4 comments about Panasonic PVL453 VHS-C Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and SD Digital Still Capability.

1. I got the camcorder, took it home, charged the battery, and started to experiment with it. Seemed fine at first. I was happy with it. The next day, (or the day after, maybe) I noticed a noise that happened while I was recording that sounded annoying. I took the camcorder to a concert to record a band and the tape seemed to drag. I popped the tape into one of the Playpak adapters (whatever you call them) to watch the video on the living room TV and noticed that the sound quality wasn't so great, and neither was the video quality. I don't know if this is just a bad-quality camcorder in all, or if I just happened to buy a bad one. My advice is to research everything you can before getting one of these. Try out others, whatever you want/need to do, but I, personally, do not recommend this camcorder to anyone. The tape seemed to drag, the video quality wasn't that great, the sound quality was pretty poor. The built in microphone, to me, seemed a little too sensitive. Now one thing I realized is that I had the video mode in SLP (super long play) so that the tape would last longer, which sacrifices some of the quality of the video and sound, but that shouldn't cause the tape to drag. And the microphone just seemed a little too sensitive, to me. I don't really recommend this camcorder. Maybe I just happened to pick up a bad one but if they're all like the one I bought, I definately do NOT recommend this one.



2. My wife purchased the camcorder for our trip to Europe. I'm 60 and have never used a camcorder. I prefer still pictures. I tried the video and the pictures and sound were crisp and true. The still pictures were very good. I found the camcorder easy to use and it gave good results for a new video maker. I would recommend buying it.



3. I had bought this camera at sears a few years ago. it works pretty good, i have never had a problem with weird noise, or bad picture or anything, the only bummer is if you want a camera that is easy to be able to transfer your video to disk, then this is not the camera for you, but if you prefer tapes its pretty good, and you can get the tapes from wal-mart, so all in all its a fairly good camera.



4. I have purchased this handycam and I find that the videos/picts cannot be loaded onto the system (p.c) through the usb port.When I asked the seller (I am in India,as is the seller) about it,he said that a "DIGITAL POWERSHOT DISKETTE FOR PANASONIC PVL 453.?Could anyone let me know if such a thing is available in the U.S?If so how do I procure it?
   
   Thank you
   
   Regards
   
   Phanindra

5 comments about JVC GRDV500 MiniDV 1.33 MP Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 10x Optical Zoom, and 8MB MMC Card.

1. Since writing my first raving review on this camera it has fallen to the "Blue Screen of Death" that most JVC cameras face.
   
   No recording, no playback. The screen just states that I need to clean the heads. After 10 brand new head cleaners have been tried and fail the view screen still remains blue.
   
   I was trying to use the digital camera mode but even that hardly if ever works.
   
   I now have a shiny item to hold balloons down or better yet to use when I want people to THINK they are being videotaped.
   
   Gone is my previous high rating, this camera is just plain junk.



2. I bought this camcorder last Christmas and I've loved it since. I was looking for a reasonably priced Mini DV camcorder and came across this one at a local Sears. It felt nice and sturdy in my hands unlike the smaller ones offered by Sony and Panasonic. I checked some reviews on it, found them to be good and bought it at J&R over in NYC. The video quality is nothing short of outstanding in good lighting thanks to the 1.33 megapixel CCD (a godsend in this price range).

   As for faults, the only real Achilles heel this camcorder has is the worthless "Night Alive" mode. Sony's nightvision trumps the JVC in this respect because the picture becomes nothing but a bright, blurry mess in Night Alive mode. I will invest in a video light to remedy this problem and I suggest that those considering this camcorder do likewise. Overall this is still a terrific camcorder thanks to the 1.33 megapixel CCD not usually found in this price range.




3. If you're lookin for a crisp clear image, a powerfull ccd, a lightweight camera with photo capacity for a low price, from a trustble company, this is your choice. Despite some reviews that report bad quality images on low light, I've got nice movies under that circustances. Of corse you should know that you'd better use a tripod and as with any cam a bright light is prefereable. But once you watch your footage on TV it's better than you thoght. For this price you cannot get any better. Now I moved for a GR-DV4000, much expensive, including britgher lens and some other upgrades on the same body. If you're looking for daylly use camera, stop searching. You found it.



