5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD7 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Extremely easy to use. Price on Amazon was terrific vs. Circuit City Offering. Like the way you can view immediately in the DVD player. Picture quality in sunny conditions is not good and grainy digitial picture taking.



2. 2 years and many great movies later, I still love it. All the grandkids have their own special movies with slide shows and music to boot. I use Nero software along with the Picture Package. So what if the mini DVDs are only 30 minutes? That's a good place for a break, or another chapter. NO dull movies here! Now Grandma gets invited to all the kid's events so she can make a movie of it. This little camera doesn't look like the other camcorders, and has been discriminated against...what a shame. I think it is just ahead of it's time!Sony DCR-DVD7 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom



3. Had this little guy for almost 2 years....
   
   Then one day it just wouldn't turn on.
   
   Sony wants over 200 dollars just to look at it and the problem is probably a 10 cent resistor.
   
   Also the still photos are terrible. However the videos were good though though sometimes the sound of the spinning disk is recorded and can be heard on playback.
   
   I can't help but wonder if there are better cameras out there at a better price.



4. Ok I've had this two years also, it's still working, but I haven't used it so very much yet. It's now been on a cruise and to a couple air shows. It does take good video, I've not tried it in still picture mode because I have a way better kodak camera for that kind of thing. It's handily small, not horribly weighty and it's easy enough transferring the data from the camcorder to your computer. I will say however it is TERRIBLE in video taking at the air shows. The LCD viewfinder is HORRIBLE when used for looking up into a sunny sky with little or no frame of reference around the object of video taking, also the LCD can be hard to see into with full on bright sunshine. With it having no other viewfinders on it, I wouldn't recommend it much for such a use. Sony's design on the model is nice, but it really needs a viewer on it that you can use you own eyes with. Also I highly recommend getting a backup battery.



5. This videocam has excellent picture and sound quality. The basic instructions are easy to understand and implement, and because all you have to do is take the dvd out of the camera and put it into a dvd player ( including a playstation 2 ), it makes for ease of use. You really won't believe the quality. The camera itself is easy to hold in your hand and because it looks like a cd player, you won't have to worry about theft as much. The cost is very reasonable. The one thing i will say that you need to keep in mind is that while you can pick up the mini dvd at Wal-Mart and other stores, you may have trouble finding them in Europe. I found some in Paris at a Virgin Records store, but had trouble finding any in Berlin, and found only a few in Amsterdam.

1 comments about DXG DXG-572V 5.0 Megapixel Digital Video Camera.

1. I got this camcorder for last Christmas and it is awful. If you do decide to purchase it, you need to get some kind of light attachment because without it the video quallity is awful. The flash is too bright for pictures (another reason why an attachable light is required)and if used, pics will come out as a white flash or either blue tinted. An attachable mike is also useful, because the camera only pics up the voice of whoever is recording.
   
   Go with a different camera, this one is worthless...

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS180 2.3MP 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. I haven't decided if I want to return this camcorder yet. I got sucked into the 3CCD thing after reading a lot of great reviews. But honestly, I'm not seeing a huge difference in quality compared to the older technology. Also, i'm struggling with lighting. Indoors, the picture appears too dark. I'm considering purchasing a light, but I'm not happy about it, but it tends to distract the people you're shooting. I'm going to play around with it for a little while longer and see if i can find a different setting that works, but I doubt it because I've already read the manual.



2. The camera is a great camera.it is one of the best kind of camera in its level.Everything is great in that(perfect picture and easy to work) but in that package as I saw in amazon add, the remote suppose to be in the package and comes with it but it won't and there is not remute in that package and it is kind of cheating...be careful about this product if you think whatever has written comes with package but not.



3. The main reasons I bought this (now discontinued) model are: it has 3 ccd chips (great for color and detail, especially outdoors), it's size and feel, and the fact that it has an accessory shoe and mic input.
   
   I use it for family videos, and for short videos for our church's youth group. The clarity is great, and the sound is good for such a small camcorder. The backlight compensation feature works great! Battery life is about average for the industry, I recommend buying a bigger Energizer brand battery.
   
