No comments about SVP HDDV-2600-Bu 12MP Max. Multi-Functional Camcorder with Rare 3.0 Inch Huge Flip LCD! (2GB High speed SD Card & Tripod Included).

No comments about SVP HDDV-2880Bu 16MP Max TOUCH BUTTON 2.5-inch 270 DEGREE LCD Digital Video Camcorder + FREE 4GB High Speed SD Memory Card.

No comments about SVP HDDV-3000 12MP Max. 6-in-1 Multi-Functional Camcorder with Rare Huge Flip LCD! (16GB SDHC Card & Tripod Included).

5 comments about JVC GRD33 MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/16x Optical Zoom.

1. I was very happy with this camcorder....until it died on me after 10 months. I bought this for the basketball team I coach (to tape games). It was used a total of 25 times, and then it started getting error codes. It irrepairable, and I'm stuck buying a new one. Invest in a slightly more expensive model (by a DIFFERENT company). It well worth the money.



2. I can tell you from personal experience with JVC mini camcorders that purchasing one is an expensive mistake. Even with a protection plan from Circuit City, Best Buy, etc., the units are EXTREMELY fragile (esp. the cassette loading/ejecting apparatus) and the now infamous "E04 Safeguard Mode" (go ahead, Google it) message will eventually appear and that will be the end of recording digital videos with a JVC mini DV camera. Further, JVC support is nonexistent with regard to these error messages and how to correct them.



3. This camera is very small, and works great. It is easy to use, and great for travelling. I am not a technical person, but I don't mind using this camcorder.



4. Not just this JVC camcorder, but all of them will have the "safeguard mode error" pop up and the unit will be rendered useless at that point. Just say NO to JVC.



5. With an excellent price of only $250 you can't ask for more in such a great camera.

5 comments about Sony DCRDVD300 MiniDVD Handycam Camcorder with 3.5" LCD and Digital Still Capability.

1. The price $880.00 you can purchase at a store for you.com



2. I just wanted people to know that you can use a non brand name disc instead of the costly sony ones. I buy mine at shop4tech.com it only cost 3.60 each instead of the 8.00 ones at the stores and sony.com . just search for mini dvd for camcorders and they have three brands to choose from. Could someone email me at courtnhu@aol.com on how to print still images without buying a photo printer, for ex. bringing it to the photo store for printing since it does not come with a memory card.



3. Watch out before you buy this or any of the other Handycams. At the time I am writing this, no stores have the 1.4GB dvds that they use to record. Even Sony doesn't have them. Make sure you can find a supply of thier recording media before you buy any of these products. I bought the Sony DVD-100 and I am stuck. The Handycam comes with 1 DVD-R so when that is used up your done. Think about this before you purchase a $1,000.00 camcorder that you will be only able to use for 30 mins until more disks are available. A fact I wish I was aware of while I was making my decision to purchase it.



4. Although I really enjoy my camcorder, I have learned that only Sony DVDs work well with this camcorder. You are able to record on other cheaper brands, however, if you use the Image Mixer sofware (which comes with the camcorder) to edit abd re-burn DVDs there are compatability problems between other brands. Furthermore, the Image Mixer software is limited, elementary and not user friendly. Their customer support is pretty worthless as well. I would still reccommend this camcorder - but beware that some editing and recording features will only work with the expensive Sony DVDs.



5. Steady and clear are the pictures. Easy to use even when you're excited with a huge bull elk next to your vehicle! Light weight to carry until the moment you need it. Simply super for wild life photography and the abilty to zoom in soooooooo closely, and get that perfect photo shot as well, is amazing. If you have young children, this is the camera for you to catch all those special moments. I love it.

5 comments about JVC Everio GZ-MG20 20 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom.

1. When we received the camera, it had been previously used. We were initially given a run-around, but Amazon gave us a good discount on the camera that made us happy. They couldn't replace it with a new one. The camera seems to have a sharp picture and excellent sound. It is amazingly small. It seems like a great choice for general home video. The software is a little daunting. Follow directions very carefully. The freedom from tapes and discs is nice feature... will also run longer w/o interruption to change discs or tapes.



