5 comments about Panasonic PV-L354 VHS-C Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

1. We bought this camcorder because we were going on Vacation to Disneyland and our other camcorder would not work. This camcorder is so much better than our other one was. When ever you moved the old camcorder to get various shots, it had to refocus, which took a few minutes. This one does not need to refocus. This camcorder is a little bit heavier than our old one, but it is easier to use. And the better quality makes up for the weight difference. This is a very good product and I will recomend it to a lot of people.



2. I, too, thought this was an excellent camcorder for several months until I did a playback of one of those events that can't be repeated and....NO SOUND!! The video looks great, but...NO SOUND!! It had worked fine on several occasions and even now, I can shoot a quick video and check to make sure there is sound on the playback before I shoot the important moment I want to capture. Then I shoot the main event and, again, NO SOUND!! Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it doesn't...very unpredictable. I thought it was operator error on my part until I saw Mark Noll's review.
   Panasonic's customer service was no help at all. It's time for a new (non-Panasonic) camera.
   So...you might get one that works fine, but with this camcorder, you are taking a chance that, at some point, you will miss something great.



3. This camcorder has ruined everything!!!!! The sound had worked on and off for a while- very unpredictable. We taped my son's birthday party in January and it taped the sound. We used it the next month to tape my newborn twins in the hospital and there was NO SOUND!!!! I was crushed. I tried another tape and magically the sound worked when I was just fooling around and not taping anything important, so I used it to tape their first tub baths- NO SOUND!!! It has missed them laughing, babbling, etc. We have no money to buy another camera. We paid $25 to get it looked at and the idiot man thought we'd pay in excess of $175 plus parts to get it ("possibly") fixed. Are you kidding me??? We can never get those "firsts" back and I am soooo very upset. Customer Service was no help (besides the fact I could never understand the representatives) and I will not buy another Panasonic product. They couldn't even give me an approved Panasonic dealer anywhere close to where we live. We traveled 45 minutes to get it looked at. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA!!!! There are several of us that bought these and have had the same problems. We've all bought them at different times too showing that Panasonic has some repeating problem!!!



4. What a mess!! Last summer, I tried to tape some very special events and there was no sound. The very frustrating part was that it was a spuratic problem. One day it would work and the next day I got no sound. YOu never had any idea if it would work, which meant that some super special moments were lost forever. There was always a picture, but half the time there was no sound. I finally got so frustrated that I quit taping anything. Repair would be $175, so it is not worth fixing. I was glad to see that other people were having the exact problem, so I know it is not just me. My camera is going in the trash can. Don't buy this camera. YOu can't recapture those lost treasures.



5. I bought a Panasonic Camcorder a few years back. I continually got a Dew Detected message. Got that fixed and shortly there after the sound was intermitant as noted in so many other reviews here and elsewhere - though I did not know it at the time. So I gave Panasonic another chance. I bought this model and it worked fine again for about a year or so...Then, Halloween comes around and the sound is not there, then there, then so low you can barely hear it then static then back. Needless to say as with others the moment was lost, FOREVER!

2 comments about JVC GRDVM96U MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/2.5 " LCD, MPEG4 Movie Mode & 8MB SD Card.

1. I bought mine from a different website, but since I have been a long time customer and user of of Amazon.com website, I thought of giving this review to aid other customers old and new. I have this mini cam for about a month now and I used it when I vacationed in California just last month. I never regret buying it. My family and friends have a great time watching our pictures on TV everytime we return from one of our siteseeing trips. I just give it a four star for now because I still have not use all it's features yet. There's just too many to read and install in order for me to fully utilize it. Overall, I think I got my money's worth. It's convenient and easy to use (the still and video cam only). It can get great pictures, and you can use the auto flash if the lighting is not good. The LCD monitor is not so clear on a bright day, but who's complaining, just delete your not so good shots and just keep the best. I haven't used the viewfinder that much since even in 35mm camera I find the viewfinder too small, I used the LCD most of the time. You just need to buy additional battery, which I did. I bought the BNV840 before but it weighs just the same as the camera itself, so I end up exchanging it with BNV312. Plus the former one needs a different charger which I have to buy separately. I will definitely recomend this with anyone. Also I bought a 128mb SD memory card in addition to the 8md that is included in the video package, though I haven't used up my 8mb yet.



