5 comments about Canon PowerShot TX1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. If you have a cheap micro camera that smears if anything moves or has trouble syncing voice with action, consider the TX1. Here are some examples of its work.
   
   [...]what happens when you strap it into a model airplane.
   
   One thing it does particularly well is recording lectures. The audio pickup is amazingly good, and it handles a variety of lighting situations well. Battery life is a limitation here. See an example at [...]
   
   The downside of this camera is a lack of inputs: no IR control, and no audio input. I live with the lack of IR control by strapping the shutter control down and using a big SD chip. The TX1's microphone is so good at picking up voice that I haven't really missed the mic input.



2. 
   I've been using this for a month or two and can say it's a fairly decent camera. It works well in day light, and OK indoors. Not at all good as a night video camera.
   
   This is the first camera I have owned that only has an LCD screen, and it is not that usable directly in the Arizona sun.
   
   It certainly is well made and easy to use. However, I find, me mind you, that the zoom control is upside down to how I would imagine it functioning. I also find that the shutter button is a little too far forward.
   
   Video seems to drain the battery pretty quickly so buy some spares.
   
   It does not have the greatest set of options but this is a camera you'll have in your pocket and is not intended to be the be all and all. It's image stabilizer works well except at 8X and beyond.
   
   All in all a great little camera to carry in your back back or glove box.



3. Canon PowerShot TX1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
   I was in the market for a new camera & a new camcorder, to replace my 3.0 MP Olympus & my JVC DV camcorder. In my research , I came across the Canon TX1 . For me, it is the perfect solution. I am by no means an expert photographer- just a guy who wants to be able to take some nice pictures & video of the family. We are going to be taking a big Mediterranean cruise this summer and want to be able to bring back some nice photos & video. Here are the things I was looking for:
   1. Compact. This camera is a little larger than some , but still small enough to fit in my pocket without a problem
   2. Good video capabilty. This can record Hi-Def video at 30 fps. The video looks great on my Sony LCD TV.
   3.Plenty of storage capability. I also purchased through Amazon a Transcend 8GB,class 6 SDHC card for about $35. This allows plenty of room & works great!
   4. A good zoom. This camera is the only one of its size with a 10x optical zoom.
   I've also found that the Canon face recognition software works well. The red-eye reduction also works pretty well, although I've had a couple photos it didn't clear up.The video looks much better than my old camcorder. I immediately took it to my daughter's water polo game, at an indoor pool with somewhat dim lighting. I was afraid the video wouldn't come out well in that lighting, but it worked wondefully - very good color & balance. The LCD screen is a bit small , but necessarily so to keep the unit compact. The LCD is quite crisp though- much brighter than most. I would say that a person looking for a digital camera that is extremely portable and easy to use, and also needs a camcorder would be well served to purchase one of these. I also got a great price from Worldwide Distributors on Amazon ( about $335). You can also get a Pelican 1010 micro-case which fits this camera nicely for about $13, and a spare Lenmar battery (DLC4L) for about $11 through Amazon. I'm extremely pleased with all the purchases and would highly recommend the TX1 for the family on the go that wants nice pictures & video without lugging a bunch of cumbersome equipment- stick it in your pocket or purse & Go!!!



4. If you're looking an all-in-one that does the job "good" all around, this is it. What you're not going to find is the best camcorder. It's also not the best camera. What it is however, is the best combination of the two, in the smallest size (roughly a pack of cigs). I've taken more video and pictures with this than I have with my "professional" level equipment. I carry this thing around all the time for those impromtu moments.
   
   If you're not going to film the next block buster hit or shoot the cover of Sports illustrated, you'll be MORE than happy with this.



5. It took me many months before I decided to purchase this camera. There are so many reviews, both positive and negative, that it was almost confusing. This camera is really for the individual that wants to be able to take both video and still photography. Is this the best video camera? No. Is it the best still camera? No. Is it the best combo camera? Without a doubt. It offers great versatility and quality in a compact, mobile package.
   
   First let me say that I have shot with a DSLR for years. I love still photography and never thought about going back to point and shoot after owning a Canon Digital Rebel and now a Canon 40D. But over time I wanted something smaller that I could fit in my pocket and take with me to many locations where a DSLR is just too prohibitive. The Canon TX1 was the one for me.
   
