5 comments about Panasonic HDC-HS9 AVCHD 3CCD 60GB Hard Drive High Definition Hybrid Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. I write this review because I wish it had been written during the time I was purchasing my camcorder. I will summarize this review between the Sony HDR-SR11 vs. Panasonic HDC-HS9 as basically a toss up, but the little things of Sony leaned me to the SR11.
   
   First, let me say that I really did not want to buy Sony HDR-SR11, granted a Bravia TV is my LCD of choice, but I cannot stand their proprietary memory. Since this camcorder was not purchased for photos this was not a big deal. Though I commend Panasonic for using SD that can be readily found. Sony is pricey (though some may say justifiably so because of the quality) but competition is good for the consumers as we benefit through new, quality, and innovative features.
   
   A salesman from a particular store told me that Sony was good to get for camcorders, and I'd add Nikon or Canon are a way to go for digital cameras, anyway I digress.
   
   Having to see it for myself, initially I purchased the Panasonic HDC-HS9 and after a tough decision I had to switch for the small things mainly from software which I'll get to later, but first let me give a side by side comparison between the two after testing out each product for a couple hours about the features that matter to me at least. I will refer to the products as HS9 and SR11 for the remainder of the review.
   
   Appearance: I'd have to give it to the HS9 for being noticeably smaller. But the SR11 is not big (especially not 90's camcorder big), as I have a man sized hand, but the HS9 wins the compact comparison in this case. While we're on the physical appearance of it, I was disappointed in the HS9 placement of the external adapter. The battery must be physically removed every time you want to connect the adapter as the cable connector is behind the battery. Therefore you cannot charge the battery simply by pluging in the charging cable as you can on many products that you can usually do this and as you can for the SR11. And the HS9 forces you to use the external cable when transferring a video, even though this may make sense, but when you have a short clip and just took the battery off the charger, it's annoying to remove the battery and find the external adapter every time to do so. Bad placement of the external adapter on the HS9 unlike the nicely placed (as is with most camcorders, at least with a previous Canon ZR200 that I own) with the HS9. If size is an issue for you, the HS9 may be your choice.
   
   Video Quality: My opinion of the quality between the HS9 and SR11 was comparable. Between the two it's a toss up during daylight conditions as both are excellent, and the SR11 is stunning as your eye sees it, it appears on the screen, very nice. The HS9 records in a 1080p vs. a 1080i format, that may give the albeit slight edge in terms of theoretically video quality to the HS9. Though the software provided with the HS9 to play back these high quality videos ruins the superb video recording. I hate to say my eye didn't notice the difference between 1080p and 1080i though my correction lens aren't the greatest, mileage of your eyes matter perhaps.
   
   In low light conditions, the HS9 seems to record slightly brighter images which are decent, the SR11 are a bit darker, though look extremely realistic. A true toss up, and really based on personal preference and would have to say they're evenly matched for you to decide.
   
   In extremely low light conditions I found the HS9 surprisingly grainy. It seems to brighten up a extremely dark image thus resulting in grain. I have not recorded the SR11 in low light conditions other than finding a youtube video of a low light condition video and it seemed to keep it's realistic tone but remained dark. The HS9 seems to be on the right track to attempt to brighten up things, as the SR11 does not, but at this point I would have to say the HS9 was unsatisfiability grainy.
   
   Both were grainy in bedroom light condition when displaying directly from the camera to the TV (not recording, just displaying through the cables) though the SR11 might have had a slight lead when panning or moving the zoom in and out a bit more responsive, though hardly noticeable.
   
   Formats: The HS9 takes the lead in this regard as it has a 24 cinema mode, that records frames at 24 frames like some movies. Otherwise the HS9 records in 60 frames per second. However, the Pinnacle trial version could not handle the 60 fps mode and only the 24 cinema mode (though it said it was 30 fps). Though the HS9 software could handle its own 60 fps video fine, more later on software. The SR11 records it's videos in 30 fps
   
   Night vision between the two the HS9 uses a blue illumination for night vision and the SR11 uses the commonly known green illumination as often seen on TV. I like the green better, but the blue was a nice change and this did not affect my decision either way, though it was nice to have on both.
   
