought it are listed in THE GOOD section.
   
   After using it for 3 weeks, I hate it in some areas. They're listed in THE BAD and the UGLY SECTION.
   
   THE GOOD
   
   BEAUTIFUL VIDEO QUALITY
   It records beautiful and sharp video even in SD format. The color is vivid and attractive.
   
   BEST STILL PICTURES
   It takes pictures in 6 and 4 mega pixels. The color are lively and bright. All the competitors take pictures in only 2 mega pixels. They look very bad compared to Sony's. Still, these pictures do not look as sharp as a digital point and shoot camera. No pictures taken by any camcorders look as good as the ones by cameras.
   
   NIGHT SHOT FEATURE
   You can shoot video in the dark by turning on the built-in infrared light. No competitors have this feature.
   
   SHOOTING VIDEO IN BOTH HD AND SD FORMAT
   
   Only Sony and Panasonic camcorders have this feature.
   I want mine to be able shoot movies in both HD (AVCHD) and SD (Mpeg2) formats. It's because I and the majority of my friends have regular TV's and DVD players. We think the price of HD equipment is still too high.
   
   HIGH-CAPACITY EXTRA BATTERY
   The battery that comes with my camcorder lasts only 2 hours. I bought an extra one, NPFH100 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery. It lasts approximately 7 hours. That's more than enough for me.
   
   NOISELESS RECORDING
   Because it uses flash memory card, the camera makes no noise. As a result, my video recording does not have any sound made by the camcorder. The same thing goes for any camcorder that uses the same technology
   
   AFFORDABLE PRICING
   At $700, it's cheap for a high definiton, flash card camcorder. You can't go wrong with that
   
   THE BAD and THE UGLY
   
   SUPPORTING ONLY 8 GB of FLASH MEMORY
   
   The highest capacity of the memory sticks supported is only 8 GB. If you're recording in SD format, it will record for 4 hours. That's good enough for casual users. If you're recording in HD format, it lasts only 2 hours. That is short. I resolve this problem by using 2 memory sticks of 8 GB each. That gives me 4 hours of HD video or 8 hours of SD video. This is good enough for me. I wish it support 16 GB memory stick.
   
   PROPRIETARY INTERFACE AND HARDWARE
   This is one of the reasons I don't like Sony merchandise. It's because it costs me much more in the long run. Further more, I'm not able to use many better accessories made by other companies. For example, if I could use Sandisk Compact Flash card, it would cost less.
   
   SLOPPY ACCESSORIES
   Sound quality is not good unless you stand about 1 feet away from the object. It has too much echo. This is typical problem of all consumer camcorders made by all companies. So, I bought an external microphone, ECM-HGZ1 Shotgun Microphone. I ended up returning it to the store. It's because it's not better than the built-in one. It also looks and feels like a toy. If the camcorder did not use proprietary Active Interface Hot Shoe, I would be able to use pro external microphones made by other companies to produce excellent sound.
   
   Now, there's no way to record better sound with this camcorder. It does not have a line-in for microphone. If I want it, I'll have to buy pro -level camcorders which cost minimum $6500!
   
   BAD SOFTWARE SUPPORT
   I misplaced the software disc that came with the camera. So, I could not install the software browser to view HD video and picture files. I could not find full version of the software on Sony website! They have only the upgrade version. Luckily, I just found the original disc.
   
   In short, this is the best camcorder in its class which meets my needs. If only it used standard interface, then it would be an excellent equipment.



3. The camera works great, but it does not work very well with a Mac. Sony's software is only for PC, which is hard to believe in this day and age. There is a way to make it work in iMovie, but I hope you have a few hours to download your video. Anyway, like I said, I'm not complaining about the camera itself (which is great), but I am very frustrated that this is even an issue.



4. I bought this about two weeks ago and couldn't be happier. My first experience, I took it to my daughter's dance and took some outstanding HD videos. Playing it on my 50" HD plasma you can't believe your eyes. It is as you are watching a broadcast sports event. Still pictures are outstanding and the look and feel of this camera is awesome. The only thing I would suggest is to get yourself a cable to go HDMI. Sony should have included this but it's not that expensive to buy one. If you are looking for a video camera that is portable and easy to use, this is definitely the one.



5. I've had this camera for a few months now after upgrading from a tape based Sony pistol-grip style camcorder. Aside from the wacky avchd codec that is not particularly standard, this is a nearly perfect fusion of form and function. I did debate between this and the TG1, but in the end I decided I couldn't live without Nightshot. I don't use it much, but I'm used to having it and I know I would miss it. Get a mini-hdmi -> hdmi cable and the camera works as a terrific player on any hdtv (w/ an hdmi in, of course). Buy with confidence. This is a terrific camera.

No comments about Samsung SC-MX20 Flash Memory Camcorder w/34x Optical Zoom (Blue).