   This camera is a just a little wider than some of the small profile Powershot cameras, but it fits very well into the pocket of your pants. It is sturdy and the lens and LCD screen are protected.
   
   Video and Photo Quality:
   I was impressed by both the quality of the videos and photos. The only pitfall is the ratio of still photos is 16:9 unless you go into the menu and switch to 4:3. That's not horrible, but I wish there was a button to easily switch back and forth. The zoom was awesome. The videos and photos have great saturation and color.
   
   Use of Buttons/Camera:
   The buttons are small and if you are going to hold the camera up and record video for 30 minutes it can be a bit of a pain. However, I don't plan on recording 30 straight minutes of video. If I did, I'd likely be on a tripod. The zoom button works very well and smoothly for transitions during video recording.
   
   LCD Display:
   I thought at first it might have too small of a display, however, after using it for a couple of weeks it works very nicely. You can see everything you need to and the quality is excellent and bright.
   
   A couple of side notes:
   -The built in microphone is awesome.
   -My unit got a little warm when I heavily used it (recording lenghtly vids one after the other), but nothing that alarmed me.
   -I picked up 2 Transcend 16GB SDHC CARD (SD 2.0 SPD CLASS 6) with Compact Card Reader and they work great. You get plenty of recording time and photo storage. Fast transfer as well.
   -Some people feel that the camera misses the mark in being the perfect video camera or perfect still camera. It's not for that market. Try the camera out somewhere and you will love it. HD video, awesome still shots, compact form...what more can you ask for under $500? Shop around and you can get a really good deal.

5 comments about Canon FS100 Flash Memory Camcorder with 48x Optical Zoom (Wine Red).

1. I haven't even used the camera yet, but I need to share something extraordinary. I ordered an FS100 yesterday morning at 7:30am before leaving for work. Somehow, the package from Amazon was sitting on my doorstep when I came home from work in the evening. I have no idea how on Earth they managed to get me my order on the SAME DAY but I was blown away. I do have Amazon Prime, which made 2-day shipping free, but this was so far above and beyond...
   
   I'm due to have a baby any day now, so maybe someone at Amazon knows something I don't, and thought I should have the camera sooner than later???
   
   In any case, thank you Amazon!!



2. This nicely compact little camcorder captures video with sharp images and excellent color. I use it mostly outdoors and the long zoom capability is great for wildlife viewing. I was able to see images on the LCD viewfinder in bright sunlight with sunglasses on. Battery life is very good and my 4 meg SD card had loads of space left after a long day on the trail. The supplied software unfortunately can best be described as POOR. The documentation for the software is even worse and I had to call tech support to get it installed. Fortunately there are several very good software editing packages available.



3. I've been looking to update my old Sony Digital8 camcorder and have been looking primarily at Mini-DV. But, this flash camcorder caught my eye since the price of SD cards has become amazingly inexpensive. To transfer video from a DV recorder takes a lot of patience, gigabytes of storage, and hours of work. By contrast, a 4gig SDHC card in this camera can store an hour and 20 minutes at 6 mb/s. The camera will do 9 mb/s, but I don't recommend it if your final format is DVD since some players will have problems keeping up.
   
   My suggestion is to ignore most of the instructions which Canon provides and keep the software CD's in the box. There's a cute warning attached to the USB cable which warns NOT to connect it without first installing the drivers. I connected it to my MAC running OS-X 10.4 and a warning came on the screen to plug in the AC adapter. Once I did that the camera came right up as a disk drive. The manual warns not to access the folders directly. I did that, too and simply copied them to the local hard drive (more on that in a minute). Then, the camera warned NOT to change modes, or disconnect the USB cable, or disconnect the power. Ok... then, after I dismount the USB drive, how do I unplug the camera :) The manual gives a clue to disconnect the USB first, then power off.
   
   By the way, it's just much, much less hassle to purchase an SDHC/MMC card reader and copy the folders off.
   
   If you wish to mess with iMovie and other specialized software, then I suppose you'll have to keep your file structure proper and follow the manual more closely. I use Final Cut on the Mac, not iMovie, so my first concern was, What is a MOD file and an MOI file? That is what you're left with after you copy your card. The short answer is, toss the MOI files - assuming you are not using the on-camera editing features. I just record and dump to the hard drive and edit with Final Cut.
   
