5 comments about Sony DCR-SR82 1MP 60GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Handycam Station Included).

1. Hi,
   This was my first cam and it is good. I expect better performance for the ZOOM and Night shut. But it is sufficient.
   
   1. You need a tripod for a good shut. Especially, if you are zooming, it shakes too much.
   2. It is good for night shut but could be better.
   3. Buy with accessories. I could not do it because of the first seller. They sucked. But be sure to get a good kit, tripod, battery, screen protector.
   4. I want to use for wedding, the battery was insufficient.
   5. I will buy most probably a cord for shuts without battery. About $25.
   6. The included kit was easy to use. You can easily install XP drivers and use the recorded videos. I did not used throughly but did not see any problem. Also, USB cable is standard one, which is a good thing.
   7. It's hard disk is perfect. I am very happy about the record medium :)
   8. It is hard to select from screen. Cant touch for the first time. I could not select what I want. Perhaps, I am too cautious about the cam when using.
   
   Have fun with it. As I said this was my first cam, so I could not compare with the others.



2. I bought the SR42 1st, Which is Lower Resolution and the WideScreen Features are Not as Good. So I upgraded to the SR82 (The SR62 is the Same as the 82 but only 30 Gig). The SR42 isn't bad, you get alot of features for the price, if you can live with less than perfect video quality.
   
   The Video on the SR42 was just slightly worse than my 10 Year Old Sony Tape HandyCam. I was using a 50" TV in my comparisons. So I got the sr82. The Video Resolution Upgrade is much better on the 62 and 82 models.
   
   The Other thing I notice is the sr42 did not handle the Widescreen the Same way. When I recorded with the sr82 the Picture filled my Widescreen TV whereas the sr42 did not since 4:3 put Black Bars on the Side and 16:9 had bars on the Top and Bottom. It seems as if the sr42 is 4:3 Native and the Widescreen Mode was 2.35 to 1 Aspect Ratio which I did not Like for Home Videos. The sr62 and sr82 are Native 16:9 Widescreen. They can Also do 4:3 as well.
   
   The ActiveShoe Interface allows for adding InfraRed or Microphone or Lighting Attachments.
   
   The Touch Screen is Nice and Works well. It Rotates 270 degrees. So you can Flip it 180 degrees one way and fold it back towards the camera for doing playback or when connecting to the Computer.
   
   I did notice that the Camera Defaults to SP Mode and Not HQ. So the Highest Resolution is not the default. Just a Heads up.
   
   The Battery gets you at least an hour of Recording. There are Larger Capacity Batteries Available.
   
   I use this Camera in 2 Difficult Recording Situations.
   1) Recording my Band. Usually from Far away. Music Really Loud. Varying Lighting Conditions (Stage Lights). It works well but you must use Manual Focus.
   2) Video Taping my Sons Hockey Team. Hockey Rinks are tough to get Still Pictures in as well. Subjects are moving Fast but Flash cannot be used due to the Glass along the boards. The Netting also plays havoc with Auto Focus. The Sony also worked well in this situation. I got good video using Auto, Snow and Sports Settings. I think the Auto may be the best except when the Metal Halide Lighting is too low in certain rinks it can cause varied brightness in the video.
   
   Overall a great Camera at the Price. Cameras $100 more are probably better. But you get what you pay for. Decide How much you want to Pay and get the Best Camera in that Range. This one Seemed to be the Best one in my Range. Plus I have always had good luck with Sony Products Lasting for 10+ years. Something I cannot say for just about every other brand I have tried. How much did I save when another camera was $50 cheaper but I have to replace it in 4 years...



3. I had the worst experience shopping for SR82 at butterflyphoto thru Amazon. I always loved shopping at Amazon but this has been my worst experience. First butterflyphoto put this product as on sale for 570$. I was really waiting for an offer as the last time i got this handycam was in christmas and for $500 thru Amazon. So I quickly hit the checkout and purchased it. I recieved a shipped mail (thru fedex) from butterfly after a few days and on the same day I received the mail that the request had been cancelled. I went in Amazon my stuff section to find my order but it clearly had dissapeared. Initially the money was withdrawn but then they had cancelled the payment.
   
