5 comments about Aiptek DV5300 5MP MPEG4 Pocket Digital Camcorder.

1. ...so you're not gonna get "down-in-the-mud" information - but I've been waiting for this thing for awhile now and I'm excited to tell you what I've learned so far. First off, the camera is very "cheap" feeling - all plastic - and extremely light! Not that that is a bad thing - in fact, its size and weight is one of the reasons I ordered this. I put in my Sandisk 512MB card and it worked perfect. I took a few mins to go through the menu/setup - which is very straight forward - you can follow right along on the LCD screen for your information and its all spelled out. Once I had it set up, I took a few pics at the 2nd highest resolution - which was "4M" (according to the camera screen) - the flash went off and it took the picture - then the little red light on the camera continued to flash quickly for about 30 seconds - I guess its writing it to the mem card??? I'll have to check that one out... maybe the flash wasn't ready??? Don't really know. But I took the mem card out of the camera and put it in my computer to look at the quality - and it looked great! Just as good as my FujiFilm 3.1M camera. Then I tried to do some video - the room is kinda dark - and the camera really doesn't handle the darkness too well... but that does not surprise me - a few reviews I read on other sites said the same thing. But - with the lights on - at night - inside - it did okay. Thats all I have for now - I will write more when I spend more time with this...



2. Pros:
   
   This is one of the cutest gadgets out there. It is:
   
   Extremely light. This is important when you take long videos.
   
   Has a good screen. It can be turned over to tape yourself (if you really want that).
   
   Video files are really compact, even in 640x480 resolution due to mp4 compression.
   
   Fairly good battery life, except when using the flash or if you like to review your videos over and over.
   
   
   Low points:
   
   Slow. As you could expect from the combination of high resolution and low price.
   
   Bad pictures with low light, especially if you put your index finger in front of the flash (believe me, it's easy). Even if properly used, the flash will not really give you the best pictures at night.
   
   
   In general I am convinced it is no match for a regular still picture camera, but as a video recorder it may become a nice tool. I purchased a 512megs high speed sd card and it works great. Practically you can record video until your batteries run out. As far as pictures it works fine as long as the sun is high. In my opinion it doesn't make any sense to use resolutions higher than 3M. It will only make your pictures bigger but with 3M quality (which by the way is also big enough for me).
   
   Hope this helps... :-)



3. Yes, is a beautiful gadget, it's light and affordable, but, at least my specimen, is almost useless.
   Why?
   I have to change batteries every 2 or 3 photos or every 15-30 seconds of recording movie. And if you don't illuminate with a 1,000,000 candles light (literally, I did it) you wont be able to record any indor movie. And, if the batteries are very fresh, I mean really fresh, and you are able to take a picture, every snapshot will take almost 30 seconds to record in a 512 Mb card, so forget spontanity.
   I didn't expect for this price major brand quality, only to have an always handy device to record some short movies of my daughter, but this is ridiculous.
   I do not return the item because I'm out of country....



4. Is easy to use, easy to hold, but not big deal, It's like a toy



5. i just wanted to tell you ppl that u can buy one from aiptex's website for around 60 dollars.

5 comments about Remanufactured Hitachi DZMV550A DVD Camcorder w/18x Optical Zoom.

1. I purchased this on a lark at a Circuit City store that was closing, so I only paid $450 and could return it with no restocking fee (because it was "open box"). For taking movies I really loved it. The image quality was very nice, the controls were fairly logical and easy to figure out, and the image stabilizer worked very nicely. On a cold Chicago day (20 deg F) I brought it into a butterfly garden (78 deg F and VERY humid) and the lens defogged faster than any other I've owned and the recorder was unaffected. The only problem was what to do AFTER shooting the video.
   
   If you use the DVD-R discs (about $2 each at Sam's Club), you need to "finalize" the disc before it can be played in a regular DVD player. This takes 23 minutes and requires using the AC adapter, which is unacceptable. And you get poor DVD menus. Or, you can use the re-usable DVD-RAM discs ($18 each in stores, $6 on the internet) but these discs won't work in most DVD players or computer DVD burners.
   
   So, I took some video with DVD-R discs, and it came out fine, but I didn't like spending $2 apiece for discs that held 30 minutes of video with poor menus.
   