2. The quality is awesome, the ergonomics is just super (the four way stick in the LCD for starters), the transfer capabilities are nice (just plug it in to ANY PC and it becomes an external hard drive with video files, although you have to rename the .MOD to .MPG), and the zoom/frame rate is great. (Upto 32X optical and .5-4000 fps - this is really good for shooting as you like).
   
   For those who complain about the grainy stuff, try changing the frame rate yourself - lower frame rate for poorer lighting condition (so that the poor lighting gets registered on the CCD more slowly but rigidly), or change the white balance. I have had very little lighting problems , and that too only when shooting at really bad lighting conditions (in night for eg)...
   
   Other than that, the camera is perfect for trips; it's amazing to see that the product turns out to be as good and heavenly as it was advertised.. for the first time.
   
   Some personal gripes (from the stand point of a HDD camcorder), are that you can't record from a video source directly :D, and that you need to wait for 4 seconds before you can start recording after switching it on (it shows the same JVC animation every time, possibly to warm up the HDD meanwhile), and that you need to recharge it often if you are shooting it with the provided battery. If you can add 90$ more the 4 hour battery will make this cam one of the best. Also the digital stills are like crap; I mean 640x480 stills, worse than the ones in the cell phones.
   
   But the overall thing is that you can shoot the videos and then transfer and burn them to your DVDs.. the problem is, with such a camcorder you would want to shoot everything that moves and is colorful and waste the 20GB soon enough...
   
   I have owned a JVC VCR way back, and it was pretty good too, and that made my judgement about a industry first HDD camcorder from JVC...



3. The 5 main reasons I purchased this camcorder:
   1) Size. It's barely larger than a can of soda!!!
   2) Hard drive. Nice not to not ever have to buy blank tapes or discs.
   3) Ease of use. The controls are well designed. Had most everything figured out in no time.
   4) Downloading to the computer is a breeze.
   5) Reviews from other owners. Everyone seems to like it for the most part.
   
   Very happy with my purchase!



4. I agree with the many other users who have experienced the "Condensation, Operation Paused" defect on their JVC GR-XXX. Despite numerous others reporting this problem, JVC says its not a recognized problem. I would disagree - it is a recognized problem, but its your problem, not theirs.



5. First off, I want to say that the camera shoots pretty good footage outdoors, not at all superb quality, but passable for just archiving personal footage. Indoors is another story, out of the box the low-light conditions pretty much blacked out the playback.
   
   After researching, and changing settings, with help from a review on a similar camera, the indoors picture is pretty good. With the lenses and filters I purchased for this it actually has it to a B-. What I did was set it to M mode, shutter speed to 1/30 and set it to cloudy. You can also gain up while in this mode for a brighter picture, but it does add some grain.
   
   The hard drive is so easy and convenient. I didn't bother installing any of the included software because I use Sony Vegas to edit video. Sony Vegas doesn't recognize the MOD format the video files are saved in, so again I did a few minutes of research to find out that you can simple highlight the MOD part of the file name/extension, backspace 3 times and type MPG. This instantly converts it to MPG format, which Vegas and all of my other playback programs recognize.
   
   Sound is great, for a built in speaker it was almost one of the best I've heard on a simple video camera. The lense comes with threads to attach wide-angle lenses, and filters to make the picture even better... all in a camera a little over 5 inches long!
   
   I was really pleased with this camera, and recommend it to anyone who really needs a good camera, but nothing extravagant- for people who rarely use it. It takes a few minutes of tweaking to get it right indoors, but most cameras aren't cut and dry to begin with.
   

No comments about Canon VIXIA HV30 High Definition Camcorder Starter Kit.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV740 Digital8 Camcorder w/ 2.3" LCD, USB Streaming, Memory Stick, & Mega Pixel Video/ Still.

1. This camera is excellent for capturing Videos, the Still Picture quality is good if you are outdoors, for shooting still pics indoors & especially during night-time, you must have a very bright Light Source or a very brightly illuminated room. The Optical zoom is just adequate but I would prefer 20X +. The memory stick is a great Acc., Sony should give 32 MB as Std Acc. I also have the EZ Editor Hard/Soft-ware but I am still struggling to get good output. Battery Life is adequate. Overall I would definitely recommend it.