   Now whats so worse when you got your money back you might think. The worst part was the item was shipped to my address and was cancelled half way thru and the only reason I can now find for this is that SR82 rates have increased twice fold.
   
   Why should they provide a sale if its a false one. If they did not have the product I can understand. But it waas shipped and cancelled and so much for customer satisfaction.
   
   This is my first review. Many good experiences do not provoke us to write about them but one bad one does.



4. I never review anything, but I felt I needed to make a review of this product. We purchased this camcorder just before Christmas. Normally Sony makes great electronic equipment, but this camera has been terrible from day one.
   
   For a long time I thought "Well, maybe it needs perfect lighting" or "Maybe the boys were moving to fast", but then I realized that our ancient camcorder - also a Sony - NEVER had a problem with these issues.
   
   This camera almost never focuses properly. It's off just enough that you rub your eyes thinking maybe its you, but its not. If you watch through the view finder, you can actually stand there and see the picture go in and out of focus - and I'm not even moving.
   
   I like the video to disk thing, but it's not worth much if you go to video you little boy's school play and get home to find everything is out of focus.
   
   It's up to you, but I for one would never spend anything on one of these cameras again.



5. This is my 3rd video camera and my first Sony and I absolutely love it! I have officially become a Sony Snob! It is worth every extra penny! I originally had a Panasonic then JVC and only wish I spent the extra money the first time for the Sony.
   
   I am extremely picky with picture quality and could not be happier! For a personal/nonprofessional camera this is the best! My camera has been on 2 vacations all over the place in low light and bright light, even on a boat and I had NO problems with focus or color.
   
   The touch screen is so easy to use and convenient. I love the setup and how easy it is to watch or delete a video.
   
   I was sceptical about the night vision but think it is just as good as a regular light (I had one on my other camera). The picture is slightly grainy with the night vision which is to be expected in low light but I hands down prefer to not have everyone I am filming squinting from the bright light in their eyes.
   
   I don't know what everyone is complaining about with charging the battery. I do not find this to be an issue- simply plug in the camera and the battery charges..... The battery seems to stay charged for 2-3 hours. I bought an extra one for $50 which works great.
   
   I was not sure if I should purchase this model after reading the reviews of the picture quality compared to an HD model. THIS IS NOT AN HD CAMERA! Based on this, the picture is AWESOME! I could not be happier! This is the best quality I have had in a video camera by far in all areas.
   I have not tried to take pictures since I have my own camera and don't think you can expect the best pictures from a video camera. This was not a factor for me.
   
   In my opinion, this is the BEST HDD video camera for the money and I will never buy another brand!

No comments about DXG DXG-305V - Camcorder - 3.3 Mpix - supported memory: MMC, SD - flash card.

No comments about JVC Everio GZ-HD5 3CCD 60GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

No comments about SVP HDDV-3000 12MP Max. 6-in-1 Multi-Functional Camcorder with Rare Huge Flip LCD! (16GB SDHC Card & Tripod Included).

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV460 Digital8 Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

1. I have had this camcorder for at least 3 years. I received it as a gift. I love it. It's easy to use, takes great still photos as well as awesome video. I make many little home movies with this camera along with my computer. It's zooms in and out nicely, had night shot and the battery charges quickly and lasts a long time. I did require a special cable that didn't come with the camera though. But as a long time user of this camera I must say its worth the money. I know it was under $400.00.



2. I bought this camera in winter of 2004. It was a good camera for about a year and a half. This past summer I started getting the same "Video Heads are Dirty" message that everyone is getting. I've tried cleaning, but am still getting the message. Now it won't even recognize that there's a video cassette in it.
   
   Looks like I need to take it to be serviced, but I fear what the cost will be.