   A MOD file (not to be confused with the music format file) is just an mpeg2 file with audio included. This will confuse some Windows programs which expect the audio in a separate file, so use Media Player Classic. Quicktime on the Mac had no problem playing the file, although you may need to download the MPEG-2 Playback Component. Finally, the aspect ratio setting in a MOD file may not be correct for WideScreen format. You may need Mpeg tools to correct the header if you shoot WideScreen.
   
   Next, Mpeg2 is not an "editable" format like DV. It's about 1/5 the size on my system and a single 4gig card backs up nicely onto a single layer DVD-R. You'll need to do something with the MOD files. My program of choice on the Mac is Visual Hub which is quite reasonably priced shareware. I simply dragged my Canon MOD files to it, selected "DV" and "Ready for Final Cut" and "Start." I was left with DV files ready to edit, although 5x larger. There's even a setting to force 16:9 aspect ratio. The catch is that you'll need to re-encode back to Mpeg2 if you're burning for DVD.
   
   The nice thing is there aren't any tapes to get dirty and wear out. Flash cards may be used hundreds or thousands of times, unlike DV tapes which are used once or twice. The size of files are very small and easily archived, over an hour of video on a single DVD-R of raw footage. But, re-encoding to DV and back to Mpeg2 will sacrifice some quality. I think it's a good trade-off to using a DV recorder since you can do in minutes what it would usually take hours or days.
   
   As for the features of the camcorder, it has an external mic jack. Thank-you Canon. Finally, someone is listening. If you've ever had to record a conversation in a noisy room you will appreciate the ability to use a directional mic. No headphones, but it has an audio meter level display. White balance! Numerous white balance settings as well as manual. Auto and manual shutter speed, exposure, focus, and audio gain at your finger tips. And, an "Easy Mode" for full automatic for those who hate buttons or just need to grab a quick action shot - press "on", press "easy", press "record" and you're recording in seconds. No moving parts except for the lens cap, which is automatic and built-in. No more lost lens cap or one which is smacking into the microphone in the wind while you're recording. And, size - I can hide the camera in the palm of my hand. It's tiny, lightweight, and easy to shoot without getting tired.
   
   As for the not so hot stuff, the recording light is an LED. My old Sony Digital 8 camcorder used a tiny light bulb which appeared as natural light. The LED light is certainly better on the battery but makes everything blue-ish. Battery is internal, nice design but you're stuck with whatever capacity will fit into that size battery bay. Batteries and charging accessories cost a fortune, although SDHC cards are cheap. The built-in microphone will need some acoustic foam glued over it or check around for a strap-on wind sock. No viewfinder, not that I use one very much - you will need to shoot with the LCD open.



4. I bought it for my parents. They do not know english at all but they can operate it very well. Just need to remember those four signs for recording, stop, review and shotting. And this camcorder is very light and very cute. Would like to bring it with every travelling~



5. The low light resolution is a little disappointing. In all other categories, I am very happy with my little camcorder. For the price, and for normal home movie stuff It is fine. For outdoor Kids sports etc. It is really much better than I would have thought for this price. It takes much better video's than my old VHS camcorder which was almost triple the price.

No comments about JVC Everio GZ-MG335 30GB Hard Drive Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom (Includes Everio Dock).

4 comments about RCA "Traveler" Small Wonder EZ210 Digital Camcorder with 4 Hour Recording and 2GB Included SD Memory.

1. I just bought my small wonder recently, for a trip my family was taking to florida. I absolutely loved using this... It has a huge display, which makes it really easy to see what I recorded, and also comes with 2GB SD Card inside. I literally recorded for my whole trip without having to delete anything... It also uses regular batteries which I prefer, because I would'nt have had a chance to charge while on the beach... The pictures are good, and I am glad i picked a camcorder with this ability...
   
   also the ability to upload directly to Youtube was a nice feature, it was a one button process with the software....
   
   I did need to update the software, but it wasnt a big deal, and found it quickly on [...].
   
   Overall Great Experience!



2. I just received this camcorder, and i have used it so much since i received it. I have other expensive cameras, but this is so unique. It takes great videos and stills and has so much recording ability. Easy to use., no guesswork. At my job people are amazed how good the pictures come out and the videos. I would recommend this for anyone on the go and wanting the ability to use something so easy.



