5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD505 4MP DVD Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. The camera is very nice, the still images quality is very high.
   The software is not so good, it can not get a normal DVD for support the videos.
   I paid a two days service because I needed my camera, but after two days I did not receive the package, I contacted UPS office and I had to go to UPS offices three times, and in third I got my package, Terrible service.



2. This camcorder is super easy to use. We set it to take wide screen movies (16:9), so when we are done recording, we simply remove the disk and place it right into the dvd player to watch it on TV. My kids love the instant viewing of their movies. This camcorder will also allow you to take still pictures captured on a memory stick. This function saves you from carrying a camera and a camcorder. We have only had this camcorder for one month, but we took it on vacation and have been very happy with it.



3. I haven't utilized all of the features yet, but what I have has produced both high quality pics as well as video.



4. Definitely agree with other posts that the DCR-DVD505 is one of the best cameras around. However, if you are like me and would like to use a computer create feature length DVDs from those little discs you need to be a little computer savvy.
   
   Sony could have done better to help, but is apparently not quite a software company like Apple...
   
   If you have Windows Vista, forget it...your handycam driver will simply not work. Need to download a much more reduced feature-set driver from Sony (the import takes hours). Even if you have Windows XP, make sure that your flash version is circa ancient...i.e. version 6 or before otherwise even the XP driver. Here is my "protocol":
   
   Step 1: Downgrade Flash to Version 6
   -------------------------------------
   
   1. First Uninstall the current Flash (using uninstall_flash_player.exe)
   2. Next simply run fp_6.0.21_activex.exe
   
   (Need to get both from Adobe site...just google for the exe files)
   
   Step 2: Get all MPEGs from camera
   ----------------------------------
   
   1. Connect Camera to Power Source.
   2. Connect Camera to Computer.
   3. Turn on the camera (just like getting to stand-by mode when shooting)
   4. Press the right arrow "Play" key on screen.
   5. Select Computer (disc).
   6. You will see "Preparing" on camera.
   7. Cancel any native Windows pop-up Prompts
   8. Launch Picture Package (if did not start already).
   9 From Picture Package Menu, select Viewing and Handling Pictures
   9. Click on DVD tab after selecting Video Handling (in "DVD Viewer")
   10. Click on DVD Handycam on left hand side menu.
   11. Select Movies.
   12. Confirm the folder choices, if prompted.
   13. Select ALL clips and click on Copy to hard disk.
   14. Wait until copying is done.
   15. Finally! Now you have all the content in mpeg format to do what you wish with.
   
   Step 3: Use the various mpegs to generate movies
   ------------------------------------------------
   
   (Using NERO, Pinnacle etc)
   
   1. Basically, using burn menu, join all the mpegs
   in any sequence to capture the DVD menu chapters.
   DO NOT use any third party stuff like movie joiner etc.
   
   2. Now set the menu titles, background music etc.
   
   3. Burn.
   
   4. Create a DVD/jacket cover.
   
   5. Done.



5. I gave the camcorder as a gift to my son who just loves it, he videotaped me too, I loved the quality of the tape on the big TV. I would recommend it to a friend.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC48 1MP MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Handycam Station Included).

1. This is a wonderful little camera. The night vision works great and it records just fine in very little light. I would definitely recommend this camera. You may need to buy accessories like the tapes and the duo memory stick if they don't come with the camera prior to being able to use it.



2. This video camera is smaller than my digital camera. It's easy to use and the only real problem I've had so far is learning to tape with one hand. It takes pictures in darkness beautifully. I've had fun playing with all of the bells and whistles. This is the first video camera I've purchased since buying a huge Panasonic camera in 1987. Lots of changes since then.



3. This camera is very easy to use, is lightweight and so far has had great battery life. I've had no trouble capturing my video using the i-link to USB cable as that's the only port available on my laptop. For me it's been great value for the price.



4. I took several months to research cameras and finally thought I would settle on this camera. I was wrong - I didn't settle, I totally satisfied my desire for a video camera.
   
   Pro's: Compact design / easy to use / works great in low-light / works great inside or outside / effective zoom / the fire-wire connection works seamlessly with iMac and iMovie / provides great sound / clear video - even on my 720p TV / lots of options like still photo, time lapse, and other video editing effects
   
   Con's: Too small if you have large hands or poor coordination / may take a couple of extra steps to get it to work on a PC / still pic's are less than great quality / need the base to transfer video with fire-wire
   
   Would I recommend this product to others? Not if I wanted my video to look better than theirs. ;-)



5. I have had this camera for a few months now and I have been pleased. Verily. I don't use it a ton, which is why I wanted to get a cheaper camera rather than paying like $47 million for a hard drive camera. I've had no issues with it so far. I just hooked it into my laptop (which probably helps that that is a Sony too.) via firewire and used the windows movie maker and voila! It takes the video automatically (or manually) right off the camera for editting. I put up a few youtube clips with it that worked perfectly! the only drawback is that it has to upload real-time, but that's how any tape-based media is going to work. Definitely still worth it overall. Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that I'm not a HUGE fan of the touchscreen interface, although its not as bad as some people make it out to be. Oh and night-mode is freakin' sweet! If you think I'm not going to make some lame Bear Grylls parodies with this you're crazy. (Just to be clear, I'm not saying Bear Grylls is lame....he's awesome.....I'm just saying that I will be lame for making the videos.)