   Transfer to PC: Both transfer to your computer via a USB extremely quickly and at seemingly equal times.
   
   Sound: Both are 5.1, the sound is acceptable and nice on both camcorders, I would say that the wind cut function on the HS9 was nice to have and did seem to work, the SR11 does not have this feature, though I'd wish it did. I'd give a slight edge to the HS9 in this one, especially if you record in windy conditions often (soccer games perhaps), which I don't.
   
   Optical Image Stabilization: Both claim image stabilization, the OSI on the HS9 seems to slightly work better, though not noticeably. I think both still need to work on this.
   
   Face recognition: The SR11 impressed me with the facial recognition as it just works. Turn the camera on a person and a white box appears around a persons face and moves as the person does, always keeping focus on that persons face. The focus on the HS9 on faces seemed very good, though I couldn't figure out the white box feature, it might have had to been enabled through a button a readily accessible button at the very top, so not that bad, but the HS9 was automatic.
   
   Cables: Both have an ample about of cables that allows you to connect your camera to the TV with both RGB and Yellow and white/red audio cables.
   
   Remote: Both had remote controls, a definite plus.
   
   Software: This is where I must reluctantly gives this definitely to the SR11 or Sony. First, very few software handle the AVCHD videos at this time, so both Panasonic and Sony include their own software to retrieve the videos from the camera. The Panasonic software is a bit clumsy when it asks which folder you want to save it in, it's a bit manual where the Sony software detects when the camera has been connected, and simply asks whether you want to import all your videos, one click and it does, in a folder already created with an independent name. The Panasonic software called HD Writer had some additional editing capabilities to slice, merge, and delete unnecessary scenes and save to dvd and mpeg2 whereas the Sony had no editing features.
   
   Playback software: I really hope panasonic gets this point. Their playback software most likely did not use directx, where the Sony PMB or Picture Motion Brower does. What this does is use your video card when the HD videos are playing back video. At one point I thought there was something wrong with the camcorder because the playback would skip using the HS9 playback software, but after encoding it to another format, my native video player kicked in and played back smoothly. This really scared me thinking that there was something wrong with the HS9 when there was not, however my x2300 dual core processor was not able to handle the playback of the native HS9 videos alone. This is in contrast to Sony PMB software for playback that installed directx that utilized my video card so that playback of the native format of the camcorder was silky smooth. What's more the Picture Motion Brower is a nice video playback software that throws in additional calendar features of when a video was imported and such, a nicety that should be used with backing up as it's insanity to store large amounts of precious moments on a computer instead of constantly backup up these priceless moments on DVD's and such, those who have had hard drive failures know. Panasonic included a copy of Pinnacle trial version 11 for HD cameras, it could import the HD 60 fps videos, but did not encode them properly. The 24 cinema mode (or 30fps) videos has no problem in Pinnacle. The SR11 videos also were imported into Pinnacle with no problems. Once additional nicety of the Sony software is that you can make a still picture at any moment making a jpeg without importing it into an editing software. Though the HD Writer software has nice features to backup your videos, hard to use in other cases like loading the HD videos stored on your computer. Sony's Picture Motion Brower software is very good to view and backup, though a register folder option was awkward, why not just allow the ability to just drag in folders to register, always room for improvement I guess.
   
   Viewfinders: Both viewfinder display a clear image, though the SR11 has a touchscreen where the HS9 does not, though understandable with the price difference. I was disappointed I could not navigate to playback a video on the SR11 without using the touchscreen since the screen would get a lot of fingerprints, though there are less buttons to complicate things because of the touchscreen. Both have easy buttons to begin recording.
   
   The HS9 had a feature to offer advice how to record like turn on the low light feature (should have had a feature that this would turn on automatically) or you're panning to fast, this advice can be taken as good or bad.
   
   Zoom: The HS9 had digital zoom, but it would not work in 24 cinema mode, go figure, and was adequate. The SR11 had no such zoom, but the normal zoom was satisfactory, though not as far as the HS9.
   
   Conclusion: If you can tolerate the size of the SR11, and wind is not a major issue and are looking for a camcorder with excellent video in all light conditions, good sound, facial recognition, and easy and nice software then SR11 is a fine choice that I am happy with.
   