   The only gripes I have are: it doesn't have a true night-vision like Sony's Handycam, and you can't shoot in true widescreen (though there is a "widescreen mode", but it loses resolution.
   
   Bottom line: the best features for the lowest price I could find on the market. Too bad Panasonic has discontinued this model, and replaced it with a 1 ccd model without a mic input!



4. I have used this on interviews for my class projects, carried it around and took video of birds at a wildlife refuge and this camera has really performed.
   The microphone picks up sounds really well. On interviews I didn't need an external mic, though there is a plug in for one. I even used it to record a particular bird at dawn one morning. The sound came through very well.
   I like the fact I can record in wide screen or regular. The battery lasts for several hours of recording and recharges quickly.
   The picture quality is excellent with the 3 chips. I'm not used to using a screen for photography of any kind, and with this one I can use the view finder. It's very light and easily carried on the strap around your neck.
   Great camera, great price.



5. This was a great camera while it worked. One day the power didn't come on despite a full battery. There is no way to eject the tape with the power off. It costs almost as much to repair it as to buy a new one - but in order to get your tape out ( assuming you were taping something important - like in my case a graduation) you have to send it in for repair and hope they return it.
   
   This is a very poor design. When I researched the web for a way to take the tape out, it appears that this is a fairly common problem. The camera worked for around 18 months.

5 comments about Canon ZR100 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom (Pearl Silver).

1. There may be "better" camcorders out there. Better in terms of more features. But it is unlikely the video or sound quality is much better than this one (in some cases actually worse). A 720X480 video frame (Mini DV standard resolution) can only accomodate approx 340 K pixels - therefore a mega or multi mega pixel camcorder will not improve your video performance one bit. And they cost least twice as much.
   
   I was looking for something really basic. I go for features (and use them) in a Camera - not a Camcorder. When was the last time you used the fancy video functions? Do you even know where they reside on the menu? This camcorder has all the functions you will use and some that you probably won't. Its sufficiently loaded in that regard.
   
   Performance - I faced NO noise issues. In a very quiet room, there is faint noise (when the auto gain circuit increases the mic sensitivity). However, under all my shooting conditions (when the auto-gain ramps down the mic sensitivity), this has not been a problem. My unit was "Made in Japan" - I don't know if this has anything to do with the "noiselessness" of the unit. The sound clarity is awesome - the mic is quite high quality - much better than my old sony 8mm.
   
   Video - WoW - very impressed. Clear and colorful - very close to what my eye sees. Very sharp as well. One can easily read text, see the veins on the leaves, the hair on the eyebrow - on closeups. No problem regarding sharpness and overall color fidelity. Reds tended slightly towards pinkish sometimes (minor). On a dark overcast day - video came out looking just fantastic. It wowed me/wife/dad - everybody.
   
   Low Light performance - On par with other camcorders out there. If you keep the lights in the room on (reasonably well lit), you can capture excellent video (great white balance) with little to no noise. None of the blue tinge that I observed with another brand under the same conditions. In a dim room, the video is noisy, but still quite viewable. It is important to note - that this camcorder has no worse performance than the others in its price range when it comes to low light performance.
   
   Ergonomics - easily fits in your jacket/pant pocket and the controls are well placed. I have no problem with the location of the menu button - as a matter of fact - that is where I think it needs to be! Very easy to manual focus but haven't done so - yet. Autofocus is snappy - no hunting. I don't care how tapes are loaded - from the top or bottom. How many of you shoot using a Tripod and need to change tapes halfway?
   
   The zoom speed depends on how far you press the zoom button - simply great feature. Not just one or two steps. You can go from very slow to very fast zooms.
   
   The unit can work as an analog to digital converter - something I plan to use - to convert my 8mm tapes to digital.
   
   The eyepiece viewfinder is color, does not flip, but very good otherwise. I use it a lot. The flip out display is apparently not the best out there, but I find it to be adequate - if not downright good.
   