3. RCA EZ201 Small Wonder 60 Minute Point-and-Shoot Camcorder (White) This product did not work well. There were lines and shadows in the picture. When I tried to put the jack into the product to videotape, the screen went black. I returned the product, after following the directions on the website for return, and obtaining the appropriate papers and return label. Amazon gave me $0.00 credit. They falsified my reason for return. When I emailed Amazon to try to find out why they did not give me my money back, they did not respond. This is the worst product, and if Amazon does not contact me, I am going to have to notify my credit card company to contest the charge. While I enjoy ordering from Amazon, this is the last time I am going to purchase any kind of appliance or electrical product from them. They do not stand behind their product, and do not notify the customer, other than to say they are keeping the return and not refunding or crediting the account. They also do not respond to inquiry. Very poor product and business practices. Maybe this product was one out of many that were defective. However, I'll never know, because Amazon is an unreachable entity.



4. I was searching for a compact camcorder that used standard batteries instead of the usual rechargeable packs and discovered the RCA and the Flip Video which both use AA batteries. I found a demo Flip unit and thought the picture quality looked surprisingly good, but I really had to repeatedly mash the button to start or stop recording. Too tough for the family to use. So I ordered the RCA and an 8-Gig Micro-SD (memory) card which is unbelievably tiny; about the size of your pinky fingernail. With it I could record more than 4 hours in high quality mode or 16 hours in web quality mode. Amazing and very inexpensive! It powers-up instantly and the record button is easy to push. It also shoots still photos easily. It's simple transferring the files to a computer with it's built-in USB connector. The video files are AVI, so being a Mac family we have to convert them to use with iMovie or iDVD, but that's not a big deal using Quicktime Pro. The only other slight drawback is that the zoom is only about 2 to 1 and noticeably degrades the picture quality. But for it's size, cost and ease of use it's an easy trade-off. We'll shoot a lot more video because it's so quick and fun to have along, and use the bigger cameras for more zoom intensive shoots.

5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD308 1MP DVD Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. The picture is clear and recording is easy, the only bad thing is that the discs are so expensive. Deleting is simple and makes recording even easier, because if you don't like it you can delete it.



2. Before I bought this camera, I read the reviews of this one and others to compare and I even compared Mini-DV and Digital and thanks to the positive reviews on this camera (and it was in my price range) I bought it. I was not disappointed. I have only had it a month and I have used it many times. The mic pics up well, and the zoom works great (which I use for my kids sports). I have downloaded video to my laptop, and burned DVD's. I took the advice of other customers and bought the longer life battery. The only difficulty I had was in not understanding that formatting meant deleting what you had already recorded on the disc, so I now know. My laptop did not have DVD burning capabilities so I did purchase an external burner and everything works great. I would recommend this camera to anyone who has a budget but wants a quality camcorder.



3. I am completely satisfied with the picture quality and zoom of this handy cam. I would completely recommend this handy cam.



4. Very nice camera/camcorder and the price was an excellent deal. The camera arrived quicker than I had expected. I used it this weekend at my brothers wedding and the video and pictures turned out great.
   Thanks so much, I am very pleased!!!!!!!!!!!



5. Sony DCR-DVD308 works beautifully and seems well put together. It's light, compact, convenient and generally well designed. Operation is very easy, though it is so light it is very difficult to keep steady on a long zoom, and the zoom is extremely rapid and difficult to make unobtrusive - both probably what you get in this kind of camera. It may be a wonderful camera if you just want to watch what you shot, conveniently immediately, on your living room DVD player. Not so much if you want to edit it for anything other than YouTube. The problem seems to be the specific MPEG-2 compression for mini-dvd storage (which is not limited to Sony). I shot one dvd and then tried to edit it, which was a bit of a nightmare. I did manage to find a converter so I could edit in Adobe Premier Elements but the result was jumpy movement and otherwise pretty inelegant. I had much happier results from my old analog 8mm tape camera and a capture card. I have seen some references to simple editing software supplied, but couldn't find it on either of the cds that came with the camera. Sony's highly rated Vegas suites were not developed by Sony and reviewers say they don't provide any proprietary advantages for editing these miniDVDs. I eventually found an obscure software that will edit in the camera's native format without conversion, and that might work better - for another $100. These are just moving snapshots for me, but if I put a lot of work into editing (and I do want to edit), I want decent results that I won't be embarrassed to share or hate to watch myself. Reviewers (I later read) say the quality of miniDV format is better though tape is less convenient. So I've stepped back a technology, ordered a refurbed Sony DCR-HC62 miniDV, and if it proves better, this one goes on Craig's list.