3. I've read some poor reviews on what's happened over time with other people's Handycams, but I must say that mine still works after 2 years, a few typhoons and several 'dropping' accidents. I'm just now beginning to find some of the neat features of this camcorder, too!
   The reason I purchased this camcorder was because of the colored infrared nightshot, which works great! You can take pictures in pitch darkness. Although I must say recently I've noticed problems with the handycam's playback feature. It keeps switching to Hi8 mode when the video isn't taken with the Hi8 feature (this makes the LCD screen turn blue so you can't see the playback). I'll most likely buy another Sony with the color enhanced nightshot, but I think I'll switch to the DVD or harddrive version.



4. Works well. Has fire wire and is Digital Quality. Would recommend this product.



5. I bought mine in late 2005, but didn't use it when I was overseas because the supplied software was TERRIBLE and I never could get it to work. I ended up using the video capture on my separate Digital camera. So, a year later, I fired it up this week and spent an entire day trying to play a video I recorded yesterday on my PC... being a digital video novice, here are the caveats you need to know after I spent all day on it, plus read all 43 review before this one:
   - I like the features of the camera, the zoom and fold out screen, but the pain is usability and working with the videos or pictures once you take them. If you just want to take taped videos, and watch them on a TV using the provided AV cable, it is ok, but NOT if you want to see or use the video on a PC and edit it. So read on...
   - You really need a second battery, which I ordered automatically, which added to the price. Some of the reviews here say you can use 3rd party batteries, but others say an embedded chip prevents using them. Mine was an expensive Sony battery.
   - There are no tapes in the box, so you have to buy some.
   - READ the simple manual first for each task you do... for instance if you try to plug in the USB cable to a pc first it screws up the drivers, and you have to go to troubleshooting sections to manual delete the drivers, then reload.
   - Sony uses a 4 wire firewire cable called "iWire" (they don't say firewire anywhere).. BUT THEY DON'T PROVIDE THE iWire CABLE. So the user wastes time trying to get provided USB cables to work and after two hours trying to install, reinstall and use the TERRIBLE Sony provided "Picture Package" software, or keep flipping through all the touchscreen menus to turn on "Burn DVD" which uses a CD-R (not DVD) and never find a way to transfer the video to the PC. I finally got the low budget USB Streaming player to work so I could see my video in a small screen on the PC, but there was no option to capture it to a file (stupid). Sony also provides an "AV" cable that has three composite rca jacks to plug into your vcr so you could play the video through that method, but I don't have a VCR anymore - I use a Comcast DVR which has the physical jacks, but they are disabled (a whole separate story about Comcast DVRs).
   - Using firewire - finally, I fired up my previously purchased Pinnacle Studio version nine, which apparently can't recognize the Sony USB connection, as it kept saying it was looking for a connection on ieee 1394 input, which is firewire (Sony refuses to say that common name). I finally figured out I needed firewire for best transfer to the PC (and so do some of the reviews), and ordered the 4 wire to 6wire Sony iWire cable by part number (read the Accessories catalog) because my PC does have the standard 6 wire Firewire jack on the back. Just after I ordered it, I found that Belkin had much lower priced cables of the same type on Amazon, or you can order used ones or generic ones. ALSO, I happen to have a Sony laptop, and it has a Sony design 4-wire firewire jack on it (not the standard 6-wire jack), so I ordered a Belkin 4-wire to 4-wire cable to connect my camcorder to the Sony laptop.
   - Sony doesn't provide any memory stick card at all so you can't use that storage feature until you buy one. Other reviews here say 64-128mb are fine for storing the 1mpx pictures it takes. 1-2 reviews say that you can't store movies on the memory stick, but I would confirm that - I haven't tried it.
   - Conclusion:
   - Get a second battery
   - Don't rely on the USB connection for anything except a streaming video to the Sony viewer, but you can't capture it. Go for firewire, which means you need the cable (see below) and a standard firewire port or Firewire card on your pc.
   - Get a 128mb memory stick to start (which means you also need a memory stick reader on the PC or laptop). The HandyCam pictures are only 1 megapixel, so I will rarely use it, but the memory stick is how you transfer the pictures to a PC (There might be a way with the USB line, but I don't want to waste anymore time on their software)
   - Order the 4 wire to 6 wire iWire or Firewire cable for playback and transfer, and if your computer doesn't have firewire, add a card with it. The Sony part number is VMC-IL4615 - but get the Belkin alternate or another supplier - Sony's price is $39.95 when Belkin's is 1/4 of that. (I ordered it, but haven't gotten it yet).
   - Expect to not be able to do ANY work on the PC editing your video with the USB cable or Sony's poor software. Instead, try using firewire and the free Microsoft Movie Maker that comes with XP. OR, expect to pay $100 or more for Pinnacle Studio, or ULead's Movie product, or Adobe's video maker products. Pinnacle has special high end audio visual cards with firewire you might look at. Or just make sure you have a good AV card with firewire and the right hardware specs to use the video editing software (i.e. ATI Radeon, etc.) . MY HP has the right specs, so I didn't need an additional card.
   - To process video files on the computer, you might need to add more memory - if the editing is slow, determine if more RAM will help.
   - The camera doesn't come with a bag, so you will need one.
   - The battery is charged by plugging the power brick into the camera and charging the battery in the camera. It is slow, and means you can't use the camera while charging, but I always have two batteries charged, so that is what you have to live with, or buy an external charger.
   - Misc - I bought an infrared filter and tripod also for the camera.
   - Cost - So even though you budgeted $400 or so for the camera, the true price with all the above is more like $600-700 to actually be usable.
   