   Batteries are charged "in camera". You don't have to take the battery in and out for charging purposes. On the other hand, charging a spare battery ties up the camera (unless you purchase an external charger). The supplied battery seems to last for an hours worth of shooting - works for me.
   
   One last thing - I have not seen mentioned in other reviews and I don't know how other brands perform in this regard. The image stabilization was just too good. While shooting video going through Golden Gate Bridge in a car(no zoom), the shots were almost professional in their stability. The exact same shots taken with an earlier camcorder without image stabilization are unwatchable. Note added later - Compared to a PV-GS150, the image stabilization on the Canon was definitely better. I'll cross compare other aspects with my friends PV-GS150 and report back!
   
   BTW - I don't miss it not having photo taking abilities. All camcorder still pics are horrible when compared to my digicam. Why bother?
   
   It does record hi-res 16:9 images (instead of the cropped ones). Maybe that'll be good for the future.
   
   One purchase that exceeded my expectations.
   
   Capturing - Using a cheap firewire card and included cable (together less than ten dollars), video capture using Ulead software and Win Xp was a breeze. Other software (Pinnacle 9) worked equally well at capturing. Camera could be controlled from the software interface. The file size was approx 12 Gig (DV compression) for 45 min worth of shooting. Video looks very good on computer monitor and on TV. Now to MPEG 2 compress and author a DVD..



2. Operative phrase: "for the money." Honestly, I am really surprised at how well this camera has performed over the last 8 months since I bought it. I have had excellent performance in color, the widescreen is SO much cleaner and crisper than the older Sony unit I was using previously. Even when exporting to Pinnacle Studio, and rendering to DVD - the resolution and saturation were wonderful. Is it HD? no. Will it record in 24 FPS? no. Did it beat the hell out of my expectations for a 300 bones camcorder? Absolutely!
   
   I almost forgot to mention: the windscreen on the mic works really well; I'm from Oklahoma, and we know wind out here. This last Easter had winds of over 40 MPH, and even though you could tell there was wind noise, you could hear conversations from over 15 feet away.
   
   I paid less than 300 smackers for this, and it has performed (in my estimation) at the level of a 600-smackers camera!



3. I thought I had only ordered the camcorder, which was a great price since shipping is free and no tax! It was overall cheaper and easier to get than going to the store. Circuit City had this open-box for the same retail price.
   
   Imagine my surprise when my delivery included 3 DV-casettes, a tripod, and a carry bag.
   
   (And it's also the cheapest but also best quality camcorder you can get with AV-input.)



4. I was given this as a gift. What a disappointment. We have had it in for repairs and replacement parts. And still multiple problems. It malfunctions and will not allow tapes in it or worse it just turns off and won't respond.Oh yeah now it has a noise like the motor is reving and it won't playback or tape anything. Canon only fixed it once under warrenty now again I have to pay. If you don't mind that you miss all the special moments or that the odds are good it won't work then this camera is for you! Also, don't expect the company to stand behind their product because they really don't care.



5. I bought this camera for my husband for Christmas two years ago (2005). He used it and loved it...however, just after the 1 year warranty ran out, the camera malfunctioned. It will not turn on properly (you hear it, but cannot see anything on the screen) and will not eject the tape that's inside (with our precious memories on it!). We called Canon and apparently this is a COMMON and KNOWN problem with this model camera. They informed us that it would cost a minimum of $150 to just take a look at the camera and probably more for repairs and shipping. For that much money, we're just going to invest in a new camera with a company that STANDS BEHIND their products when there is a KNOWN DEFECT. I loved Canon products before, but will not be purchasing them from here on out.

5 comments about Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization.

1. I just purchased a canon GL1 for use with filming sports (I am a golfer). My overall experience has been good but things are left to be desired. This review gives you the good the bad and the silly, so read on!