5 comments about Canon ZR930 1.07MP MiniDV Camcorder with 48x Optical Zoom.

1. I recently purchased the zr830 and found a number of issues with it. If you wish to compare that review you can read it on my profile rather than me re-hashing it here.
   
   The zr930 is a step forward though and is certainly worth the price quoted here. They changed the interior configuration to a more box like shape allowing them to maximize the space and fit as much technology inside as possible. Due to this not only have they included a mic port but they have been able to adjust the AV output to double as a headphone jack so you can monitor sound. Both of these features are necessary as they have failed to fix the sound problem that has dogged this line of cameras for a number of years. The motor noise can still be heard on playback if you use the built in mic and thats really the only area that this camera loses a star. The 35x zoom of last year has been increased to 48x and the picture quality is sharper and brighter than previous models.
   
   I've never had any issues with connecting it to my PC. I did not use any of the software that was included as its usually junk they just want to force you to use. I hooked it up to my PC, my computer immediately recognized it and then I used one of my other programs to start it up.
   
   Extra info:
   If you are new to camcorders there are some things you should take into consideration.
   
   Name brand BATTERIES are expensive. While there are cheap ones that you can get for around $10 online these are cheaply made chinese generic versions. They take A LOT longer to recharge and generally only last about 6 - 10 months. The name brand usually lasts around 18 months but as I found out the other week can cost $100. There's is no reason that the battery on an item like this should cost nearly half of the original item price. I would expect a battery to cost $30 at most.
   
   Another unexpected experience you'll come across is the sheer amount of space that will be taken up on your computers hard drive by a video transfer. Only yesterday I went to transfer 20 minutes of tape and it used up 5 gigs yes thats GIGS of space. If you are like me and you need to have all of your video accessible and on your computer then make sure you have a hard drive with the necessary capacity or at least prepare to invest in a new external one for video storage.
   
   In conclusion. This is a great budget cam and if you invest in a good external mic I don't think you could do much better.
   
   4 out of 5 Satisfied.



2. UPDATE JUNE 23, 2008:
   
   To update my rating, I give 1 star to the condensation sensor design, 5 stars to the rest of the camera.
   
   After 3 weeks turnaround, Canon returned the camcorder to me. They graciously covered cost of shipping when I first called in the issue, and they e-mailed me a UPS slip to sent to the New Jersey facility. I've done some early tests on the repaired camcorder and it seems the condensation sensor is not as finicky as before. They said it was 'repaired', but didn't specify whether they dialed down the sensitivity or disabled condensation sensor altogether. Good thing the warranty lasts for a full year. :-)
   
   Outside of this repair issue, this is an excellent camcorder. Has a microphone input, great video quality, and very easy to upload video. I hope to enjoy using it for many years to come. Will continue to test it before arrival of our first child due in September! :-)
   
   
   ORIGINAL REVIEW:
   
   Through casual use, the condensation error has come up more than 75% of the time I've tried using it. I think the sensor is oversensitive in order to protect the camera, but at at unreasonable cost to the consumer, because it is no longer useful for "convenient" use.
   
   I am not using it in highly humid environments, so this is particularly frustrating. I have missed several important video footage occasions due to uncooperative condensation error. Stay away from this camera. I have emailed Canon about this problem and I'll update here when I get more news from them.
   
   UPDATE JUNE 17, 2008:
   
   The camcorder arrived June 4 in NJ facility, but they haven't been able to track the camcorder down (should only have taken 3 to 5 days). I just sent the following email to Canon Support (with minor edits).
   
   ---- EXCERPT START ----
   
   Hello Sir/Madam,
   
   I'm writing to ask Canon USA to take necessary steps to expedite our camcorder repair issue.
   
   Kelly from NJ service center is looking for our ZR930 that arrived by UPS on June 4 (almost 2 weeks ago). The camcorder still has not been found. We are expecting our first baby very soon, and we are getting extremely anxious!
   
   The camcorder suffers from a hypersensitive condensation fault, and was only 35 days old when I sent it for service. It is practically new, as I've only taped 3 hours of footage. The condensation fault has appeared almost 80% of the time I've tried to use it, a very poor performance record. I have asked NJ facility to reduce its sensitivity or disable the condensation sensor altogether.
   