2. Pros: Picture quality, Hi8 Playback Capability, Price

   Cons: Zoom Control, Image Stabilization, Bottom cassette loading, Handling Comfort, 15x Zoom

   While holding out for the cost to come down on DVD camcorders and needing a new camcorder that would play my existing Hi-8s, I went with the backwardly compatable Digital8. The TRV740 appeared to be a solid choice with it's many features and great output quality. But when I first started to use it I was quickly disappointed by the following:

   Zoom Control: My previous camcorder was a Canon ES5000 (Hi8). The TRV740's zoom control is awful in comparison with the Canon. It's very difficult to activate the slowest zoom speed as the sliding switch does not move smoothly. 9 times out of 10, you'll go right past the slow speed as the force needed to get the switch moving is much greater than the force to keep the zoom speed steady so an overzoom situation happens. Then you're zooming rapidly and have to slow it down which ruins the slow zoom effect.

   "Super" SteadyShot: Huge disappointment here. Electronic stabilizers simply do not compare with optical stabilizers (Canon). It almost seems that when the stabilizer is turned off, Sony added shake to the image so that when the stabilizer is on, it looks better in comparison to when it was "off". Just a silly conspiracy theory to let you know bad it is.

   Bottom cassette loading: Did you ever think you'd see a camcorder that had to be removed from a tripod in order to change the cassette? You've got it with this one. Unbelievable.

   Handling Comfort: It's a little heavy and not something you want to use for an extended period.

   15x Zoom: This is on the low side and the only reason I can imagine that they went with this low of an optical zoom is because of the poor image stabilizer. At 15x, let alone 20x, you need a tripod or it looks like you have some sort of neuro-muscular affliction.

   I'll probably keep it to use as a player to backup my Hi-8 collection by playing those tapes to a DVD burner. I recommend looking for something else if you think you'd be bothered by the same things as I am with this camcorder.




3. This is a great camera, but I wish I had done a little more research before going ahead and purchasing this. The quality is absolutely great. It has the ability to transfer data with the iLink, and the backwards compatibility is also a plus. However, the "digital camera" aspect is pretty poor. If you want to take digital pictures, buy a digital camera. The photo resolution on the still images is horrible and the actual size of it is too small. Also, there are a ton of extra features on the camera that are worked into the price that are never used, like the superimposing is a waste. It you want to do things like that, you probably should look into some editing software.
   If I could go back, I would have definatly got a MiniDV camcorder. The quaility is just as good but it's much smaller and more lightweight. After filming for awhile, your arm hurts lugging this monster around. I personally would stick with the Sony brand, only due to the great NightShot feature. If Cannon or Panasonic offered it, I would check them out. However, Sony is the only brand to go with in the ghost hunting buisness...



4. This is an excellent camera, however, anyone spending more than $200 dollars for one is wasting their money for some very old technology. Buy one, if you can, but do not spend too much money.



5. I purchased a 2G SD card to store more pics that the one that came with it. I put in the card and kept getting a "card reader error". The store indicated that the cam cannot handle the additional memory for storing pics. If anyone knows which SD card I can purchase to store more than the 40 pics, please let me know.

5 comments about Sony HDR-HC3 4MP High-Definition Handycam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. I must agree with an earlier reviewer, that this camcorder is not worth the asking price ..... especially now, since Mini DV seems to be a dying technology. Don't get me wrong; for what it is, the HC3 does a great job, with quality video and relatively easy operation. But the tape mechanism, as I've had to discover the hard way, is very delicate and it is getting harder to find people to service these machines ..... unless you want to send it directly to Sony and spend over $500. Ouch.
   
   What happened in my case was, at one point the camera prompted me to insert a cleaning cassette for dirty heads. Never do this. I got one, it became stuck, and caused damage to the camera's tape eject mechanism. It ended up in the repair shop for nearly three months because, as they informed me, it is getting harder to acquire parts for these cameras, despite their being only 1.5 years old! One of the reasons for this, I believe, is the popularity of the newer DVD and hard drive recorders that are replacing Mini DV camcorders. Though the downside of that is compatibility issues with standard editing software, at least for now .... that's the technology race for you.
   
   Anyway, I know this isn't really the best example of a product review. I was very happy with the little I was actually able to accomplish with this machine, but if you're going to spend this kind of money on a camcorder, I'd have to recommend one that captures to disc; it makes for better backup, and compared to the high maintenance of a tape transport-based unit, would definitely spare the user enormous expense and headaches on a device that will probably prove unreliable (not to mention obsolete) a year from now. Especially once the capture formats become compatible with non-linear editors.