4. This is the first DV camera I've owned and I'm glad that I made the right choice. I've had this camera for over a year now (bought in Feb 2004) and have no major complaints with it. This camera has a very clear video quality that often amazes me! Digital stabilizer functions well. Stereo sound is good.
   The only reason this camera didn't fetch 5 star is the relatively poor video quality in low light. Though this can be adjusted using shutter speed, still I can't seem to get what I want. Bear in mind though that almost all camcorders have this issue, unless you spend much more money and buy the high-end ones.
   Good luck with your purchase. Fot this price, you won't regret it!



5. I haven't had the camera for very long, but my experiences with it thus far have shown it to be an excellent lower-to-middle range Mini DV cam for the money. It captures image and sound excellently, is lightweight and very easy to use.

No comments about Sony DCR-HC52E "Pal" Digital Mini-DV Handycam Camcorder with 2.5" Swivel Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens, 40x Optical/2000x Digital Zoom.

5 comments about Sony DCRHC40 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Over the past 35 years that I have been shooting video, it has come a long way. Comparing this to the RCA TK-76 "Minicam" that I shot tv news with on 3/4" in 1977 is fun: 1/100 the cost and double the scan lines. Oh, and 1/80th the weight not including the 40 pound recorder. At first, I didn't think something this size could work this well. I needed something quick and inexpensive to do video cuts for inserting into PowerPoint. My boss was too cheap to buy equipment for the department and I needed training tapes. So I just bought a HC40, shot the material, edited it on my HP a622n and inserted into the PP. And then did it about a dozen more times on other training material. It looks surprisingly well 10' tall through a 2000 lumen projector. A handheld or wireless mic is a must. At least a key light, if not key, base and fill are a must. My Lowell Totalight kit works perfectly with a few scrims. Not broadcast quality of today although surpassing broadcast quality of 30 years ago. Just border line for industrial or PP if lit well with good sound. I am satisfied with it and it travels well.



2. The Picture Package software that comes with these Sony's is terrible - incompatible with most DVD/CD-R writers, meaning that you can't get your video off the MiniDV cassette tapes onto either your computer or a DVD or CD-R. I spent over 10 hours on the phone with Sony and Picture Package tech support, and ultimately learned that it is incompatible with my DVD/CD-R writer (in my Compaq Presario computer), and now am having to try to find some other solution for getting my videos off the cassettes to some other medium. The manuals are no help, and tech support is extremely time-consuming and ultimately found no solution other than telling me to use Microsoft Movie Maker - which takes FOREVER and I'm not even sure it really works. Before you buy this model - I highly recommend you seriously research whether it is compatible with your DVD/CD-R writer, and get some certainty about how you will be able to transfer the video tapes to computer or DVD or CD-R. I WOULD NOT buy this camcorder knowing what I now know.



3. if you think SONY is a quality brand....YOU ARE CORRECT
   
   too bad i dont know how to use all the features....and you will use a camcorder less than you think....so dont spend too much....and buy a good still camera...the stills on this is low resolution



4. I just purchased this camera about a week ago and I received it a few days ago.
   
   The camera is absolutely wonderful. Even though people say the bottom loading tape is bad, I think it is actually a good feature. It makes the camera less bulky and it is so easy to carry around because the tape isn't top loading.
   
   I love the size and it's so convenient. I'm used to bulky cameras and this is way better.
   
   The touch screen feature is great. People say it is inconvenient, but I don't think it is. I think it's because I'm used to having cameras with the controls in the LCD itself. The touch screen is neat, and it means you don't have to press a gajilion buttons like some cameras to control the camera.
   
   Although people say the LCD screen looks "washed out" if you mess around with the LCD brightness and stuff light that, it'll look less washed out and it will look pretty good.
   
   Also, I learned that if you used your middle finger to use the zoom toggle, you have more control over it and it doesn't make the "zoom toggle noise" that gets recorded if you don't control it.
   
   The fact that this camera takes pictures is cool. Although they are not "digital camera" sort of pictures, what do ya expect? This camera is mainly used for recording, not pictures. But I love how you can take pictures with the nightshot on and it looks pretty awesome.
   
   I bought this camera primarily for its analog through digital passthrough and its amazing. Its so easy to transfer your videos to the computer. (via firewire, it doesn't come with the camera, but you can find some on amazon that are under five bucks) The software that comes with the camera isn't that great when it comes to transferring. I recommend ArcSoft ShowBiz and its really easy to use. I haven't used Microsoft Movie Maker for transferring it yet, but it will most likely work.
   