2. Pros: Small Format - That's it
   Cons: Battery life, Low light video Quality, Ergonomics, Software
   Recommended: No
   It took me about 1 hour (!!!) to figure out how to hold this thing. The ergonomics are unacceptable. Either one finger is on the microphone or on the autofocus. 2.The battery life is about 1/2hour, I bought an additional battery (1 1/2hours) for [$$$] which boosts the price. But this new battery sticks out of the camera... 3. The Still camera (1 Megapixel) doesn't meet current Quality standards => you will need a additional digital Camera. 4. MPEG4 format, is so low in quality, that you can barely recognize anything. 5. You can't plug in a microphone, which limits the use of this camera. 6. Software that came with it is worthless=>get XP Moviemaker (free download at Microsoft) or Video Explosion (CNET Editors Choice). 7. If you shoot at night, the picture is grainy and low quality. Indoors you need a bright room to get good quality. 9. Camera has a lot of features that you don't really need (i.e. Transition features like fading). It's better to use Video Editing software 10. Viewfinder is black and white and too small to see anything. However you will probably never use it since the Color LCD does a great job. 11. Camcorder only comes with a 8MB Smartmedia card, upgrade to at least 32MB necessary => boots price 12.Summary: Buy this camera if you are a beginner or don't use the camcorder too often. Don't buy it if you have high quality standards. And don't think about using this camera for still printouts.

5 comments about Canon Optura 20 MiniDV Camcorder with 3.5-inch LCD and 16x Optical Zoom.

1. Avoid this product and perhaps all Canon Camcorders at any cost!
   The IRIS is stuck in the low light setting like many others have posted.
   Search CNET and other forums as well for many other reports of this problem.
   
   Canon Customer Service has been very poor in responding to this
   and say that this is an unknown problem! You will have to shell out
   almost the cost of the camcorder to get this repaired or otherwise
   live with a bad paper-weight.



2. A huge warning for anyone out there looking at this camera!! We dont use ours often and one day it started loading up and being stuck in its low light mode. this means any amount of light in the room causes it to wash out and record as blur. When I looked into this issue, it turned out that there were plenty of others out there that had the same problem with the Optura 20. It will cost you $150-300 to fix. its sad, becuse in so many other ways it was a great camcorder- but a flaw like this can ruin it all.



3. I bought this camera in early 2004 and have had no problems that other users have experienced. Maybe I just got lucky. My main use for this camera was golf swing analysis. I looked for 3 main features: Manual shutter speed of at least 1/2000, manual focus, and a larger LCD screen, because at that time I didn't have a laptop and planned on doing analysis at the driving range through the screen.
   
   The Optura fills all of those criteria perfectly. Since I bought this camera, I've also added a laptop to the mix and the firewire port works great.
   
   One other interesting feature with this camera that I didn't know when I purchased it is the analog to digital converter. You can hook up analog A/V, change a setting in the menu, and the camera will convert it to digital and output the a/v through the firewire. So I can record TV shows (yes, golf swings.. such as the CBS SwingVision), in real time. Pretty cool.
   
   The ONLY con I have experienced is that it's not a very good low light camera. I do have to crank the shutter down to about 1/250 when I'm inside in a dome. But outside during the day whether overcast or sunny it works great.



4. Over the last two years, the camera has gotten progressively worse. It is out of warranty and the Stuck in low light mode problem has gone from once in every five startups to about 9 out of ten. The only thing that keeps me from giving it a one star rating is the large screen and general ease of use. When it is working , it is the best small camcorder I have used. (not that I have used very many) I have been looking for a solution to this problem, but when my daughter takes the Optura 20 to school and calls me in the middle of the day to ask how to fix this, it is time to give it the old heave-ho.
   I have tried a new CR-2025 battery, but that didn't work. I have tried jiggling things after starting, and before starting. Nothing seems to work every time. Since it has progressed over time, it seems to be connected to a sensor cleanliness and firmware combined problem. But I wish that I knew more.



5. This camera is perfect for my 18-year old. Perfect condition & works great. He can't thank me enough! I can't thank the seller enough. (Thanks again, by the way)! The advice he gave was extremely helpful as well.

