5 comments about Sony DCRPC120BT MiniDV Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD, Memory Stick, MPEG, Mega Pixel Video/ Still & Network Capability.

1. I really like this videocam. It integrates seamlessly into my computer system.

   The video comes out really clear and sharp, so much so that when I view it later, I was so amazed that everything looked so sharp and clear. The sky was so blue and the resolution is also great. You can easily see falling flower petals in the background several feet away.

   There are lots of other video editing features on this camera, but I only use the basic features, so I can't comment on those. But I dont think those features are very useful anyways, because there are much better editing programs you can use on computers.

   In digital camera mode, it has two resolutions. The 1.5 megapixel resolution is comparable to most dedicated digital cameras. Both resolutions come out fine when uploaded into my computer. On a 256meg memory stick, I can stick over 600 pictures on it. It also comes with a flash, can take pictures at night.

   I use it to load video and jpegs on my Apple MacIntosh, and everything is plug and play. No need to fiddle with the drivers and controls.

   The only negative thing I can say about it is that it is not as small and compact as the other videocams out there, but for the features it has, the compromise on weight is acceptable.




2. I really like this videocam. It integrates seamlessly into my computer system.

   The video comes out really clear and sharp, so much so that when I view it later, I was so amazed that everything looked so sharp and clear. The sky was so blue and the resolution is also great. You can easily see falling flower petals in the background several feet away.

   Focusing was fast and accurate.

   There are lots of video editing features on this camera, but I only use the basic features, so I can't comment on those. But I dont think those features are very useful anyways, because there are much better editing programs you can use on computers.

   In digital camera mode, it has two resolutions. The 1.4 megapixel resolution is comparable to most dedicated digital cameras. Both resolutions come out fine when uploaded into my computer. On a 128 meg memory stick, I can stick over 600 pictures on it. It also comes with a flash, can take pictures at night.

   I use it to load video and jpegs on my Apple MacIntosh computer, and everything is plug and play. No need to fiddle with the drivers and controls.

   The only negative thing I can say about it is that it is not as small and compact as the other videocams out there, but for the features it has, the compromise on weight is acceptable.




3. four stars off this one. I got a C:31:23 error message when I insert a tape. It beeps and ask to eject the tape. When I eject the tape, it left the tape out all wrinkled up. The manual is no help to decipher the code. Why does it even display it if no one knows? Error code starts with "C" is self-servicable according to the manual. But it does not list all the codes obviously. The worst of all, after been put on hold for more than two hours, no one at their customer service takes the call and I finally gave up. I own many Sony products, this was the first time I tried to contact their customer service. It is just unbelievable. They dwarf the worst customer service experience you ever had. Why do they even have a phone number if no one answers it? Sony's customer service kills one's will to live. Take my advice, don't go there.



4. I've owned video cameras since my first Hitachi VHS in the 80's. This is the sharpest camera yet. I will be selling my Canon Optura DV, JVC GR-DVP3U and Sony Digital 8 to use this exclusively. The video picture quality is astounding, as is the low light performance. I added the wide angle lens and video light for an overall nice package. The digital still capability is useless compared to a real digital camera even in the same 1.5 megapixel rating. Still pictures look 'TV like', but the video sharpness just has me keeping the camera. I'm sure the 330 is even a better improvement, but I'd still be suspicious of the still picture performance.



5. I own one DCR-PC120BT since more than 9 months now. And last week I had the chance to test the new 330. Forget it! After several days of practicing with both cameras the DCR-PC120BT is the clear winner!

5 comments about Sony DCRPC105 MiniDV 1.0 Mega Pixel Handycam Camcorder with 2.5" Swivel LCD.

1. The camera is not as good as specified. Still image quality is good when taken fron very short distance but not good for the outside natural scenes taken from far away. The video quality is not so good. In low light you can't get the real colour. Specially in night shot. During video recording its pick up nois from the outside, which is very bad when you play the video. I dont think the video image quality is better that the SONY Hi-8 camera (which has much less price and not Carl Zeiss lence.). The PIXELA software frovided with the camera is too bad. If you convert to MPEG-1 using USB cable vedio quality will be useless. I think they should mention in the manual about the quality of the video using USB cable and the provided software. If it is useless I cant understant why it is provided with the camera. The software is not also user friendly. There should be some sample video using that software, so the customers can understant bout the vedio quality before buying the camera. Most of the video options are not available in memorystick if somebody wants to record in memorystick as MPEG-1. Also the video size is very small.