   
   It doesn't do well under low light, but that's what the super night shot plus is for. The supernight shot plus feature is awesome. I've never had a camera like this before that could do that. I went into a dark room to test it out, I could see almost everything that I couldn't see without the super night shot plus.
   
   The problems I had with this camera is its instructions on using analog through digital pass through. I never used a camera with this feature, so I didn't know how to use it. I spent 2 hours trying to figure it out through the manual that came with the camera, which didn't help much. I was so frustrated that I looked on the net on how to do it. Guess what? In less then five minutes from looking, I found the instructions and it worked. If only I had looked on the net first instead of wasting 2 hours of my time on how to do it... But, when I finally digitized my old analog tapes, they came out perfect.
   
   Another thing that I don't like about this camera is that the viewfinder doesn't tilt up, even though it pulls out.
   
   Other than that, this camera is amazing. I like the the zoom because I've used it to watch and record a play. With the zoom up all the way, it was very clear and it felt like I was sitting close up to the stage with this useful gadget.
   
   Sony is such a great brand and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another camera from them in the future.



5. I just needed a small camcorder for making video game movies and this fits that. My laptop recognized it right away. Transfer is good and I have not had any problems with this DV Camcorder. The only complaint that I do have is the touch screen. I prefer actual buttons, but the camcorder is still easy to use.

5 comments about Vivitar DVR-310 3MP MPEG4 Camcorder.

1. I bought this camera, my first video and digital camera, in the hopes of taking wonderful movies of my honeymoon & my new stepson and I feel cheated. I could have taken my money and thrown it out the window. The LCD screen doesn't let enough light in to see when you try to take the picture. And the video camera? Even worse. It's for outdoor use only unless you have florescent lighting in your house. It's impossible to take a good picture. You have to try and line it up 5 times to get it right and by that time you've totally drained the 2 AA batteries that it runs on. I called Vivitar and they wouldn't even hear of refunding me my money despite the fact that I'm so unhappy so if anyone has any idea what I should do with a camera that I don't want, please post it here cause at this point it's a paperweight. Don't waste your money on it like I did.



2. I bought this cheap and nasty "thing" and was utterly speechless to test this out before xmas, and the alkaline batteries (supplied) drained within a minute! (eh?) yes folks - it cannot do what it is upposed to do!. Avoid this at all costs unless you like hassle and losing money, by buying a proper product. Vivitar must be getting hard up. I used to use Vivitar lenses in my SLR (excellent quality) and flashguns (again excellent!). So imagine the suprise in store with this lump of you know what!.
   Again - Avoid Avoid Avoid, like the black death.



3. i luv this camera....i was excpecting an ok camera that was just for taking pics....i was wrong....i luv this thing, it has a mp3 player, a video camera, and stills, everybody that visits me tells me that they are gonna take this camera home with them.....i luv it....
   
   
   buy this and i will garentee that u will luv it 2



4. The video quality on this camera was very poor in normal household lighting. To be fair, I didn't test it in the outdoors, but to be honest what good is a camera you can only use outside? It was simple to operate. I chose this camera because I was familiar with the Vivitar name as a good camera maker. This offering doesn't really come close to living up to standards.
   
   The price tag is good, but you're setting yourself up for frustration if you want to try and use this as a camcorder. Don't waste your money. Still pictures might be ok, but the video was just plain sub standard.



5. Its not as bad as some of the reviews state. Its easy to use and download in your computer. Ya it eats batteries up!I guess that is what I dislike about it. My suggestion is to wait for a sale, if you can pick it up for under say $80.00 go for it !!

No comments about SVP T400-Black 1280x720p True HD Camcorder with 2.4" LCD (2GB SVP High Speed SD Memory Card Included).

No comments about 28 PC ULTIMATE DELUXE DB ROTH ACCESSORY KIT FOR THE CANON HG10 AVCHD 40GB HIGH DEFINITION CAMCORDER AND FOR THE CANON HV20 3MP HIGH DEFINITION MINIDV CAMCORDER.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV11 Digital Camcorder with Builtin Digital Still Mode.

1. The Sony DCR-TRV11 is Sony's least expensive MiniDV camcorder. There are cheaper Digital 8 camcorders, but MiniDV allows you to hold more video and is more compact (although MiniDV tapes are somewhat more expensive).

   MiniDV

   MiniDV tapes can be used in the LP mode for increased capacity without compromising the picture quality - since the data is stored in the digital format. You should be careful with the tape loading mechanism though - it is quite fragile and you can accidentally bend something if you press it in the wrong place.