   The HS9 is a nice choice when size is an issue and windy conditions to utilize the wind cut feature, beware of extremely low light conditions and be wary of the battery having to be removed each time for the external adapter and native format playback skipping (it's not the camcorder, you're computer is too slow, just encode it to another format), there is no touch screen and there is a mini joystick that can be cumbersome as when engaging night vision is easier on the SR11 as opposed to the HS9 as well as low light mode.(though there is a price difference to offset the differences).
   
   I am enjoying the SR11 and things are drastically improved over the miniDV of yester-years. The only thing that I battle each day is why I didn't get the SR12.
   
   The HS9 that I've just noticed has an added feature that you can put wide angle lenses on it - nice.



2. This camera gets every detail every blade of grass and every little rock.
   It looks incredible on an HDTV looks like you are really there.
   The only problem I can see is the panning,it seems to not like fast panning too much.



3. I've had this camcorder for almost a week, and like any new gadget, I've been using it quite a bit. Here are my thoughts.
   
   It fits great in the hand and is easy to handle. It has a small size for a Hard Drive camcorder and easy to shoot and hold. Image stablization works well and the zoom is good.
   
   BAD: I played the video on my plasma, and while the footage I shot outside was beautiful - the clips shot inside were very soft and in some instances pixelated - even with the interior lights all turned on for max lighting. The room I was shooting in has multiple windows and lots of natural light, so this should've not been an issue. These clips didn't live up to the moniker "High Def." From what I've learned from several blogs, this is something to expect to some extent from many consumer camcorders - even HD versions. That would probably be tolerable, but what I didn't count on is that the footage shot with this camera crashes Final Cut Express 4 and iMovie. I'm no techie, but from what I've been told Panasonic does something a little extra to the AVCHD format that iMove and FCE can't abide. There are work arounds, but I'd rather just use a camera that doesn't require workarounds. This has been documented on multiple blogs, which I should've consulted before making the purchase....I have Macs at the house, and the included software doesn't work with Macs. SO - I'm taking it back and will probably exchange for the Canon Vixia HF10 which I've read good things about. If you're not a Mac user and don't use iMovie or FCE for editing, this is a pretty nice option. Otherwise, get ready to learn workarounds or buy a non-Panny camcorder.



4. As some of the earlier reviews have pointed out, this awesome little camera suffered from lack of support in Apple's editing applications like iMovie 08.
   
   Well that's all in the past. With the release of OS 10.5.3 and QuickTime 7.5 a few days ago, the HDC-HS9 (and the non-hard drive HDC-SD9 as well) are now fully compatible. You can easily import and edit your HD movies in iMovie, in all the camera's formats.
   
   I love this camera. My only complaint is that spare batteries are absurdly expensive. Other than that, it's fantastic.



5. Love it. The only "bad" thing is how grainy it is when recording inside without a lot of bright light. But from what I've read and heard most are this way.

1 comments about Canon DC310 DVD Camcorder with 41x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this camera for our family summer vacation. My old digital camera did not zoom close enough to anything. I was looking for a camcorder that was small in size that could get close up & that is exactly what I got. I have found it to be easy to use in every way and it is small enough to fit in just about any normal size bag.

5 comments about Samsung SC-MX10 Flash Memory Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom (Silver).

1. Ok, I don't typically write product reviews. But this time, I was moved to do so because of my complete disappointment in this particular video camera. I am not a video snob, and I don't typically trust nah-sayers on theses reviews. However, trust the reviewers here. This camera is not good at anything. I really wanted a good camera that uses flash memory to store footage, so I picked the Samsung because of its middle price figuring it couldn't be that bad. The video is completely unacceptable. You will get pixilization in broad daylight with any movement of the camera. Spend your time finding a better choice, I know I will. [...]