   And I took some video with a DVD-RAM disc. This video came out a little nicer, but was a little more work. First I had to download the video onto my computer (a late 2002 model Celeron). That was easy enough through the USB cable. If I updgraded to USB 2.0, it would be even faster. Then, on the computer, I loaded the video files into the DVD burning program. This was very un-intuitive, but I figured it out. Then the program burned my DVD. It took almost an hour, which is unacceptable, but the result was a beautiful and professional looking DVD disc. A more up-to-date computer, with a Pentium 4 processor and faster hard disk, probably would have done this task in much less time.
   
   So I reluctantly returned the camcorder. I say reluctanly because it fit my hand almost perfectly, and I really enjoyed the quality of video produced by the DVD-RAM disc and software. Really it was much nicer than my Sharp VL-NZ50 camcorder. However, I didn't like time consuming requirements to get a disc that would play in a DVD player. Also, my old camcorder works fine, so it was hard to justify buying another one. I gave it 4 stars because of the price I paid. After I returned it to Circuit City, I looked at the regular price for this model and it was $699. I wouldn't pay $699 for this. In fact at $699 I would only give this 3 stars. For $699 I expect a 5 star++ experience.
   
   My advice - If you want a DVD camcorder, and you have a good computer with a DVD burner on it, and you are computer literate, and have $700 to burn, then you will be able to enjoy using this camcorder. Otherwise you will hate it. I'm going to hold out another year. By then the price of this model will be much lower, and there will be new models much easier to use.



2. I bought this camera with high hopes as it was recommended by Consumer Reports. I have had very mixed results. Using the camera is easy. No problems there. However, as soon as I am done with a disc the problems begin. First of all, I have had 4 out of 12 discs not finalize correctly. This causes the DVD to NOT be copyable. Basically, if my DVD ever scratches or gets lost, my video is gone forever. Big problem.
   I just videotaped my daughter's first birthday. Got 27 minutes into it, when the DVD gave me an error message and the disc is officially done. I can't ever get this video back.
   
   In summary, if you are willing to lose your most precious memories every so often, and don't mind not having a back up copy..this camera is great. Otherwise, you might want to shop with some other vendor.



3. We ordered one from QVC last September 30th. I just started to use it in December 25th 2005. I have been having trouble with buying -RW and -R discs. It came with Maxwell -R and one -RW. I purchased -RW Sony and it would not read any of the three discs. I Purchased -R Memorix and out of 10 discs it was able to read and format only 6 in the package. I suggest to be careful when buying discs and opening carefully. Check with the stores return policy. Other than this concern the camera functions well. Amazon has a better price than QVC also.



4. Huge Problems finalizing and using the disks, even using the recommended Maxell brand. I just spent $200 on video capture hardware, so I could get my video off the dvd-r. Manufacturer did not tell me about dvd-ram disk, as being the only way of using the dvd right out of the camera. As you probably know, the video capture hardware will convert my video into an analog signal and then back into digital, drastically reducing the video quality. I can't believe that this company would be so irresponsible with people's precious time and memories. Do not buy this camera.



5. I own this camera and recently decided to just trash the darn thing. What a huge waste of money and a huge disappointment. My first problem with the camera is that it ONLY works with Maxell disks. I realize NOW that these are "recommended" by the manufacturer, but this was not made clear to me when I purchased it, and it surprising how many stores don't carry the Maxell brand. For the few years since I've had this camera, we are constantly losing disks mid-use and getting error messages. Recently there was another error message and the darn thing won't even open. I can't tell you how much has been lost. And, even if you didn't have all of the hard drive problems that seem to be common to the camera, I find the DVD loading mechanism unnecessarily tricky to load. So, my recommendation is--avoid this camera. I saw a good review of it and purchased it, and it has been nothing but trouble. And from what i've read on other message boards, I am definitely not alone!

No comments about Lorex VQ1630 Weatherproof Color Bullet Camera with Deluxe Sunshade.

No comments about Sony DSR-PD170THPAC DVCAM Camcorder & Hard Case.

No comments about Mace NQB-600 B/W Quad Processor.

5 comments about Mustek DV3000 Multi-Function Digital Video Camera w/1.5-inch LCD and 2x Digital Zoom.