   The Good

   The controls on this thing are great, it's almost like having an SLR in a camcorder. The lens on this thing is great! Images come through very bright allowing for high shutter speeds. The zoom is 20X optical and something like 100x digital, and the digital zoom is usable, trust me on this one. You can switch between interlace and progressive scan with the use of one button interlace=60 1/2 frames per second, progressive= 30 full frames per second. The image stabilization is great, and it is very easy to shoot with. Shutter speed is good up to 1/15000 of a second. Oh and did I mention lots of manual controls if you want them.

   The Bad

   The CCD's on this thing have no resolution. I would almsot have to lie to tell you I get 500 lines of horizontal resolution. When displayed on a big screen pixilization is obvious. Still images stink too. You can't even get VGA out of this thing. Also the auto focus is amazingly slow. Terrible for action sequences but not a problem for a normal situation or say filming a golfer tennis player.

   The Silly/trivial

   You need to push a seperate button to eject a tape. Canon could have made this thing smaller to. The camera has an uncomfortable inbetween size. It is by no means small, not even medium sized, but not really one of those huge shoulder mounted things. The LCD screen on this thing could have been bigger too. In all honesty I think cannon wasted a ton of space on this thing. I know some will say the lens head is big, and that is fine, but the tape deck is way too big and the LCD is almost an inch thick, not excusable.

   Overall I am satisfied with it. A very nice piece of machinery. The best camcorder for recording golf hands down.




2. I wasn't so sure about this camera because I had listened to the hype about Sony DV cameras. But let me tell you, I have never seen a mini DV camera pack such a punch for the price. Between the GL-1 and the much more expensive Xl-1, I cannot tell that much difference at all, maybe none at all. This camera captures truly stunning video. From reproducing each and every color vibrantly and crisp to the razor sharp picture quality. And I haven't even gotten to the microphone. It captures the audio very true to life. From soft whispers to loud bangs, the audio never becomes muddled or distorted. The menu buttons and function keys are all very well placed, and it takes a still photograph of a fairly decent quality, although it couldn't compete with a 2 megapixel photo camera. It has many different video modes,including toggling between Video and Frame recording, although most of the time you'll never need to take it off of automatic. Another sleek feature is how it captures video in low light. In low lighting conditions, the picture NEVER becomes the least bit grainy. I am continually impressed, and am impressing others with this camera. It is perfect for the beginner or the pro.



3. I bought this camera about 10 months back, and at the time made a compromise in choosing it because I couldn't afford the XL1S. What I've learned though after using it for so long now is that Canon didn't compromise on this camera. The GL1 has essentially every feature the aspiring film maker or video professional needs to get underway quickly and easily.

   My favorite feature of this camera is the frame mode ability that allows you to shoot non-interlaced video, with results that are very similar in appearance to film rather than video. After shooting in frame mode and seeing the results, I've yet to shoot interlaced video again.

   The one thing that this camera lacks is any ability to manually control the audio levels for the internal or external mics, which can sometimes give you less than optimal results in situations where the noise volume fluctuates noticably, or where you are trying to achieve a specific audio effect.

   Summary - Excellent camera worth the price tag. Across the board, far more features and better quality than all competitors in its class. Probabaly the only camera that can top the GL1 in this class is the GL2.




4. I purchased my GL-1 almost two years ago with the original intention of using it to create videos of weddings and grandchildren. After comparing numerous available models and brands, I chose the GL-1 for its good reputation, high-end features, lenses, and of course for the more reasonable price.

   It could be said that the GL-1 is among the worst of the best, but that is not a fair way of comparing its features to other camcorders. The GL-1 is top end material, producing similar or equal quality as equipment costing twice as much or more. The lower price mostly reflects the fact that the GL-1 does not have as many features as the more expensive models. It already has more buttons and settings than most of us even want to know exist anyway, so except for professionals and hard-core video fans, we amatures are plenty happy to leave the settings on 'automatic' and simply push the record button.