   I cannot rely on this camcorder to tape my new baby given the current condensation warning behavior. We have already missed the taping of my wife's PhD convocation and our last chance to see the space shuttle on the launchpad in Florida due to the condensation warnings. (Outdoor conditions were no different than a regular day at the baseball stadium)
   
   Please let me know what actions will be taken by Canon USA. We simply want a working Canon camcorder that does not give false or conservative condensation errors on a regular basis. While the user manual mentions the issue, it gives no indication to the user that these faults can be so frequent, and if so, on what basis (i.e. specify the exact humidity and temperature fluctuations and conditions necessary to trip the sensor). Otherwise, this camcorder will forever feel like a "hit or miss" recording device. Even cell phone cameras can reliably take low quality images. (The key here being "reliably").
   
   We are deeply disappointed with Canon USA on this particular issue (we are Canon digital camera fans) and desperate to hear from Canon about our camcorder. The cynical side of me feels oversensitive condensation warnings in MiniDV camcorders is the current marketing ploy to encourage consumers to adopt the newer and more expensive hard drive based camcorders which yield larger profit margins. Such condensation issues were not as prevalent with older MiniDV camcorders before flash based camcorders came along. Please prove us wrong, Canon!
   
   I hope to hear from you asap!
   
   ---- EXCERPT END ----



3. Seems like a good value for the money. Has most of the features you need to take video of the family and on vacation. For serious video you need an HD, but for 95% of the videos most people take this camcorder is fine. I rated it four stars for the value for the dollar, of course high end camcorders will give superior results for those that require it.



4. This the best video camera I've seen for under $500. Well made and pretty good image quality. You won't want to be shooting for big screen HDTV, but for the web and viewing on the computer this is the best you can get for the money. The plug-in for an external mic is very useful. So useful in fact that I'm still surprised so few cameras offer it. You'll get _much_ better sound quality with a good external mic, so it's a good thing to have. The only reason I didn't give this camera five stars is that it could really use a mount for an external mic or a light. That would make this camera perfect for the price. The lack of a mount is annoying, but the only negative to an otherwise fine camera.



5. I just got this recently, so I haven't tried editing yet, but this is an extremely easy to use little camcorder. The viewfinder is very clear and controls instinctive. I have a little trouble with the zoom (getting it to move smoothly), but I think that's because I'm a lefty and you need to use your right hand for it. Other than that, this is my 4th camcorder (over the course of 20 years) and I'm completely satisfied. It was easy to buy accessories at a low price, and the battery seems to last a long time. There are fancier camcorders but odds are you can't do better for the price.

1 comments about Samsung SC-D382 MiniDV Camcorder.

1. I'm covering this camcorder in more detail on youtube with user "rofthorax", that's my account.
   
   I purchased this for about 179 dollars from Sams Club, and have had nothing but fun with it ever since. I've only had it for five days, but in this time I've connected via Firewire to my PC with an old Firewire IEEE 1394 card that had been collecting dust for almost a decade. Purchased a Firewire cable from Radio Shack, and have had a flawless integration between this camcorder and Ubuntu Linux (Free OS) Kino video editor(FreeVideo Capture and Editor utility, comparable to Movie Maker on XP). I was expecting to have a lot of trouble and looking around for drivers, but it worked the first time without a hitch.
   
   Some of the things I can do with this camera and Kino:
   1. capture video to DV on the computer via firewire at ~3MB/sec, good enough for video editing.
   2. control the DV cam via firewire with Kino, fast forward, rewind, step reverse/forward, shuttle controls, stop, pause, etc..
   3. Even when I'm playing videos I've captured to the computer, on the computer, the video playback is shown on the DV Camera's LCD screen (not quite as flawless, a bit of skip, but not bad considering I wasn't expecting this kind of integration).
   4. Can use Samsung SC-D382 camera to record video to the computer's hard drive via firewire, by-passing the tape.
   
   I can't tell you how exciting that is.. Especially to do it on Ubuntu, I've been boycotting Microsoft products after having problems with a laptop that prevented me from obtaining drivers for XP.. I switched to Ubuntu, and have be desperate for video editing capabilities for months, and have finally found a work flow for doing it.
   
   Samsung SC-D382 -> Kino -> Blender ..
   