1. I am using this as a substitute of my tape-DV.
   The good side of it is you need DV tape nomore,
   and also the size of the machine can be reduced
   to a minimum. Mmmm, the possibly downside of it
   is DV3000 didn't offer high resolution film mode-
   640x480, it's a pitty!



2. I bought this camera and was very happy with it. It took clear pictures and was very easy to use. Although it was small in size it got the job done. Then, after less than a month of using it, it simply stopped working. It wouldn't turn on, the LCD screen wouldn't show anything, and when it rarely did turn on, weird sounds came from it. I took good care of it, didn't drop it or anything of the like. After repeatedly calling Mustek customer service and finally getting help from them, all they said was that it had a malfunction and to ship it in, but we never got a new camera. It was horrible service, and a cheap camera.



3. I only use the digital camera capabilities for the Mustek DV 3000. This small digital camera is great for quick pictures that are going to be used for digital purposes and the software that comes with the camera is eay to use. Even the novice computer user can upload pictures with this camera. The downside if no flash and the video capabilities seem to capture very dark video unless outside or in a very extremely high light area. So I use this camera to take quick pictures of my kids or for items I am selling online, so this camera is very functional for it's quick digital camera functions.



4. Well it's an ok camera except for the fact that can't take videos at 6:30 PM cause it gets to dark, and if I want to take a video in my house the blinds have to be open and the lights have to be on and it has from 5:00 AM to 6:20PM. Other than that it's an ok camera. The pictures are the most clearest, and the videos are sortta fussy.



5. This camera is a good one to start out with. I got this camera back in 2005 for a trip to Switzerland, Italy, and France, and it got the job done. It was my first digital camera, and insanely easy to use.
   
   The picture quality is not the best, and the difference between the middle and highest resolutions is barely noticeable save in how much space is taken up on your memory card. Over time, the camera itself will most likely begin to break. Mine has started to separate down the middle, but the camera still works the same as the day I purchased it and this problem can easily be fixed with superglue.
   
   I do not recommend this camera for someone who is looking for high-quality images. While it is a nice camera for home and personal use, the overall quality of the images is not great, and I find myself looking at other digital cameras, possibly a Canon, for my next trip that have a higher resolution and that have image stabilization. Another thing to note is that this camera has to be held very still when taking a picture. Movement of any kind often results in a noticeably warped image. The length of time the camera takes to actually take the picture definitely has something to do with this. It takes between six and twelve seconds, depending on resolution, to take a picture. The battery life itself is good, lasting about three hundred pictures before I had to change my batteries.
   
   I have no real complaints about this camera. It is a good, basic camera with few options, and the fact that it doesn't have a flash really is not a problem once the camera adjusts to the light. When I was in the Vatican, cameras with flashes were not allowed, and I found that once my camera adjusted to the light, I could take pictures that were just fine. This even in spite of the fact that many of the rooms there are barely lit in order to preserve the artwork.
   
   I recommend this camera to anyone who is just starting out in the realm of digital photography. This camera is perfect for anyone who is looking to take basic pictures and shines as a personal camera. The images I took when abroad are of good quality (though not the best), and the majority of the images turn out rather clear.

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.

5 comments about Panasonic PVDV103 MiniDV Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD.

1. Let me just tell you that PANASONIC IS HORRIBLE!!! I have never in my life been soo upset over any electronic...EVER! I got this video camera as a birthday present in May 2004 for my first cruise. I played with the camera for just an hour and set it aside until my vacation. I left for my vacation a week after i got the video camera. I turned the video camera on of course on the plane to tape my friends being goofy then did not turn it on until we were settled in our hotel. I taped about 2 min while walking around and did not touch it again until of course our taxi ride to the cruise ship. While we were in the cab i turned my brand new video camera on to find the words "dew detected" and to hear this clicking noise! i almost immediatly broke down in tears. I tried to ask everyone if they knew what it meant, but had no luck. I saw a couple of people on the ship with the same camera and they were having no problems with theirs. i was soo desperate to video the beautiful sights from the ship that i even asked someone to borrow theirs and put my own tape in it! Every day i tried to play with it, fix it, turn it on, off, etc...but nothing! i got home and exchanged it for a brand new one! they couldnt tell me the reason why this was happening, but it did. I walk out with my brand new video camera that i wish i had for my trip, but its ok...my new niece was being born so at least i would have it for that! I used it a couple of times and then just put it back in my drawer until i needed it again...which was last week! I turned it on and it said "dew detected" and the tape compartment will not close! i cannot believe this is happening to me AGAIN! i have used this camera only 3 times! I am furious! i called panasonic only for them to tell me that it was going to cost me $250 to fix it. I explained to them this is my second camera that this happened to and they dont care! My next step, after reading the same complaints, is to take it up with a manager or someone else that has power other than some customer service rep who could care less about my needs. I am going on vacation next week and need a new camera. i am furious! Can someone please tell how they got a new camera? I am thinking just throwing it out?I am soo furious that this has happened to me again!