   What really matters is the end result, and viewing a video on your television recorded with the GL-1 looks no different than a video recorded with more expensive models (well, unless you are one of those hard-core types who are very critical, but then too, every camcorder model produces slightly different results, so any differences noticed would be noticed in all). The major end-result difference will be noticed in audio quality. Recording video in a normal room setting is no problem, it comes out great, but in areas with high noise, winds, or too low of sound, the recording is sometimes less than desired. Too loud of noise causes distortion (avoid sitting directly in front of or even behind a rock group's speaker array, even if 75 feet away!), and when the desired sound to be recorded is too quiet, you may hear a slight humming of the camcorder's motor. Many users have solved the problem by purchasing additional audio recording equipment, which is of course an acceptable solution, but one that new owners should be aware of.

   Every camera of course has it's good points and bad points, and except for the bad points of not-perfect audio, everything else about the GL-1 is good. Good balance, medium weight, easy loading, good battery life (1 hour with the factory battery, other batteries can be bought that will record for over 3 hours), and the appearance does say you are using high-end equipment.

   All things considered, the GL-1 is right about in the middle, giving better results than all known lower-end models, but not quite as good of results as the more expensive models. The Gl-1 is Goldilock's "just right" choice (sorry, I just had to say that).

   The Sony camcorder is said to be a little better, close to that of the Canon XL-1, and I did consider it, but at the time I had just overcome a less than favorable experience with a Sony product and I did not want to make another mistake. If you have the money to spare, get the XL-1 just because it's cooler looking, but for fast, easy, quality video, the GL-1 is a great choice.




5. This is one Great camera! Works great no probs. I am shooting a movie and this camera works great for it. Good for anyone who needs a in the middle camera from customer to pro cameras. I have had this camera for 2 months now and I love it! P.S. The pic of the camera at the top of the page is the pic for the GL2 not the GL1.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC96 MiniDV 3.3MP Digital Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Handycam Station).

1. Overall, this maybe be the best non-professional camcorder I've personally ever seen, maybe disconsidering only the gs-500, but I was still amazed by the picture quality, and specially, by the vivid and strong colors that the camera providaded, which everybody told me I should expect the opposite... But it's not a perfect camcorder, far from that. The Handycam station, though a conceptually great idea, is incredibly irritating to use, not only because of the fact that it doesn't effectively lock at the camcorder, leaving it open for many outcoming risky situations, but also because it makes impossible to hold the camera over a tripod and connected to some source at the same time. Also is important to say that, despite the fact that the Touchscreen provides possibly many more ressources of menu in the camera, it is also very uncomfortable to be greasing the lcd screen with the finger all the time and to make contorcionism in some situations to be able to reach the menu.
   
   Except for those facts, and an extra compleinment about the few-button remote control which makes it pratically unuseful, it's a grat piece of recording machine and I would recomend it to anyone willing to have the best movie-like experience!
   
   Bruno S.,
   Brazil.



2. I've had this camera for 6 months. 4 of those months have been spent fighting with Sony to service it.
   
   Stay far, far, far away.



3. Nice sharp video much better then the Hi 8 that I had and much better then the hard drive models. Nice cam if you can find it but dont pay over 400 for it.



4. I purchased this camera eight months ago. Since then, I've recorded more than 30 hours of video. The HC-96 has performed superbly in some incredibly demanding environments. The touch screen is very easy to operate (although sometimes I use the tip of a retracted pen to make sure I hit what I intend to). Additionally, the programmable "P-Menu" ensures the features/options you use most are right at your fingertips. The transition from video recording to photo taking is extremely simple and fast. I recently took the camera to a wedding and was very pleased with the speed of the transition back and forth, not to mention the fact that I didn't have to reach for a still camera every time a photo opportunity presented itself. A 3 megapixel image won't win you any awards, but it's plenty clear for an 8x10 photo.
   