   Blender's sequence editor is capable of processing DV directly, and the sequence editor plugins are written in C, easily compileable with GCC in Ubuntu. Also Blender was the program used to make the animation "Big Buck Bunny", a completely open sourced movie that utilizes blender.
   
   Anyhow, I've been able to do quality video work using Kino to captrue video from the SC-D382 and using blender to edit and render it to a format I can upload to youtube.. I've been able to dump hour long videos onto youtube using compressed OGG files ("oggconvert"), so now with this DV camera, I can do quality 16-bit audio with full-res NTSC video, not HD, but what do you expect to get for 180 dollars? Besides HD is a resource hog, and NTSC is sufficient for downsampling to Youtube.
   
   The video is interlaced, so I have to find a way to merge the fields into 30fps full frame non-interlaced somehow.. Downsampling interlaced video produces larger files than downsampling non-interlaced video.
   
   An hour of video from this camcorder produces about 10GB file, so if you are on XP, make sure you have a NTFS drive to store to, FAT32 can't use files larger than 4GB. Linux has plenty of file systems, JFS and XFS are ones that are commonly used for video work. I'm using EXT3 currently, because I'm working in "/var/tmp". I haven't experienced any dropped frames..
   
   As for the Camcorder, the only problem I have is the joystick on the LCD preview screen is a bit tough to operate, but you should be able to figure-out the camera without a manual.. The Manual looks like it was made for an Idiot.. So if you are one, best use the manual. I was up and working with this one in 5 minutes.. The Firewire was plug-and-play.
   
   Only stumbling block is I had to run Kino as root to get it to talk to the Camera, but that was like 3 minutes on google searching for help and a small leap of faith.
   
   The camera permits you to change white balance and perform some effects in record mode.. You have stop recording to switch Digital Image Stabilization mode off and on. Zoom exceeds my 10x zoom Olympus SP-510UZ, and permits me to zoom and auto-focus and do all the things a video camera should, while recording. My Olympus doesn't permit me to zoom while recording Audio (don't ask me why, Olympus is probably trying to protect their camcorder line from their digital camera line, Olympus even reduced the audio quality to 8Khz with 8-bit sound, which really sucks).
   
   I was thinking about getting the 18x Optical Zoom version of my digital camera, and was torn between getting that for 260 dollars, anbd getting a DV Camera.. And I'm sooooo glad I went with this..
   
   Note, Tapes are best for archival! DVD's are easily destroyed, tapes have greater surface area and greater longevity than DVD's (which have been said to have a 5 to 20 year lifespan, depending on the manufacturer). Best to get Tape based camcorder than DVD or Hard Disk.. Hard Disks can crash and DVD's are easily ruined. The draw back to tapes is ease of access, its linear, and to transfer to the computer requires a re-recording.. But you could easily waste that much time performing a video render from a non-linear video editor like Adobe Premiere on Windows or Kino/Blender on Ubuntu. What's one more hour? You think you are that busy? Besides on Windows you could waste more time in other ways.. I've not missed windows one bit, switching to Ubuntu.. When stuff is supported on linux, it works flawlessly and without compromise, but
   finding the software is the big toughy.
   
   The Camcorder, has two modes, record and play. It's easily turned on and
   off, menu button on top left, always accessible, video effects modes like "art (polarization), mirror, mosaic, sepia, negative", pre-set color balance and the typical white balance mode. 12-bit and 16-bit audio modes, mono and stereo audio (not sure if the mic is a stereo mic). Tapes carry about an hour. Twice the storage of a dual layer mini-dvd, and about the same size.. Rewriteable tapes, zero quality loss between uses, it seems.. White LED fore-lite, for lighting a night recording.. Your battery will last about 30 minutes if you use the LED Light.. If you don't, the battery will for an hour. Button to toggle extra on-screen details, record button accessible on LCD screen and on back of camcorder, accessible by thumb.. Button on top permits you to take pictures. Zoom is controllable by LCD flip-out pivotable screen and standard toggle on the top of the camera. Comes with AC Adapter, L-ion battery is charged when not in use.. Can be used without battery.. Can be used as a camera for recording to computer, via firewire, without a tape (or battery).
   
   Plug behind battery looks like an HDMI plug, but not sure..
   

5 comments about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 6MP Waterproof MPEG4 Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (White).