2. Everyone from our daughter to her children use and enjoy the camcorder. Our grandson is posting on you tube easily.



3. Here's what I wanted my video camcorder to be able to do:
   
   1. Record high quality without the need for a CD or cassette (its 2008 for goodness sake, moving parts, are you crazy?)
   2. Had a good amount internal memory as well as a memory card capacity of up to 4gb
   3. Could be easily played on my HDTV and not look like jumpy and grainy
   4. Would download clips easily onto my PC so I could edit and send via email to family and friends
   5. Had easy interface and simple-to-use navigation
   6. Had good audio quality and anti-shake qualities for smooth shooting
   7. Had at least 5x zoom ability.
   8. Was under $250
   
   This camera not only met all of my expectations, but exceeded them. It fits and feels nice, shoots very well and when you hook it up to your computer, TV or just want to watch the playback on its 2.7 inch screen, its simple and there's no fuss.
   
   If you like quality, but have a budget and you want a video camera that is both easy to use and looks and sounds good (sound is very important to me), then I highly recommend this one.
   
   The software that comes with wasn't impressive, but when I editted images on Windows Movie Maker, everything worked great.
   
   They say you can tell right away if something is good quality. The second I started reading the manual (and please do), I knew these guys knew how to make a good camera. Thanks Samsung!



4. I bought this looking for a decent camcorder that I could carry on my motorcycle. I owned it 100 days when it ceased charging the battery. I called Samsung to see if it would be fixed under the warranty. Yeah, right! 90 day warranty! No exceptios! Last Samsung product I'll ever buy!



5. The camera itself is fine, but it records in a Samsung proprietary mpeg4 format. This means that you can edit your output only with the Samsung/Cyberlink software, which is vastly inferior to the video editing software available from other companies. This incompatibility means that you become a prisoner to Samsung. I have communicated with Samsung's customer service on this topic, and they do not offer any solution to solve the incompatibility. Conversely, the purveyors of better editing software (e.g. Sony Vegas) apologize for the fact that Samsung deliberately makes it impossible for their programs to accept Samsung input.

5 comments about Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 9MP Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Black).

1. I was looking for a camcorder with a little bit of everything; something that's small and very portable, takes good video that I can easily work with on my pc and macbook, records good sound (plus wind noise reduction) and can take high quality photos. This camera offers all that for an excellent price.
   
   It'll easily fit in your pants pocket, but you probably won't like doing that since it'll leave your pocket bulging out a bit unless you have a jacket with you with its own pockets, either way it can develop scratches on its nice sleek body. You're better off buying a nice small case that you can put on your belt as you would with a cell phone. With that small case, you should buy a spare battery to put in the case whenever your battery runs short. In short, buying a case for this camera is a must as it is with any other camera.
   
   As for video, sound and photos. I love that it has 30fps and 60fps video recording. I usually use 30fps when recording subjects that aren't moving too much and 60fps (highest quality setting) to get a smooth video of fast moving things. The quality of the video is very satisfying considering the cameras price. It does get grainy in low light conditions, but in a well lit room it records just fine. When recording outside, the video is great. I could clearly see the veins on a leaf standing a few feet from it when using the 5x optical zoom. Sound is good. No complaints there. Photo's are also great. Not many comments to say on that other than this unit takes better photos than my digital camera. I love the smart flash which detects if the camera needs to flash depending on lighting conditions.
   
   Only thing I wish could be better is nothing. I am completely satisfied. I can't be too picky since the camera is only $250. But if I were, i'd like a better optical zoom with better image stabilization (very important when zoomed in very close).
   
   Some other good points i'd like to mention;
   Battery charges pretty fast with the supplied wall charger. The construction of the camera is very good. Everything is put together in a solid, strong and rigid way. No loose feeling panels or anything like that.



2. We absolutely LOVE this camera! We took it on vacation, and every time we used it, it worked perfectly. It is so compact and lightweight that we could easily put it in a pocket or purse. One of our friends recommended it to us, and we have recommended it to many others. We should probably work on commission!!



3. I am waiting for a device for both camera and video taking with high resolution for a wile. This one is great on photos and easy handle on video. MP4 file format output. Small pocket size for carry. Highly recommend for family use.