5 comments about Canon ZR700 MiniDV Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. very good, received in time. I just love it, very easy to use.



2. This is a great little camcorder. The size is awesome, small and light. The image stabilization works really well. I have heard the tape noise while recording, but after downloading video and burning it to a DVD I haven't been able to hear it. The audio is great for the price range of this little camera. I especially like that you can record in widescreen. For some reason it gives your home videos a more interesting look. If you are having trouble shooting inside, which has been a complaint from some, try turning all the lights on in the room you're recording in and setting the camera for the tungsten light mode. Recorded this way, the videos look better than if you just record in auto mode. And although you can't really control it, any outside light coming in really enhances the video quality too (especially the color).
   I think this was a great purchase for us. Highly recommended.



3. I used this camera for 15 minutes and got the "remove the cassette" error message. I tried using other tapes thinking it may have been defective but still received the error message. Then I researched the internet and found out that this is a very common problem. Its so common that if you go to the Canon product page, they have a special link to address questions about this error. Canon's website is basically set up to make you think that you, the consumer, may have caused the problem by allowing moisture or dirt inside or by improperly closing the tape door. However, the real problem here is a defective design.
   
   Since I bought the camera so recently, you would think Canon would apologize and send me a shipping label. No. They are making me pay for shipping to their repair facility.
   
   Needless to say, I will NEVER purchase another Canon product again and I will discourage anyone I know from ever purchasing a Canon product.



4. I took my first foray into video-making last spring. I needed a decent camcorder that would work easily with my iMac. After a couple of months of research and leg work, I bought the ZR700 as well as another more expensive camera ($100 more) that was more highly regarded. I tried the two in a side-by-side comparison. It was no contest; the ZR700 blew the other away.
   
   I won't go into all the ins and outs; suffice to say that I find this camcorder easy to use with plenty of good features. It feels good in my hands and I love the joystick control. Every control is quite logical and makes sense. One small feature that many cameras don't have is the built-in lens cap. With the touch of a button, the lens opens; another touch, it closes. Much preferable to having a lens cap to dangle and perhaps lose.
   
   When it came time to making the movie, importing the clips was a snap--it was almost too easy. And the picture quality was everything I could have hoped for. I loved the features that let you program the video for the type of scene you're filming--outdoor sunny, outdoor overcast, indoor spotlight, etc. The sound was fine, too.
   
   I'm sure if I spent $500 more on a machine, I'd notice the difference in quality. But this more than met my needs. If you want an excellent camcorder at an extremely reasonable price, the ZR700 is a good choice.



5. The camera came in a timely manner and was exactly like the description stated. I would have no issues recommending or purchasing from them again.

No comments about Panasonic AG-HMC70PJ AVCHD 3CCD Flash Memory Professional Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1 comments about SVP HDDV-3000 12MP Max. 6-in-1 Multi-Functional Camcorder with Rare Huge Flip LCD! (4GB High speed SD Card & Tripod Included).

1. I was looking for an entry level digital video recorder. What I got was more advanced and with more features than I expected. Overall I am very please with this camera.
   
   What I don't like:
   The digital zoom is a little week and the still pictures are even weaker.
   You need moderate to a lot of light to get good video quality.
   
   What I like:
   Digital video, still pictures, audio recording, games, software (Unlead video studio), flip screen (very nice) and lots of other settings that I have not even played with.
   Price is great - spent less than $150 for a nice camera, software, USB connector, and 16MB of memory.

No comments about Isonic Snapbox DV51SL Camcorder with 5 Megapixel CMOS and 2 GIG SD CARD (Silver).

No comments about Sony HDR-SR11 10MP 60GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder + Accessory Bundle.

5 comments about Samsung SC-X300 Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. Well thought out, picture quality is good and the entire device is incredibly small and convenient. Being able to charge from USB is also very handy and the best part is you don't have to mess with tape or disc media.
   
   It's definitely a consumer rather than professional product but for home use, it's a great little device at a reasonable price.



2. I bought this camcorder as it had better reviews than SC-X300L but this has really disappointed me. Video is barely acceptable in bright daylight but low light and indoor footage is really bad. Video quality is comparable to my cellphone (samsung t629) video and its miles away from DVD quality. I would say closer to youtube quality. It does not have still camera option but when you use it as a webcam it can take still pictures and you can take still pics from the video using their software, again the product description is misleading. I have a problem when it says it is DIVX because samsung came up with their own divx format which is not compatible with other popular divx codecs. It is already a mess in the codec world and do you really have to throw in another one to mess with the consumers. I have a divx dvd player and it does not play the video files made with X-300. MP3 and voice recorder features are better so may be samsung should really market it as an mp3 player and not as a camcorder.
   