1. This was purchased December of 2007, it was used 3 times, and never submerged. I brought it to the lake and it was splashed a few times. I went to take a picture with it, and the view was all cloudy. I turned it around and there were water bubbles inside the lens! 3 days later the moisture remains, and there is no possible way to contact Sanyo from their website, or some place to send my camera to have it repaired. 380 dollars down the drain.



2. I bought this camera before my yearly fishing trip to Alaska and the camera functioned beautifully! I was looking for a camera that I could put in my pocket or backpack with out taking up a lot of room. The Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 has worked out perfectly. I dropped it in the frigid Alaskan waters a few times and the camera came out working like a charm! Don't let a few of these negative reports scare you into not purchasing this camera. This camera is not a professional camera! Don't expect professional quality! Do expect to have a lot of fun with it!!!! Any digital camera isn't going to produce the best results with out light, DIGITAL NEEDS LIGHT!!!! Its compact, rugged and easy to use. Do remember to make sure the battery compartment door is shut and locked before getting it wet. I have not experienced any of the problems that some of the other users mentioned in their reviews. Hope this review helps in making your decision. This is a great camera for the price. Have fun with it!!!



3. Camera works great. Underwater option is amazing. Easy fast download to my mac and youtube. I would say the only small issue is that it is not super clear, but for a fun all purpose camera that goes underwater it is more than clear enough.



4. I bought this video camera becase it was waterproof to five (5) FEET and it was excellent. we had a great vacation and got some great videos.



5. Have had this camera around and in salt and fresh water filming fly fishing and it is holding its own so far. The zooming function is a bit difficult to toggle and could be almost impossible for someone with small hands. At first I tried to simply insert the SD card in one of my readers, but it did not show up. So, I connected the camera and selected the card reader option and it opened just as if the camera were a card reader - OK. Otherwise, if you are going straight to internet, this camera deserves serious consideration. It is a constant companion and I even film dangerous drivers on the highway (when I am a passenger of course) so I can send it in to authorities. [...]

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

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-HC62 1MP MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. I dont understand why Sony did not include the firewire/iLink cable with this as without it you cannot transfer video to a computer. I had to shop separately for the cable once i discovered this. that's painful..



2. I have had an awful experience with this camcorder worse yet with Sony Custome Service. I shot multiple tapes of irreplacable content and discovered that the transport was defective and that the mic pics up a constant rumble. Sony customer service was completely unresponsive and refused to replace the camera but insisted a service call of indeterminate length was what was in order. They had me appeal to their "Executive Review Board". Their answer was a curt "Service take it or leave it" I won't ever buy another Sony product. I urge you to do the same. P.S. The cameras performance wasn't anything special either.



3. The video quality is great as is the audio. I use this camcorder for blogging and drum videos and it has not disappointed. Importing footage via firewire (sold separately for 10 bucks on Amazon) is seamless via Windows Vista.
   
   Other than a minimal battery life that comes with the camcorder, it's great.
   
   Cheers



4. It's a excelent camera, as I read in last review you need the iLink cable to copy the video to the computer, and I order one at the same time I order the camera; and Amazon it's great, even I order with the super saving shipping, they ship the order the next day and arrive me 4 days after.



5. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3PRFAYV4K81ZL A big part of the reason I bought this camera was for its smooth interval recording (time-lapse) feature. Strangely, Sony's higher end high definition camera HDR-SR5 does not have this feature. I have been quite satisfied with this feature's flexibility and user-friendliness. For some reason, the smooth interval recording has a 12 hour time limit, so if you want to do time lapses longer than 12 hours you have to stop the recording a couple times a day and re-start it and it will go for another 12 hours.
   
   For regular video usage it's a good camera. The 2000x digital zoom, if you haven't guessed, is comically useless (not that I expected anything more). The tele-macro capabilities are pretty impressive.
   
   As others have mentioned, it does not come with a firewire (IEEE 1394) cable that is required if you want to download video to your computer. I knew that before buying it and picked up a standard 4-Pin/6-Pin FireWire cable from Amazon through a third party seller (Phoenixgold) for under $1 plus shipping, so not a big deal. I could see how that would have been annoying had I been unaware that this cable was not included.
   
   P.S.
   The "audio sample in an outdoor environment" clip was shot with an Opteka .43x fisheye converter not included with the camera. Also, the audio was significanly compressed after I uploaded the video so it's not quite what you would hear straight out of the camera.