   Picture Quality- Simply amazing. When people see the detail, color, and contrast that my little Sony is able to recreate, they are always impressed that such a little device is able to produce such incredibly crisp, detailed video. As long as your lighting is right, your videos will look like they were professionally shot. Example: While on a trip to Rome last fall I shot a facade at one of the many basilicas. Initially, I was focused on the outer columns and scupltures, which were in direct sunlight. But I also wanted to shoot the mosaics that were set well back from the front of the facade and in such dark shadow that I could barely make them out with my naked eye, three stories below. I simply zoomed in on the mosaics and as the white marble walls left the field of view, the camera adjusted the white balance so quickly that the mosaics were immediately crystal clear. The description hardly does the performance justice.
   
   Ease of Use- Fantastic. The buttons fall under your fingers, it's lightweight, it's very durable (I've dropped mine, spilled Sprite on it, and done a hundred other things the manual doesn't recommend) and it's small enough to be inconspicuous.
   
   MiniDV Media- I wouldn't trade my tapes for a harddrive or DVDs. The ease with which I am able to view, download and edit my video is awesome. Plus, each tape holds about 9G of video, for only $2.50. The firewire interface works very well (buy a 4-4 and a 4-6 firewire cable, because not all computers take a 6). Rewinding and playback do use a fair amount of battery, but most of the time I'm viewing I can have it plugged in.
   
   Battery Life- The included battery leaves something to be desired. Buy the bigger ActiForce extended life battery. It's definitely worth having. I can have the camera on and recording for more than three hours at a stretch.
   
   Other Features I've used:
   
   Smooth Interval Recording- Produces fantastic time-lapse shots. Works beautifully. Allows you to choose from 1-120 seconds per frame.
   
   Night Shot & Super Night Shot- Great for low-light shooting within about 100 feet.
   
   Spot Focus- Works very well when you need to manually direct the focal point. Very good for off-center shots.
   
   Steadyshot- The HC-96's electro-optical stabilization is amazing. The camera not only steadies out the bumps, it helps smooth out your panning, as well, so the resulting video is very smooth and a pleasure to watch even when zoomed in very tight on distant objects. I've taken it to the lake to film wakeboarding and waterskiing and the picture is incredibly steady- shot from my hand without any kind of external stabilizing equipment.
   
   Remote Control- Works very well. Must have a clear line of sight to the front of the camera.
   
   Variable Speed Playback- Allows for frame-by-frame viewing and editting. A must-have feature. The controls for variable speed playback are extremely easy to use.
   
   End Search- Will automatically cue the tape to the last frame of the last shot you took and seamlessly transition it to the next shot you record. It's extremely convenient.
   
   Summary- I'm so happy I purchased this camera. It has all of the features I want and produces video that is every bit as clear as that of much larger, heavier, more expensive cameras. More to the point- it produces video that is so clear I'm amazed every time I watch it. It's hard to believe that such a little device could turn out such a professional looking product. Add to that the convenience of taking still shots to a Memory Stick Pro Duo media card with a quick USB interface and I can't really say much more. It's a great piece of gear and it's held up for eight months. I would recommend this camera to anyone.



5. We did a lot of research for several months before purchasing this MiniDV Digital camcorder.
   
   It's a lightweight piece that gives you enough options without overwhelming a first time user. The 10x optical zoom has been appropriate, we really don't need more for what we use it for (charting our baby girl's days as she grows into a little girl). The night light is actually very good, we've used on a few occasions with surprisingly good results. The picture quality is beautiful even on a big screen television.
   
   The bottom line is that you don't need to be a pro to figure this contraption and it's a great value for what you get.

No comments about Jazz® Pocket Camcorder.

1 comments about Polaroid Pixie SD Digital Video Camera - Blue (CSA-00301S).

1. I purchased this camera for my 8-year-old son after his other camera broke. It is much better than the other one. It is made better and it has more features. It has a flash and records sound, which some of the other kids quality cameras don't. It's also easy to use. I would recommend it.

No comments about Sony DCR-DVD610E DVD Hybrid Handycam(R) Camcorder for PAL.

No comments about SVP HDDV-2600-Bk 12MP Max. Multi-Functional Camcorder with Rare 3.0 Inch Huge Flip LCD! (4GB SDHC Card included).