2. I purchased my HC3 several weeks ago to film a family wedding. I didn't really intend on purchasing an HD camcorder, but I got a really good deal on a closeout and went for it.
   
   Having shot quite a bit of VHS and 8mm tape in the past, the images from this camcorder are unbelievable. Even downgraded to DV format, I'm amazed at what this little camera can do. I'm also very impressed with the auto focus and white balance. I reprogrammed the small "manual" button to do AE-shift and it worked perfectly. Even in very strong backlight or high contrast shots I was able to quickly dial in the exposure. Very very good.
   
   I also used the still image capture feature quite a bit. Despite being a camcorder, the images I got were almost as good as those taken with my small Casio EX-Z. However, they weren't nearly as good as the shots from my Canon G. My only complaint on the still imaging is a significant release delay between pushing the button and capturing the shot.
   
   The only thing I don't like about the camcorder is the steadyshot feature. I was hoping for more. Long-zoom shots were not nearly as corrected as I had hoped. I don't have expereince with the Canon or other steadyshot models, so I can't compare. Still, I was hoping for more. If you're going to do a lot of long-zoom video with this camera, because of its size and low mass, you'll need a tripod or steadicam.
   
   Low-light performance is average. I've seen better.
   
   Also. I purchased the Sony Bluetooth wireless mic and videolight. These were great. I can't say enough good thinga about the wireless mic. It worked perfectly. The videolight is terrific for its size and weight. It won't give enough light to fill a room, but it does a great job for what it is.



3. The Sony HDR-HC3 worked well. However the great drawback of Sony camcorders is shown in my recent experience with my HDR-HC3 which I purchased here on Amazon.
   
   We went as a family on a cross-country trip this past summer, filming hours worth of video. When we finally arrived home I plugged my camera into the DV port of my computer. In the past I have had no problem uploading video and making DVDs of family adventures, using our old Canon DV camcorder. We liked that the HDR-HC3 had the option of normal DV or HDV output.
   
   However, unlike with my Canon, my computer (and subsequent computers) could not recognize my camera. After much research online, I found that the problem was that I had assumed the ieee was similar to firewire in that it was hot-swappable. In fact, it was not. Both the camera and computer must be off when attaching them, or the port will fry.
   
   It takes a lot of concentration to remember how to connect the camera. According to other Sony users on various webcam boards, this is a common problem for the general public who are used to USB hot-swappable devices.
   
   The repair fee for this "misuse" is from Sony about $350, according to what they said. One person mentioned that they had been able to open up the camera and purchase a $75 fuse and connected that to the camera hardware....a complicated vs expensive choice of options for a general user like me. Sony acknowledges the fact that the port is extremely sensitive, but still considers it a user-mistake and the fried port is not covered under warranty.
   
   Consequently, I am in the market for a new camcorder that I will only use connected to my computer.
   
   Use of tapes filmed on my Sony HDR-HC3-- Oh, the clincher is this: I tried to use my Canon as a conduit for uploading my footage to computer, but because it was HDV, my Canon could not read it--and this goes for trying to use my Canon to watch the video footage on television. Also, you cannot plug the camera into the TV with a normal 3 to 1 composite DV cable, it requires a camera-specific cable, so tough luck if you forgot to pack it!
   
   This all said, I am pleased enough with the camera that having experienced all of the above, I have learned from my mistakes and probably will purchase another one on ebay for my computer uploads.
   
   I hope that you will learn from my mistakes if you decide to purchase this camera.



4. I love this camcorder. I used in during my vacation in Hawaii. I still can't believe how amazing it looks on the screen. Most of my guests who started watching the video thought that we were watching a discovery channel broadcast. It works it's best outside especially with great lighting. Lighting really is the key. The more the light, the better the image. I just use the component video cables on my HDTV LCD. I'd recommend it to anyone who's really into image quality.



5. The product showed on time and well shipped. I suspect the product box was opened. However, all materials were enclosed and were in "Like New" condition. The is an older model so I expected it. Thank you for the smooth and good transaction. Yes I would buy from this seller again. - John

No comments about Sony HDR-SR8E PAL AVCHD 6MP 100GB High Definition Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.