No comments about SONY DCRVX2000 Battery.

No comments about Sony Handycam DCR-DVD101E - Camcorder - 800 Kpix - optical zoom: 10 x - DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm).

5 comments about JVC GRDVL120U MiniDV Digital CyberCam Video Camera with 2.5" LCD & B/W Viewfinder.

1. Please send- my battery for my DIGITAL CAMARA MINI DV
   JVC BATTERY CODE BN-V408U OR BN-V416U



2. I've had one of these for about 18 months...after a year of ownership it started eating DV tapes. I've had three destroyed when rewinding...you get an error message and the next thing you know your tape is in ribbons. Fortunately, I found a place that will repair them but it is expensive ($30 per tape).

   I contacted JVC about the problem...they were aware that their camcorders have this kind of issue but because mine was outside the warranty period they declined to do anything for me.

   If you do buy this camcorder (or already have it) try getting a separate miniDV rewinder for around $20. I've only had the tapes get eaten while rewinding.

   If you're still in the market for a camcorder...don't buy this one!




3. I had the camcorder for about a year and then BANG, this whinding noise starts to happen... I can't record with it anymore... It seems with the slightest touch, it makes a whinding noise and tottally destroys the image... This product was a great deal... Too bad it doesn't work! ...



4. it broke the third time we used it. no power, nothing. now the labor warranty is expired and the tape is stuck inside! do not nuy no matter how great the deal. you will buy buy a peice of excretory waste.



5. I reluctantly bought a display model of the GR-DVL120U about a year ago. I choose this model because of price, shape/size and the fact it was digital. Price was the biggest concern because the soul purpose was for shooting underwater video (if my housing flooded, I would be out less money). The camera is still going strong despite use in some rough environments. The video quality is very good and if works great for connecting to a computer (something my girlfriends Sony doesn't do well). The manual setting on the camera is great because I can lock the focus and everything for shooting underwater. That way it doesn't search for focus in low light conditions. There's lots of different settings you can tweak in the manual mode to work in your environment (I can get good footage 119 ft underwater!) The negative would be the camera isn't very common so it isn't always easy to find batteries or other accessories (like a good fisheye lens)

5 comments about Sony DCR-TRV330 Digital8 Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode.

1. i would like to purchase this product
   i am from Bali - Indonesia, can give me lower price



2. Bought this camera less than 2 years ago and I thought it was pretty good, except the digital part. Terrible pictures, it isn't worth the extra $$. However, the camera recently broke, despite extremely mild usage. The camera will no longer close with a cassette inside. I now know that this defect is fairly common, but an expensive repair. I'm looking for a different camera, different brand. Sony has a quality problem.



3. I've been looking around at prices and i'de say this is the best price I've found. I was checking out other cameras and found one for $500. It was not as good as this one and cost more. Its worth your cash and the specs are nice! Like the 25x optical zoom is crazy. The digital zoom doesn't really make a difference after u get over 200x zoom on that. So dont think that 700x zoom makes much of a difference. I'de say buy it asap.



4. This Digicam sulks..I used it for < 2years and it has gone kaput. When I reported this to the Sony Service center they asked for $300 repair cost. They are living in anachronistic times when they quoted this sky high rate. You can get a new one (and that too the latest model ) for a little more than $300.



5. Numerous reports of camera stopping (type DCR trv38 and problem in google and you'll see what I mean) . The screen goes blank and that's the end of your DCR. Costs about $300 to repair. Reports from 2 months to 2 years usage and not linked to how often used or how treated. It is a problem with the "board" and your camera WILL die it's just a matter of when. It happened to us and we are thinking it was just us. We're buying a new DCR and you can bet it won't be a SONY even if they gave us one--they are too unreliable.

5 comments about JVC GRDVL720U MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 3.5" LCD and 8MB SD Memory Card.

1. Having used other JVC cameras, this is the best yet. Color view finder is not necessary as using the 3.5 Led is great. Especially for those with challeged eyes/

   More features than most amature users will ever need. Easily to use features makes even the teenagers happy.

   What more can we say!