4. I just got this product a week ago and I am pretty happy with it so far. I have not gotten my 4G SD card yet so I do not know how much video that will hold but I am using it with a 512K card and that holds about 12 min of 60 FPS video. What a handy little thing! Battery life seems good and it is VERY easy to use. The MP4 format is a little problem as Windows Movie Maker does not support that format so other than in camera editing I am stuck for now. The video is pretty good quality and the still pictures are quite good. It is not so great under low light but I did not buy it for that use - I purchased it primarily for outdoor use. If anyone has any good ideas on video editing software that works with MP4 please let me know. I am trying to make recruiting video for my daughter for college and use it to put together nice family video clips. It is GREAT to be able to carry one little thing to sporting events or family outings that will do both video and still pictures well!



5. When reviewing or buying this product, you have to remember that you are only paying about $50-80 more than some of the most basic digital cameras there are. The price tag on this little camera is not going to hurt anyone!! The video quality is more than adequate for casual usage. The camera quality, like a lot of reviews have said, is a little on the weak side indoors, but that can be compensated for using the ISO function. It's easy to use, pocket size, very adequate for anything that someone looking to spend $250 for a video camera is wanting to do!!! Great buy for the price!! (Obviously there are better cameras on the market, but you're going to pay for them. A lot of reviews have compared this camera to many camera's that are double and triple the price.... that says a lot in itself!!)

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC52 1MP MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom.

1. Had to send it back. Arrived but camera would not focus at all. Send it back and bought a Canon Z900, which works fine.



2. The camera works great.
   
   Night shot plus and steady shot IS make difference. Also 40x zoom.
   
   Enjoy it!



3. I tried to buy this camera from Amazon but their server was trashing on 6/6/08 so I dashed over to the local WalMart and picked up one. After spending the last 7 hours going over every feature and nuance, I wish I'd had this camera last week for videoing a great rock band in Illinois... the spot metering feature would have provided me vastly better results than the old Sharp miniDV it replaced! One review of this camera is extremely biased by the buyer's ignorance of technology... firewire is the only way to go for transferring DV to computer, and this feature works flawlessly on this camera. I'm very pleased to have one, and not even sorry to have paid more at WalMart than Amazon's great price! Image quality is excellent!



4. We have had the camera for a month now, and have been extremely happy with it so far.
   
   a) the quality of the images are excellent
   b) the ease of use is excellent
   c) the compactness of the camera is excellent
   d) the battery life is excellent.
   e) the auto focus and auto exposure has been very good
   e) The LCD panel is excellent, and is still quite satisfactory in bright light.
   
   The only negative is that the optical view finder is very poor, and too small to use. However, this really has not been an issue at all, since the LCD panel does not seem to be a drain on the battery, and has been usefully visible under all light conditions.



5. This camera is very easy to operate, light weight, compact and the features for a small camera a nice. I had an earlier version of this camera and a new feature is the lens cap it slides into a comopartment and does not hang off the camera. Great zoom easy to reach controls. Great camera for the average user to record family vacations.

5 comments about Sony HDR-TG1 4MP High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Super Steady Shot Zoom (4GB Memory Stick Included).

1. Good portability, don't expect very bright high quality images since it's small lens.
   Comparing to Sanyo Xacti HD1000 better in stabilizer, Sanyo is totaly un acceptable.
   One little tip for people having problem with AVCHD Intall Media Player Classic ( google it to find it ) it's a 5.5 MB file then just change the file extension from .MTS to .mpg it worked on my Windows Media Player on Windows Vista.
   But the play back was the best and not the actual quality was playedback by Windows Media Player. But it's good just to review what's been recorded, Sony Vegas 8.0 and Pinnacle editing softwares can recognize the format.



2. I bought this a week ago, and the best thing about the HDR-TG1 is the size and shape, they fit in my front pocket and I can take it any where I go. The reason I bought this camera was for its size and portablity and HD and it perfectly matches my requirement al though I was thinking I could use this for all purposes including still images but the still images are not good.
   
   Pros:
   Size, and Shape
   Great user interface both the front buttons as well as the on screen
   Great Video footage but not as good as u see on HD TV broad casts
   Great charging and connecting to the computer, u dont need to charge battery seperately hence its always ready to use
   
   Cons:
   Bad still images, horrible in low light condition
   Sony should have supplied the HDMI cable, and the compnent cable they applied is too small, and I had to buy an extender switch to connect to my 65inches TV
   The provided software is useless, its so difficult to even trim video, u can as well throw it away, al though there are not much choice for the AVCHD format. I tried convert the Video in mpeg but it does not play on quick time or Windows Media player, I think I may be missing a codec, but it has no way to save on standard codec, hence I cannot put videos on web as mpeg.
   