   And now, my budding You Tube production might actually happen, once I get those cables...
   VJ

No comments about SVP HDDV-2880Bk 16MP Max TOUCH BUTTON 2.5-inch 270 DEGREE LCD Digital Video Camcorder + FREE 4GB High Speed SD Memory Card.

5 comments about JVC GRD770 MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom.

1. Bought this from Amazon 3 weeks ago. The image quality is OK. I didn t expect too much from such entry level camcorder. When I tried to adjust the settings I found the "MENU" button doesn t work anymore. If I remove the battery for some time and put it back the "MENU" goes back to work for a few seconds and no response then.



2. I do not think this is a good camcorder. The still shots are garbage and I am going to assume the video is average at best. Although I have not tested video.(Found another brand) I just want those who are looking for a camcorder for the first time to know that there are better than this. Look at other companies. Some say this is a good starter/budget camera. It may be, everyone has different needs.
   
   I also want to point out something regarding Windows Vista! For one, the JVC software stinks. It wont work. Also, at first USB wont seem to work either. Windows will not be able to install the driver automatically. You have to let it try to find the drivers on its own. When it fails you must use the advanced option and point to this folder "C:Windows\System32\DriverStore and click OK. Vista will then find the driver needed and USB will work. You may have to point Vista to the folder a few times before it says everything is ready to use and install. You should now be able to get your pictures from the SD memory card. I will assume that firewire is the only practical way of getting the video from the camcorder. When trying to do this, use the built in Windows Movie Maker.



3. Although this camcorder is relatively inexpensive, it does have enough features to make it a perfect video camera for anyone. No one will know you only paid a little over $200.00! Very small footprint, fits in the palm of your hand. I have another camcorder that I paid about 3 times as much for and unless you are a professional, there really is no difference!



4. I bought this camera as my first intro into recording videos for my family, since I've just had my firstborn son.
   
   The first problem with this camera its is buggy Firewire performance, when I try to upload videos to my computer I can see the video and FF or RW the tape but play and stop don't work from the computer so I have to manually control the camera to capture video. Mind you I have tried it with two different firewire card/cable combination.
   
   The worst part is that the Menu button stopped working after two months, I have recorded only 30 minutes of footage with the camera and the menu button does not work. As another reviewer stated, if you remove the battery for some time, 2 days in my case, the menu button works again for about 5 minutes and then dies again.
   
   JVC support is nonexistent, if you email them they replay that they will contact you in 5 days, which it didn't happen, there is no firmware/software updates for the camera, and if you think you'll find much information on the net about it, think again. And as I don't live in the US, I'm stuck with the faulty camera since there is no place I can take it here.
   