2. I got this Camcorder on a Goldbox deal and after all was said and done it was hundreds less than any other store! The camcorder is great I had to purchase a firewire adapter for my computer but it was worth the additional investment. I upgraded to Windows XP Plus! digital edition and found video editing was simple and the camcorder was completely compatible. The battery that it comes with does not last very long (about an hour without the light on). I invested ...and purchased a longer life battery. The still photo function was easy to use but the quality was less that 1 megapixel. Overall a great camcorder!!!



3. JVC products have always been a favorite of mine and have always proven to have outstanding products. the JVC GRDVL720U is no exception. This Camera is inexpensive, and has all the bells and whistles you could ask for from a lower-end camcorder. You can transfer Digital Video to your PC by Firewire, and easily transfer Digital Stills through USB. Great quality and design. The unit fits in your hand with all buttons readily available.



4. I've had this camcorder for a two years now. Gotta say that it works very well. It has good focus even when you're at max zoom, but when you're zoomed in that much, you need to put the camcorder on a tripod, otherwise the recording will be very shaky.

   The one feature that I don't like about the camcorder is the Night Alive technology for shooting during nightime. You get a golden/yellow picture and things get really blurry as the target moves. It's really annoying and I NEVER use it. So if you're looking for a camcorder that will give you great night time recording, don't get this one. Get something with an infrared emitter, it will let you shoot good video even with NO light present.




5. I bought this camera in 2002, about 2 months after my son was born. Within the 2 years we have had the camera it has been in the shop 3 times, the 3rd time just last week. The problem is when we fold out the LCD to take some video there is no picture, if you flip the LCD monitor over to the front the picture will work fine, but flip it back to normal and there is no picture. It takes great video when it's working and now that I have XP it works great uploading video to the computer. Unfortunately it has been in the shop about half the time we have owned it. I'm waiting for it to come back and stop working again so I can trade it in under Best Buy's warranty.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV530 Digital8 Camcorder with Builtin Digital Still Mode.

1. this model is being discontinued by Sony, replaced by the TRV-520. Biggest change is the new one will no longer play the hi-8 tapes, only digital. Smaller screen, other minor changes. but because it's being discontinued, you can get it really cheap elsewhere. .... by the way, camera is awesome. A little bulky by today's standards, but it can do tons of stuff.



2. ...Comfort and user friendliness is important to me and this just didn't have it. The zoom function was difficult to control and it was hard to reach the zoom button on top of the camcorder and it just didn't feel right to move the lever left to right as opposed to front and back. The viewfinder was only B+W. My Sony Cam from '91 felt more ergonomically correct than this unit. Glad the TRV530 is discontinued. The TRV117 is a much better choice.



3. I recently bought the 530 some time ago and let me tell you it was the biggest mistake of my life.

   I am so happy this camcorder is discontinued because it won't make others as angry as it made me.

   First off, the digital stills are laughable. VERY WEAK!

   The camera is bulky. I can't even get my finger to rest confortably on the zoom. I end up holding the damn thing with two hands!
   Okay, the optical zoom is good (that's where it gets ONE star from me). However, the digital zoom is so awful that its pointless that its even there.

   Picture is very grainy at times when seen on my TV. This had my family very disapointed as I was filming my first born's first few steps. I was REALLY angry.

   This camcorder was a bust for Sony and I'm glad they threw it out.

   I will be getting the MINI DV soon.




4. Excellent, digital and optical zoom. Special efects wonderfull. I would be great better resolution for taking pictures.



5. This camera is excellent for capturing videos, and the still picture quality is ok if you are outdoors. For shooting still pics indoors & especially during night-time, you must have a very bright light source or a brightly illuminated room. The optical zoom is great. The memory stick is a nice addition but Sony should have provided a 32 MB memory stick as a standard accessory. The software is good enough to get started but I recommend Adobe Premiere and an iLink (firewire) cable if you are serious about editing video. Battery Life is adequate but I recommend buying another battery. Overall I highly recommend it.
   
   Pros:
   1. Portable, small and light weight, but big enough to hold steady.
   2. Extra-large 3.5 inch LCD screen.
   3. Photo quality is ok but you may need a separate camera if you are a stickler about quality.
   4. Reversable swivel screen for viewing from any angle.
   5. No detectable motor noise or hum when recording.
   6. Easy operation and simple controls.
   7. I've dropped it several times with no problems.
   