   
   
   
   



3. I recently bought the TG1 and Sanyo HD1010 and posted a comparison clip on Vimeo.com
   
   Overall, I found the image stabilization to be very good, but the video had muted colors and looked less detailed than that from the Sanyo.
   
   Here are some things I really liked about the camera:
   -built in lens cap
   -slightly smaller size than Sanyo HD1010
   -high quality metal body (titanium)
   -matching case (extra cost)
   -5.1 audio recording
   -memory card plays directly on PS3
   
   Here are thing I didn't like:
   -Memory sticks are very expensive compared to SD cards, I found around 4x the cost
   -The battery life is rather short, only around 45 minutes (vs 120 min).
   -AVCHD are difficult to edit, can not be easily uploaded to Vimeo or Youtube without first editing on the computer. Sanyo's MP4 files can be uploaded directly.
   -No in camera editing ability, can not even join or cut parts of clips
   -Not able to record at 1080p
   -No external mic or headphone jack
   -Touchscreen has small buttons
   -The menu structure is confusing
   -No printed manual / comes on CD, I couldn't even find it online. My Macbook Air has no CD drive.
   -It sometimes does not save the setting changes if allowed to power down on it's own. You have to press the power button after you are done making setting changes.
   -No remote control included. Makes it difficult to watch clips on the TV unless you have a Sony Bravia TV which can control the camera.
   -HDMI cable not included. It uses a mini HDMI cable as well.
   -HDMI port is not on docking station, Mini HDMI on camera, so you have to plug it in every time instead of just docking it.
   -No ability to change volume while playing a video on the camera. You have to exit out and go into a menu to adjust the playback volume.
   -Playback screen only shows three thumbnails at a time, I couldn't figure out how to show many thumbnails at once.



4. I just picked this camera up and found the video to be very good. I'm running an XP machine and I'm able to upload the video and play it fine. I've heard folks say you need a fast and powerful machine to run the huge files but I have not had any problems with that. I already figured the video quality wouldn't be as good as other products out there buy my opinion is what good is better quality if you don't have the camera with ya? This puppy will fit in your front pocket.
   The image stabilization and zoom are great. It focuses very well on moving objects and clarity is good. Digital picture quality is useless with this camera. One other big negative is Sony doesn't ship you the HDMI to MINI HDMI cable so you have to go find one. These are not cheap. If you go to best buy expect to pay $75 min. If you want to play HD from the camera to you HD plasma you'll need this cable or a converter.
   They are not easy to find either.
   Low light video seems to be ok and better than other products I've tried.
   In general it's the smallest solution with good video I can find.



5. Pros: small, portable, easy to use, slick touch screen, compressed video formats look great (1080 in AVCHD and 720p in MPG format), 'Steady Shot' noticibly improves video, nice zoom and the still shots aren't half bad (has a tiny built in flash!), and *true* 5.1 surround! (5.1 or just stereo, your choice).
   
   Cons: Not great in low light (including stills), battery time could be longer (I purchased a quick charging unit and another battery), memory is expensive (1/3 more than the average flash stick of comparable size), no mic input (windy days will kill audio).
   
   WARNING: Do not expect ease of use with AVCHD format and MAC (long conversions given that you have the right software). However, with an upgrade to my Sony Vegas software on my PC, I am able to natively edit Sony's AVCHD format, and 5.1 surround. You can edit the SD format (720p MPEG) on a MAC.

3 comments about Canon FS10 Flash Memory Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory and 48x Advanced Zoom.