2. I have had mine for 3 years and not a one problem with it. Would recommend Panasonic to anyone.



3. I found a trick to go around it , well i am not sure how long this will last but for now it did the trick
   I have used a paint tape, a blue masking tape , and covered the front of the camcorder where the microphone is, because i assumed that they have put their moisture detector overthere, and in fact after sealing the speaker/microphone holes in the front, the camcorder is back to working fine even after removing the tape --- good luck



4. it works ok but looks rough it was supposed to be refurbished would not buy again if i had to do over!



5. I love everything about it. I just wish I would've known ahead of time that I didn't have the right hardware to upload the content.
   
   Thank you!

3 comments about Sony Professional DSR-PD170 3 CCD MiniDV Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom.

1. I've used this camera on several professional video shoots now, including talking heads, outdoors and an indoor music video. The low light capability of this camera is nothing short of stunning, with clear, crisp images available even when using only available tungsten room lights. We shot a girl playing the piano with candles in the background and only the piano lamp and it looked great. The PD170 is very easy to use for the beginner and a breeze to tweak on the fly. It has solid, nicely positioned controls (for full auto and full manual configurations), pro XLR audio/mic inputs and easily accessible miniDV cassette mechanism that lets you change tapes while the camera is on the tripod. Its DVCam recording mode runs the DV tape at a faster rate, giving you about 43 minutes of recording on an hour miniDV tape. The higher recording speed is not mandatory, but does improve quality when you choose to use it. Autofocus is crystal clear, but easily manipulated manually with a great focus ring. This camera has lots of bells and whistles, including the ability to monitor both channels' recording levels onscreen, while taping. I've heard the networks' embedded reporters in Iraq are using PD170's and I believe it. The quality of the images captured by this camera is nothing short of professional. The heft and feel of the PD170 is just right. it's got a nice, built-in lens cover that's actuated by a solid feeling lever on the side of the lens housing. It also features two built in neutral density filters that can be flipped into position with another lever. The list of features and thoughtful design elements goes on and on. Obviously, I'm crazy about this DVCam and literally don't have a single complaint to share. If you're looking for a rock solid, professional grade camcorder in the $3000 range, look no further. Read up on it and the competition. Then buy this gem and prepare to be bowled over by its performance, pictures and exceptional design.



2. Clean, beautiful images. Rugged construction. A fine run'n'gun videographic instrument, although after a year now I wish that I had gone with the shoulder cam version, the DSR-250, but that's another story...
   
   Likes:
   
   Wide range of shutterspeeds (1/4-1/10000).
   Clean gain up to 9 or 12 db
   and very light sensitive to boot.
   Simultaneous B/W Viewfinder and color LCD.
   Fairly sharp B/W Viewfinder, a must-have feature, imo.
   
   Dislikes:
   
   A few misplaced and unnecessary controls along the bottom ridge.
   A few misplaced and very necessary controls, such as the iris control wheel that gets blocked by LCD screen when open and isn't very accessible for handheld besides.
   Weak audio preamps.
   
   For event videography, this camera just plain reigns supreme, for the price.



3. I have owned my PD170 for about a year now. I bought it to replace my VX2000 (another great camera).
   
   Pros:
   1. Excellent quality images for a non HD camera.
   2. XLR connectors.
   3. Compact size with excellent weight for steady one handed shots.
   4. The low light ability of this camera is second to none.
   5. Professional look.
   
   Cons:
   1. Not a shoulder mounted camera.
   
   
   I shoot mostly weddings, events and indoor theatre productions.
   
   You can't go wrong with this video camera.

No comments about SONY Handycam PAL High Definition Camcorder HDRFX1E - NOT FOR USA USE.