   When you zoom in and out then it is recording the sqeeking sound of the moving part which is annoying specially when you are recording in a quite surroundings.



3. Bad video quality and equally bad battery life...Battery started having problems in less than a week. Video quality is very poor..
   Not recommended for a purchase.



4. Hi, I'm a California Teacher that uses this camcorder to make educational videos for the web, teacher trainings, iPod, and dvd. I also use it for family and goofy stuff, but not as much as my educational work. PROS: It's tiny, black, and stylish. This camcorder can take video that's quickly transferred to your PC via an SD card slot. Uses a high speed 10 mps(NOT HSHC) cards. It's easily the smallest camcorder I've used with superb video quality. CONS: plugging raw video you've shot directly to a tv/ flat screen looks weak. You need to process it according to your output. If it's the web, publish to around 1.0 mps. Clarifying NOTES: Without getting into too many details, if you plan on burning DVD or publishing to an iPod, you should always edit your video in the raw mPeg4 format at then save to AT LEAST 3.0 Mps (DVD quality) in 640x480 format. That's been the biggest confusion on this camcorder. If you publish a video with 1.0-2.5 mps, that's great FOR THE WEB, not for a dvd or an iPod you'll use to display on a TV/ projector/ LCD flatscreen. There's numerous reviews on YouTube and other video sites that present and post subpar quality video to a site only to have the site code to flash. Trying to review high quality video or devices by using YouTube is hilarious. Check out Vimeo or other video publishing sites that allow you to see high resolution videos that do non-flash video. Oh, I partner this up with a little monster, adjustable tripod, and they both produce fantastic student council productions and other videos. I hope this helps. -E.



5. Hi ! First of all I wanna say that this is my first Camcorder that i ever bought in my life ..
   I like it and its great because you can bring with you everywhere and its light.
   The images are good outside and not so bad indoor.. for sure is not a camcorder with 3ccd but its ok....
   The audio is great , I was amazed about the quality of audio..
   I don't like too much the case because is too small and its a little boring to put the camcorder inside it ..
   The software ( VideoStudio SE ) that the company give for edit the video is nice but it hasn't got a converter from .VSP to .AVI or other kind of format.. so i advise to find another Edit Video Editing software.
   Anyway.. this Camcorder is great for people that want a nice and easy stuff to make video for family , concerts and sport..
   Its very easy to put the video into the pc , its like a photo camera..
   In two second you have your video into your pc in format .AVI and you start to edit it with an other Edit Video Editing software :).
   
   So my rewiew is positive :)

1 comments about DXG 565VS 5.0MP Ultra-Compact Digital Camcorder with 2.4-Inch LCD.

1. For only $100 this is a very nice camera. I took it on a trip to film landscapes and personal videos and it worked out very well. You just have to make sure you learn/understand the features, if you're not that familiar with photography. It also has a lot more features than you'd need for a camera, like an MP3 player, but that's just more bang for your buck. It's good to note that the files save in .MOV format, so download software that will convert them to .AVI or other desired formats. There're free ones out there.
   
   Overall, great product.

5 comments about Hitachi DZGX5020A DVD Camcorder with 30x Optical Zoom.

1. I have the GX5020 and have found it to shoot good footage both inside and outdoors. The quality of the camera is good with intuitive controls, no manual reading required!
   
   The only shortfall is the battery provided does not last more than around 40 minutes, so a long life battery is a wise investment.



2. I am 13 and I got this camera as a gift. it is awesome and is compatable with many disks including maxwell disks and Sony Handycam disks (those are the ones I use.)
   Shoots pretty well indoors.
   No manual reading required, but I did so to find out the features.
   It also can take pictures and capture photos from a video.
   I recommend Hitachi Camcorder Accessory Kit 2 for Hitachi DVD Camcorders. The bag fits the camera, batteries, disks, cords, and the manual nicely. I bought this because of the battery (a couple of hours life). Plus you get 3 Maxwell DVD-R disks (disk cases included)
   
   Overall, this is a great buy for beginners AND pros.



3. Small, quick and easy to use! I love the ability to save a picture to an SD card from any frame. We bought digital frames for the grandma's this Christmas and I was able to save pictures from the camcorder directly to the SD cards for use with their frames - I didn't need the camera at all. And I have the best pictures because I was able to pick the perfect frame to make a picture! That perfect smile that I would have missed with my 2 second delay camera - I got it this year using the camcorder. There was no learning process and it is very user friendly. The only downside so far is that the lenscap doesn't stay secure when clipped on and I tend to zoom way too fast! This is my first camcorder and I am very pleased.



4. Camera is easy to use. Light camera; fits easily in the palm of my hand. Works well in dim light. Good value for the money.



5. Worst buy I ever made, here are some of the problems:
   -Cannot open disk to remove easily, takes a few minutes, sometimes does not open at all.
   -Constant issues with "formatting disks"
   -Off button is not locked and often moves to "on" while transporting, when you take it out for use, battery is dead.
   -After capturing images, unable to play back due to "corrupted disks" even after disks have played fine many times previously.
   
   Don't waste your time with this item.