   PICTURE

   This MiniDV camcorder offers the resolution of up to 500 lines (other digital video sources like DVD players and DBS offer similar resolution), higher color bandwidth (Sony claims three times higher than VHS) and virtually no video noise.

   The picture is very sharp and clear. You have 10x optical/120x digital zoom, the camera also uses Carl Zeiss lens for better picture quality, special coating reduces glare and increases contrast. Since the recording is digital, the quality will not decrease over time.

   The camcorder has an ADC (analog-digital converter) that converts an analog signal you pass through the analog input, so you can either record it on the MiniDV tape in digital format (for archiving purposes) or send it through the IEEE-1394 (i.Link) initerface to your computer or another device.

   SOUND

   TRV11 uses the Digital Audio Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) - similar to CD recording technology, with 12-Bit or 16-Bit modes. This allows for a dynamic range of more than 96dB, since audio is stored separately you can use Audio Dubbing that allows you to add a stereo track of music or narration. The sound quality does not deteriorate over time and there is no "background" noise introduced by the medium itself, as happens in analog world.

   CONTROL INTERFACES

   There is an L (LANC) Editing Interface that provides standardized connection for synchronized operation of camcorder, VCR, and edit controller. TRV11 also has an I.Link® Digital Interface (FireWire, IEEE1394), which is a two-way input/output that carries digital audio, digital video and control signals to compatible digital VCRs, edit controllers and computers.

   The TRV11 also has the Super Laser Link® Wireless Transmitter, which uses infrared light to make a wireless connection from the camcorder to your television up to 26 feet away. The transmitter is built-in, so you can buy a receiver and connect your camcorder wirelessly. The IFT-R20 IR receiver is optional.

   Memory Stick

   You can use the TRV11 as a digital still camera at 640x480 resolution (enough for emailing), the images are stored on a supplied 4Mb Memory Stick. You can use the supplied PictureGear Lite 4.1 software to transfer images to your PC (using the supplied serial cable), edit and store/catalog them.

   FEATURES

   The camcorder features a 680,000-pixel HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD (the high resolution increases the picture quality) with low noise design. It has 7 modes AE, manual focus and manual exposure in addition to automatic ones.

   Manual focus is controlled by the ring, which also looks cool. You can switch between manual and automatic focus using a switch on the left side of the camcorder (by LCD), it also has a position for "infinity" focus.

   The camcorder has a 3.5" 184,000-pixel LCD in addition to the color viewfinder. The 2x playback zoom allows you to zoom in during the playback. You can also shoot in total darkness with Sony's Super NightShot™, which enables you to shoot subjects up to 10 feet away. The system uses a built-in infrared light; the optional IR light can extend the range to up to 100 feet.

   The Super SteadyShot system can be employed for image stabilization There is also a built-in speaker (you can control the volume) and camcorder comes with a remote control and an intelligent accessory shoe (which accepts accessories ranging from lights, IR lights and photo printers to microphones that "zoom" with the camcorder).

   The camcorder has 8 picture effects (6 digital effects), 7 A/V fader modes, 16:9 and LP mode recording.

   The digital and picture effects can be used independently (some of them can be combined). The cool A/V fader modes I like include "dot" and "bounce". You can also manually adjust (if you want, otherwise it's automatic) shutter speed and exposure.

   VCR

   The VCR mode allows you to see your material. When you switch to it, the VCR buttons appear on the upper black panel, backlit by the amber light (they are invisible in other modes). In "camera" mode you can use "Edit Search" to look through the material to find the insertion point, or use "End Search" button, located under the LCD to find the end of your last recording.

   POWER SOURCE

   The power source for the camcorder is an InfoLithium® battery, which has large capacity and no "memory effect", that "old" Ni-Cd batteries used to have. The best feature: you can always see the approximate remaining power: AccuPower™ meter shows you the remaining battery time in minutes on the camcorder's LCD or viewfinder - this estimate is very accurate.

   The Stamina® Power Management that power consumption and extends battery life when camera is not in use - you can shoot for up to 11.5 hours with an optional battery.

   The backlit LCD on the outer side of the 2.5" color LCD shows the remaining battery power in minutes while charging and tape counter when operating VCR.




2. I bought my Sony DCR-TRV11e in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. My intention was to learn and play with the gadget, and later on continue with editorial features on my computer. So far my learning and playing have been FUN!