   Cons:
   1. Battery must charge in unit... not easy to remember. Get a charger or a second battery because you will forget to charge it and may miss the good shots.
   2. Software is fair but useable.
   3. Included memory stick is insufficent for camera, buy 32 or 64 MB memory stick.
   4. You must remove camera from the tripod to change tapes.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV120 Digital Camcorder.

1. I bought one of these new. I have had nothing but problems with the tape mechanism. Put a new tape in and it stops half way during the cycle. The door is half open. So much for electronic transports. Don't buy one of these. Sony wants $269 to fix this, not worth it...



2. I got one of these used a few years ago after doing some research into the features and reputations of similar cameras. I've had no problems with it.
   
   Video quality is excellent, and it works seamlessly with iMovie, which I use for editing.
   
   I disabled the digital zoom (which degrades the picture quality); 25X optical zoom is already impressive, especially with the SteadyShot camera-shake compensation.
   
   The camera operates surprisingly well with low light, even without engaging NightShot.
   
   The "digital still photo" feature on any video camera is essentially a gimmick, so I'm not counting this camera's poor still-photo quality in my rating. Even the cheapest pocket digital camera will take a better still photo than a high-priced video camera -- so hey, buy a used DV camera and get yourself a cheap still camera to go with it.
   
   I've found Digital-8 highly convenient, because I can get Hi-8 tapes in many stores that still don't carry MiniDV tapes.
   
   I only wish the camera were super-tiny, but hey, it's not a cutting-edge supercamera -- it's a good, solid camcorder. Works for me!



3. I have had the same problem another reviewer mentioned. The tape will stop moving and the indicator flashes the icon for 'tape end' even though it's not at the end. This has happened to me both in recording and in playback. Then, when you try to eject it, it doesn't open all the way - it gets stuck midway so that you can't get the tape out, and you can't push the thing closed. The only way I've figured out how to move beyond this is to unplug and plug in the AC cord while you've got the camera turned on - sometimes SOMETIMES this works, until the next time it does it. Curiously, another camera I use at work, the TRV 58 (which is the same body but only HI 8, not digital) - has done the same thing to me.
   
   This is the second problem I've had with this camera. When I first bought it, the colors were strange. Reds were extreme and off. I had to take it to SONY twice before it started looking okay. The images have been pretty good since then.
   
   I used to be 'lucky' enough to have a SONY place near by that I could take it to. Now I'm asked to ship it a pay a lot just to have it looked at. Since then, I've bought a Canon ZR 60 that's pretty decent, but I don't love it. (Loading and unloading the cassette from underneath is a pain.) I'm envious of all the people who say how wonderful their camcorder is. The TRV 120 has been a pain since I got it.
   
   What really bothers me is that, once you've plunked down the money, you're stuck with what you've got. If there's a problem, you send it away and you're without a camcoder for awhile. Then when the problems recur, it's the same old story. There ought to be a lemon law for camcorders.



4. I am 12 years old. I got this camera for my birthday, it's a really good camera, great quality, great effects, the only problem is that it dosen't have good exposure control. When ever i put the exposure setting on automatic, and put the camera in a kind of sunny spot, the camera dosen't control the exposure. The picture looks a little to bright when you plug it in. Otherwise, its a great camera because its got a great zoom distance, its big, so you can't shake it as much, and it's great for kids who want to make movies, like me.
   -Drew Medak



5. We got this camcorder back in 2000 and it is still serving us reliably. This has captured hundreds of hours worth of tape over the past 6 and a half years and it is still going strong.
   
   The digital 8 format has proven to be very useful because you could use regular 8mm tapes on it. There have been occassions when we were in foreign places that didn't have miniDV tapes, but did have 8mm or Hi-8 tapes for sale. Plus, it records digitally so transferring to a PC for editing via firewire is easy.
   
   This was good technology at the time we got it but, as with any electronic gadget, improvements happen all the time. Thus, it is time to upgrade our technology so we are planning to get a new camcorder soon (probably a Sony HDV model). However, we will still keep this one to be able to play and edit our mountain of memories shot on Digital8.