1. Upon opening the box, I was amazed by the FS10! It fits in the palm of your hand (about the size of a can of pop) and feels like a finely crafted piece of equipment. I started video taping two minutes later! Let's forgo the technical jargon and skip directly to the picture quality ... amazing! I was video taping in my store and instantly was impressed with how well the camera compensated for light shining through my windows. A quick scan around and I ask myself "how is this thing focusing so quickly?" Focus is instant and accurate. Now for the really cool thing - when out of zoom mode, you can focus on the hair of a fly! Well, I didn't try a fly, but I could literally get within 1/2" of an object and still have instant focus. How do they do it? No having set it for macro focus, it acts like the human eye. OK, how about zooming you ask. Well we had a Comcast guy working on a telephone pole about 200' from my office. I was videoing through my window. The camera still had no problem focusing, and the anti-shake feature of the camera worked incredibly. I've seen other anti-shake cameras and didn't like the digital blurring that occured. The FS10 somehow has eliminated the blurring. I actually zoomed in on the tool belt of the Comcast guy and could read the brand name! No exaggeration. OK, now for the real test ... transferring the video to my computer. Previously, I hooked my audio/video cables up to my video capture card and then went through a long process of capturing and then coverting and then putting the video on dvd. With the FS10, I loaded the software, plugged in the usb cable, selected my video from a thumbnail explorer type of program, and 1 minute later was watching my video with Windows media player. The file is MPEG straight out of the camcorder! REMEMBER, this camcorder has no tape, so all you are really doing is transferring a file from the camcorder to your harddrive. Burning a DVD from there is a no brainer. What else? Well, no moving parts to wear out. Yea, you do have a zoom, but that's about it. I did think the zoom button had a cheap feel, but not bad. One last thing. I videoed in a dimmly lit room last night. The picture was grainy. Not real impressed with that, but maybe there is a setting for low light. I did turn on the video light and that helped a great deal. Canon uses an LED light - so minimal battery consumption when using the light. All in all, very impressive!



2. I like the size of the camera, fits nicely in my hand. The basic controls are easy to find and use. The LCD panel is bright and easy to see on a sunny day. The battery seems to have a reasonably long charge, I used it for about an hour straight last night on a fresh charge on new batteries and it still had power to go. The flash memory means no moving parts except for the lens. Also its fast to start and shutdown. I like being able to have some removable media - the removable SD card. It uses a USB connection to the computer, which is ok. THE BAD IS.. the movies are saved natively in a unique file format forcing you to use the "imagemixer" bundled software to download to the computer. Once you successfully do this, then try to load these files (mpg) into MS MovieMaker you get a green screen for previews! I've got a support request in for this problem. No resolution yet. It did come bundled with it's own movie editor, but for those of us who are used to MS Moviemaker this is a problem. BTW the mpgs play nicely in the MS Media Player, it just MS MovieMaker that has the problem.



3. I ordered my camera just before I left for France. It came 4 days before I left so I had very little time to figure out how to use it. It was a snap. The videos are clear except in low light. The zoom is great. And the still pictures were better than my digital camera. I love the camera. I haven't had time to use the software to make a CD so I can't rate that.

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

1. Dealing with the native format that these high def camcorders record in can be frustrating, but once you get past this, this camcorder works just fine. It produces nice video and does better job then several others (in this price range) in low light situations. It's small, light, and produces good video. For the price, it's hard to beat. Do your research before you buy any digital camcorder. This one does 720P and not 1080i. If this is good enough for you, you won't go wrong.
   
   One warning. The software that comes with it, is not worth installing. You're better off purchasing something like the Nero Ultra Edition instead. I installed the software, tried it, and really hated it. I uninstalled it shortly after.
   
   There are several conversion programs out there (several freeware) that can take the video from this camcorder (and others like it) and change it to something you can work with (mpg). While it's not the most convenient method, it does work. This also can make dealing with the videos less computer intensive (you can get away with less computing power).
   
   Adding an 8 gig card to this camcorder will bring it up to 16 gigs of ram, which should be enough for most peoples needs. Remember, this unit has 8 gigs built in (a very nice feature). One thing you will need, is hard drive space to store your videos. You can eat up space rather quickly if your not careful.
   
   This is a nice camcorder.



2. Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I was invited to participate in the review program for Samsung's SC MX10 camcorder
   
   When I opened the box that the camcorder came in, it was pleasant to hold up: the design adapts comfortably to the hand, feeling like it belongs there. Its ergonomic design brought to mind the way I felt when I felt used the Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse.
   