   Next step was to utilize the digital features, including editorial tasks like removing bad shots and make a library out of live photoscenes on my computer. I bought a Pinnacle Studio DV according to recommendations. Unfortunately the program worked fine, camera was found via Firewire, but communication with the camera was not possible. Reason:? Camera found, but speed not adequate. Needed: 4000 pixels pr sec. Possible: 3.400 pixels pr. sec.

   My computer is a Fujitsu Siemens P4, 1.4 mhz with 512 Mb RAM running on MS Win 2000 and would hardly have a problem to accomodate the need for speed. Consequently I am stucked with a GOOD camera, but no more FUN! I have asked Sony for support, but they don't seem to waste time on customer feedback. Therefore the rating of a good camera is low.




3. A little pricey but this camera is loaded with features. You can send wireless video directly to your television or monitor using the laser link. Many other features make this a gadget persons dream come true. An all around great camcorder.



4. I had this camera for 2 years and had constant trouble with the door mechanism for the tape. It opens from the bottom and the tape pops up! Many times it got stuck and finally it would not open. $400.00 to fix it. SONY SERVICE IS TERRIBLE, we are now forced to buy another camera as it's not worth fixing for $400!



5. i bought this camera by mistake around 3 years ago, in NY city for 1300$ plus aditional battery, lents, etc.... While the first year, the camera show and exeptional preformance, latter i had some few problems, it all started with the Cassette Jaming and latter on the camera wont record due to some problem with the reading/recording mechanism... final solutions was 400$ best buy fix witch i compleatly refuse.... today this camera is worth 400$ on ebay...
   
   During my good experience, this camera travel around the world, not to metion Israel,the Desert, Las Vegas,Egipt,France,Caribean,etc... during travel time!! the behavior is great! even is a 120-240v included so no worrys...
   
   Effects and Editing is easy and very profetional, i have some awards won by this camera!,...
   
   but now is time to get a little pro with HD Cameras!!!

5 comments about Samsung SCD6550 DuoCam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom & 5MP Digital Camera.

1. I like the price and the concept of two lenses. The video quality is horrible indoor. Also the auto focus is so slow that I have to use the manual focus mode to avoid the problem. I recommend Sony.



2. I have many pet peaves about this camera.
   
   a) the video showed untrue colors and came out rather dark----don't try to record indoors
   
   b) didn't fit into my hand naturally and had to use two hands to navigate the menu and even the record button. NOT GOOD
   
   c) didn't start up fast enough---I always missed the shot
   
   d) the camera photos aren't of good quality
   
   e) microphone not that great---you couldn't even hear people that were standing ten feet away from the camera.
   
   f) if your laptop is over 3 years old, even if you've got Windows XP, don't expect the software to be compatible.
   
   g) the zoom lens zoomed to fast at the movement of my finger. I'd lightly press the zoom button to one side and it zoomed too fast and it did the same for zooming out. I felt like I had to just manually zoom----ie. walk up closer to the subject
   
   I honestly say stay away from the Samsung's and the Sony's aren't much better and they have a monopoly on the matching accessories, ie. only Sony products are compatible with the camcorder.
   
   I finally bought a JVC and they are awesome----the take more light in, better acoustical recording, better zoom function, quicker start up, and lighter. You can even buy the cheapest model (which is pretty much what I've got) and the picture is great! My parents commented on how they thought I must have a camera like the News reporters, as it's the same quality.



3. I thought I was upgrading from analog to digital but after seeing the videos I shot indoors I liked the analog better. Very poor and grainy. Also the focus is terrible! While filming 3 people in a row moving from one to the other the focus would blur then refocus. I filmed my daughter's ballet recital and could not believe how the auto focus kept bluring then focusing. Very disappointed with this purchase. I guess it's true what they say. "You get what you pay for" It seems under $600.00 doesn't get you much.



4. I originally purchased the Samsung DUOCAM SCD6040. It fortunately broke 1 week before the warranty ran out. The video began having giant pixilated squares when video taping and on playback. Though under warranty, it still cost me $49 (their fee) to send in the camera for a repair. The repaired camera came back broken. I had to deal with many customer service people, but finally got them to agree mine was a "lemon" and they sent me the SCD6550. Now 10 months later, the video and playback on this duocam has broken. You see a black screen with yellow blocks on the LCD and through the viewfinder. I cannot video tape or playback anything on tape. It is not under warranty. I can't believe their cameras/duocams don't last longer than one year. They must use cheap parts. PLEASE save yourself the headache and chose another brand.