   My advice, don't buy this camera, it will save you all the trouble, and you know JVC won't be getting my money again, should have gone with a Panasonic or a Sony one, lesson learned.



5. I've only had the JVC GR-D771(U) for about 3 hours and I'm already sold that this is the model for my family! There's still plenty of time to discover the quirks of this device, but at this present time I only have positives to say. First off, the A/C adapter is dual voltage. That's an absolute must if your traveling (or stationed) overseas. The camcorder comes with a USB cord in the box, BUT also has a firewire port that can be utilized to transfer video to a computer or recording device. It's extremely easy to use (which in most cases means limited capabilities)EXCEPT in this case...
   *it's got wind noise cancellation,
   *a stability feature (called DIS, but I don't know what it stands for)which comes in handy when your using 900X digital zoom
   *16:9/4:3 formating
   *270 degree rotating LCD so you can see what you look like while recording
   *2 or 4 channel stereo sound recording
   *a blinding LED to illuminate subjects in the dark (there's also a night recording option but I haven't tested that yet)
   *you also have the sweet ability of dubbing images from the miniDV tape to the SD/MMC in playback mode
   *There's B/W, sepia, strobe, and mirror options as well as fade in/out effects
   * You can also use this as a webcam with at least windows messenger, I haven't tried yahoo or aim...sorry
   
   I'd say the only bad thing about the JVC GR-D771(U) camcorder is that there isn't enough time in the day to play with it!

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC36 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.

1. Shortly after I purchased this camcorder (within hours), I returned it to Best Buy. I think my old Hi8 Sony camcorder had better picture quality then this one. It has good features, and I liked the sleek design, but in the end, the quality of the video is ultimately what I am looking for. The video it recorded was very pixelated and grainy. I have been told there is other options to make the picture better by a best buy customer service rep, but there is none. I had reservations about buying another Sony product, but everyone was telling me Sony leads the pack with their camcorders. Those folks were wrong. I bought the Canon Elura 100 and is much happier with that products video capabilities. I think my experience with this Sony product was the final nail in the coffin, I won't be buying anymore Sony products. My advice is, stay away from this unit. You will regret it, just read all the other customer feed back on CNET and you will understand.



2. We replaced an older JVC miniDV camcorder with this one. I'm impressed with the Carl Zeiss Lens it comes with. It is pretty small but I'm getting used to that. I'll get another Sony when I'm ready to upgrade this one but it won't be for awhile because this one is more than adequate for what we're using it for. (Family movies).



3. I just bought this because my panasonic minidv broke (tape insert would not open). I thought this would be cool, because of the built in night vision. However, this is a totally useless feature. It turns everything into black & white, and makes everyone's eyes look like big white dots like a deer staring into a headlight of the car. Certainly not a way you want to remember family events, which is what I purchased this for. If I can do it over again, I would buy something that has a light mounted on the front of the camera. This nightvision feature is useless. Overall, the camera records moview, so I guess it works fine.



4. The image quality is good (just as any DV camera). Connecting the cables directly to the camera with no need of any base or cradle is also very good. With USB connection you can use this camera also as webcam when at home, and you can even show recorded images on your tapes through as if it is a live image. The audio quality of the microfone rocks! (really really good) And it can also be used as USB microfone with the webcam.
   
   Perhaps, I got disappointed with some important features:
   - It does not have any led light that shows if the camera is recording of not (VERY BAD!).
   - It can not take shots if you are recording in widescreen mode.
   - If you don't want to mess up your battery, you have to take it off from the camera, because it does not detect that the battery is already charged. This is terrible when you are using the camera at home with the AC adapter: always remeber to remove the battery.
   - Night vision is badly placed, so when you attach an extenal lens, the light is covered. Also, when not using an external lens, it only works when very close to the subject.
   
   The last point i think is a general DV cams problem: don't waste your money with a 1GB or 512MB memory stick to store pictures. The picture quality is terrible, it's only 0.3 megapixel (640x480). An old 64MB memory stick is enough, unless you want to store videos on it, but why you'll want to do that if you have DV tapes???