   It was not necessary to read through the user guide to learn how to hit the ground running and start shooting great-looking videos. As a result, I have yet to exploit some of the more advanced features. Yet the basic features and the intuitive interface have made it a joy to use, mostly the touchscreen interface and the ability to flip the visor 180 degrees to allow you to see yourself while shooting solo.
   
   Beyond the cool features which make it incredibly easy to use, this camera has freed me from the desktop where I was tied until now to shoot my videos through my Mac's embedded iSight camera, letting me shoot professional-looking HD podcasts in places beyond my desktop. [...]
   
   The one thing I have not been terribly impressed with have been the photos: I have not found the SC MX10 to even be a match for my Sony digital camera. But then again, the Sony camera's video capabilities are no match for the Samsung either. So, I really have no major reason to complain about the SM MX10 because it's perfect for what I am using it for: great-looking portable HD video shooting capability without paying an arm and a leg for it.



3. I've never seen a camera this small. It works great! Hook up the USB cable to the Mac, there are the files, they play in Quicktime and iMovie uses them as-is (it does scan them on import to generate thumbnail images, but otherwise it's a native format on Mac, it would seem).
   
   This is exactly what I needed - HD, H.264 (MP4) format so I don't have to convert the files... just copy over and use. Great price now too. $400 - can't beat that.



4. 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.



5. 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
   
   
   

5 comments about Flip Video Camcorder: 60-Minutes (Black).

1. Overall it works great - I wish I was more into doing videos, I take it with me and forget to use it half the time - LOL.
   
   The only negative is that the movie-making software that is comes with really sucks - very limited.



2. I bought this for my daughter BD, she used it once on that day, and once more the next 3 weeks, only about 3 minute-used, suddenly the Flip stop working, thought it just batteries, changed fresh batt's, but NO LUCK!
   
   SHE WAS VERY VERY DISSAPOINTED! NOT-RECOMMEND!



3. The FLIP Video ultra is so easy to use even I can do it! It's small and compact and features easy access to unload files to my computer. The only drawbacks I found were the audio pickup and having only 60 minutes of time on it. I had a ball taking video with it, and just shortly after I got it, I put together a video presentation for a co-worker who was retiring. It got rave reviews. Again, a great investment for the money.



4. I love the Flip Video Camcorder! It is so easy to use and also easily plugs into my computer to view my video.It can also be used to watch video on my TV with the cables to do this included but I have not used this feature yet. I am not an expert in camcorders but I can tell you that I am very happy with my purchase and the quality of the video I've taken at special events is quite good. I would highly recommend this product to everyone!



5. This is the third flip video purchased this year. All recipients are thrilled with the clarity of the video and the quality of the sound.

3 comments about RCA EZ205 Small Wonder Digital Camcorder with 2 Hour Recording and 1GB Included Memory.

1. Here are the reasons I bought this digital camcorder over others.
   
   1. It has a flip to front display that will allow you to see yourself while you are recording.
   
   2. Excellent resolution. The 640 by 480 video recordings are near DVD resolution (which is 720 by 480).
   
   3. Still pictures. This camera also takes 1280 by 960 still pictures. I don't know why they don't stress this in the sales information. This was a real deal maker for me.
   
   4. AA batteries. Some digital camcorders have to be plugged into a USB port to recharge. I'd rather just put in another set of common batteries and go on recording. Though I do use rechargeable batteries in mine. They work fine.
   
   5. The video is stored on a mini SD card. Want more recording time? Just swap in another card. Plus you can put the card in a reader and copy it to your computer directly, skipping the USB connection entirely.
   
   6. This camera comes with a nice carrying case and all the cables you will need for the same price other's charge for just the camera.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1J7CRT5NJU46O RCA EZ205 Small Wonder Digital Camcorder with 2 Hour Recording and 1GB Included Memory
   
   This is my basic review of the EZ205. I hope it's helpful in determining whether or not to purchase it. One thing I did not mention in the video clip was the digital zoom, which is pretty much a non feature and tends towards big time blurry. Not a big deal if you're not planning on using it.



3. This is the most wonderful product for being such a lil camcorder. i recommend it to all new mothers so they can record their special moments in their growing babies lives.