5. I bought this camers a little while back. I have used it maybe three time .. the 1st 2 times i was able to record and playback and do all the functions the camera was meant for. The 3rd time i used it I was away in Hawaii and got some great footage of me and my family on a cruise.... Thats when it started.... I couldn't get the camera to play back what i recorded on the trip.... I sent it back to samsung and they said it was fine... but the camera still doesn't work... I am very pissed off and have done many things to try and fix the camera... Samsung will not help anymore and to bring it somewhere else costs like $100 just for them to look at it.... I am disappointed and feel like I have been ripped off....
   NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY an electronic from AMAZON

5 comments about Canon ZR70MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 22x Optical Zoom, Digital Still Mode, MMC Slot, Image Stabilization and Wide Angle Attachment.

1. As a lot of people mentioned, this product has several good features and drawbacks. The most attractive feature is 22x optical zoom. Video quality is not bad. However, it performs poorly when the light is low. I used it for three years and took a lot of videos. Frankly, I didn't use it with too much care. I was lucky that it didn't die for 3 years.
   
   Then, my LCD went black when I was during a very happy journey last week. My camcorder was bought in China and had a different model name: MV650i, but it is exactlly the same as zr70mc here in US. Hopefully I can also repair it for free here.



2. Canon will repair no questions asked.
   It take 2 weeks total.
   That is great support.
   Talk to anyone else about a 2-3 year old product.
   The funny thing is the part giving the problems is Sony.
   
   I love the camera. It will be around 10 years after the repairs.



3. I presume people had problems with this product (ZR70MC).I guess most of them are CCD related.I owned ZR70MC since 2004 and I noticied CCD problem recently (Camcorder LCD went blank even when lens cap is removed) and one year warranty on product had already expired.Canon customer service was efficient and they repaired it free of cost (they even provided shipping label).When I received camcorder I noticied that record button is not working. Canon customer service or repair center again came to my rescue and they repaired it free of cost (they even provided shipping label).
   I rate their customer service as best.But as some one noted earleir this camcorder doesn't perform well in low light conditions.



4. I've had this camcorder for about 2 years now and have used it for everything from backyard footage to filming corporate events. My kit included the wide angle lens attachment, a standard life battery, software CD and an 8 MB SD card. It performs great. It has great sound through the regular microphone. I even recorded a fireworks display and the fireworks did not overdrive the sound. You could still hear nearby voices even while the fireworks were going off. It has a hot shoe for connecting accessories. Although I always intended to add a microphone to the hot shoe, I never did get around to it. I think the standard mic is sifficient for my needs.
   
   When I recorded for corporate events, I ran the soundboard right into the A/V on the camera using a standard RCA to Headphone jack. This was a handy feature since we were in a warehouse environment and the sound system mixed all the audio. I could film from a long distance and still patch in the audio to make it sound great. The recorded video turned out really superb and my customers were quite pleased. I used the included Studio 8 to edit the video and record onto the DVD.
   
   The still camera is around a megapixel. Not great as far as quality unless you're shooting in good outdoor light. Dark lighting definitely looks grainy on the stills, even with the night shot mode enabled.
   
   The camera model, along with some other Canon DV cameras are affected by a recall. It will freak you out when you don't see any video on your viewfinder or LCD. It just goes black. In short, the cable that connects the CCD (which digitizes the video) gets disconnected. Canon will repair the defect (they will also pay shipping both ways) regardless of warranty status. The process was easy and did not take very long.



5. As others have mentioned, this camera, along with a slew of others from Canon have a CCD problem relating to heat. I just experienced this problem and called Canon per their website.
   
   I made the mistake of referring to the "product recall" to which I was endlessly chastised by the customer service rep because it is really a "product advisory." (I originally bought the camera for over $700, now I'm being treated like trash because I used the wrong words... nice.)
   
   In returning the camera for service, I was told not to use the original packaging and that I should bubble wrap it and place nothing around it in a large box. (so it can fly around inside) They pay for UPS shipping, which she said takes 7-10 days.
   
   Once they receive it, they will determine if heat caused the problem or if the CCD is broken. If it's broken, then I have to pay. Considering that they want it to be flung around inside a large box during shipping, I can see where this is going.
   
   I would not recommend this camera for this problem alone and would not recommend Canon products at all due to their customer service anymore.