5. I purchased the Sony DCR-HC36 last December(2006) and while the picture quality was just 'okay' for us, we were content for a year. Recently though when we try to capture the video on any one of our computers (via USB)the picture is broken-down into digital squares and unlegible as well as there is no sound. I downloaded fresh drivers and installed them but nothing worked. We have only used the camera a total of 25 times and it has never been dropped or banged around but it is putting garbage now and we can't seem to figure out why. The Sony site does NOT have a troubleshooting link to help figure this out and we refuse to put a dime into getting it repaiered since it really is not that good of a deal anyway. We do NOT recommend this camera to anyone. Do your research.

5 comments about JVC GRD750 MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom.

1. I really like my new camcorder. It's easy to use and gives great quality pictures.



2. JVC had a class action lawsuit about their camcorders and even though this one is not on the list, it should be. I bought it new and it has had a problem dropping sound and pixilation on the left side of the screen since I opened the box. It has been into JVC repair FOUR, yes FOUR times since I bought it at the beginning of the summer 2007 and every time it had been returned, the problem persists. JVC has yet to acknowledge that it is a LEMON and insists on repairing it. Their repairs do not work! I dont think they are even doing anything but repacking it and sending it back to me. Its out for repair at JVC as I type this and hopefully they will replace it this time. PLEASE, for your sanity's sake, buy another camcorder besides JVC.



3. This Camcorder offers high value for those needing a casual use camcorder. I find this light-weight cam is well made, delivering decent quality video, and is easy to operate- with both auto and manual modes. It does suffer from the limitations most, if not all, budget 1/6 CCD .68mp camcorders have. It struggles in low-light (bumping up the exposure and/or adjusting white balance helps), and playback on a high resolution or a big screen monitor with only .68mp isn't always flattering. Playback on more normal size screens (like my 27" set) are fine. Outdoors and in regular lighting situations this camera performs very well. Indoor quality suffers without enough light, and I usually use manual mode to improve things.
   
   From the couple of other posts, there may be quality control issues. I have none and it seems to be well made. There are other sites with almost universally positive personal reviews, so hopefully JVC has addressed any issues.
   
   It only has a firewire (no USB), so PC users must have a firewire port if they want to edit. I use a mac and have no issues using iMovie.
   
   Likes: OIS, 34X zoom, 16x9 or 4x3 modes, battery life (about 2 hours), manual control, size, build quality, price.
   
   Dislikes: No DV cable (does anybody include one?), no software, focus issues with low-light and occasionally at the long end of zooms, sub-par audio.
   
   Overall I find the D750 to be a very predictable camcorder, offering good quality videos at an almost steal of a price. I'd recommend this camcorder to anyone, and think it would be a perfect learning tool for someone getting started, or those who travel frequently (small size) or perhaps have higher loss risks (low price).



4. I just love this camcorder. Its very easy to handle and operate. I just recorded my daughters band performance and it turned out just fine. I would recommend this camera to anyone. I also got this camera for only $179 at Circuit City that was a steal. I was able to get a bag and 3 tapes for only $11.99 on Wal-marts website.



5. I bought this in October. I just love it!! It's so easy to use and packed with features. The fader gives a professional quality look and feel to video footage. The video quality is fine for my needs(I'm an amatuer lol). The features are easy to access and a breeze to operate. I love the 34X zoom on this thing! I can stand on one side of the river and snap photos/shoot video in another country without any blur whatsoever. The images are crystal clear!They look as though all subjects are directly in front of me!!Downloading to PC is a breeze with the firewire cable(seperate purchase).If I had one complaint it would be that this model does'nt have a slot for a memory card but for the price I paid for mine it's no big loss. It's lightweight and so sleek looking. It performs relatively well in lower light situations. I'm very happy with the camcorder! I would (and have) recommend the JVC GRD750 to anyone in the market for a quality MiniDV camcorder. This is a purchase that gives a lot of bang without having to spend a lot of money. Thanks JVC!

No comments about Sony DCR-SR45E 30GB Hard Drive Memory Stick(R) Hybrid PAL Camcorder.