2. After a long research of compact camcorders, I bought a PC105 last September to replace a bulkier Digital 8, also Sony, that in turn replaced a Sony Hi8, and I am quite happy with it. I got it for about $750 on IBuyDigital. The camera is really compact, though you need to get used to the PC format (vertical), as opposed to the TRV one. The image quality is superb, and with good illumination you get up to 500 lines horizontal resolution (I measured it, the D8 only went up to 380 and the Hi8 to 420). The image quality is much better than my old D8. The 1Mpix still images are reasonable but don't replace a dedicated still digicam, though for special cases when you need the 10x zoom, it is a good thing to have. The MPEG1 video clips that you can store on the Memory Stick look similar to what you get from video clips out of still digicams. I guess those are mostly gadgets, I mainly use it for DV video and I capture it to my PC for later transfer to DVD.

   The zoom lever is not particularly easy to use, but once you get used to it is not that bad. The focus ring is easy to use, though the autofocus is so good that I hardly use the manual focus (as compared to my old Hi8). Also, the image stabilization is way superior to the old D8 one, and does not seem to introduce extra noise as was the typical case. This is especially important on a small and light weight camcorder since it is harder to keep it still than with a heavier one.

   But, the main advantage of this camera, besides its compact size, is the hybrid LCD touchpanel. Forget about those bright days when you had to stick to the viewfinder because you could hardly see the LCD screen under the sunlight. With this one, you can see it perfectly, whether under the direct sun or on a dark place... You can even save some battery power by switching off the backlight when using it outdoors. The 2.5" is a bit small, but I don't believe you can put a bigger one without making the camcorder bigger too. The LCD is high resolution and looks very sharp. The color viewfinder is not tiltable and resolution is not as good as the LCD, but helps extending battery life, which BTW is accurately measured and displayed.

   I would have placed at least a scroll/select wheel for the menu system, though the touch panel is really easy to use. But the scroll wheel is faster to use for selecting things on a typical Sony menu. However, the most used functions have direct access from the LCD touch panel buttons, and the spot focus and spot metering, where you select the area of interest by touching it on the LCD, is a cool addition that you don't have in many cameras.

   Overall, I am happy with it, I can put it on the same bag together with my 5Mpix digicam and I just hope it works fine for many, many years.




3. Touch screen is unique. First model that I have seen with it. Sort of dummy proof. Good for your average home video shooter. However, if you are planning to shoot professional video, DO NOT use this camera. The 10X optical zoom is a joke. Sure the 120X digital zoom is decent, but unfortunately, you suffer in quality. If you want a combo digatal camera/camcorder, you could do better. But if all you want is a tiny camcorder that can take high quality home video, then this may do it.



4. The technical reviews here are great, and very helpful. But maybe you're like me -- not a videographer, but just a parent who wants a compact, easy to use, high-quality camera. And this Sony is an excellent choice. Small enough that you don't mind lugging it along to school performances, or tucking it away -- because you never know when a memory will beg for capture. I love the touch screen menus. And it's typical Sony quality.
   
   Our family will record something silly, plug the USB cable right into the TV, and watch our instant movies. Fun times.



5. Well, I purchased this camera about a year ago for $600 on ebay and it does everything I want it to do. Great resolution, except with digital zoom, and ok stills. I took the pics displayed here with a sony dscw5 but the still quality you'll get with this camera on memory card are also displayed here.. As far as video quality, its still great for a 2-3 yrs old camera. I usually attach this camera via firewire to my pc and edit videos there. When i dont use a digital zoom thing look great! W/digital zoom not so well. I like the form factor and for the next 2-3 years I have no inclination to buy a new camcorder. Enjoy!

5 comments about Panasonic PVDV202 MiniDV Multicam Digital Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD, IR Remote & 8MB SD Memory Card.

1. This is a nice camcorder that you can play with.
   This is a light and easy to operate camcorder( compare to JVC VLWD405 ). The quality of still picture and video is great.
   I think this is excellent model for the beginner.



2. I purchased this camcorder about 2 months back. Thought I'd share my experience with all. Overall, I am satisfied with this purchase.

   ''''''''''''''''LIKES :)'''''''''''''''
   1. 680,000 PIXEL CCD
   Camcorders at this price range (atleast the better brands) typically have 390,000 or 460,000 pixels. In a MiniDV camcorder, the number of pixels on each CCD significantly affect the video quality. So this one with 680,000 pixels should give you noticeably better video quality than others

   2. IMAGE STABILIZATION AND PICTURE EFFECTS
   It is surprising how much shake comes into a video even with what I thought was a steady hand at 10x Zoom. Image stabilization can make that shot much more viewable. The nice thing is that you can apply stabilization either while recording or playing it back. The other effect I use a lot is the Fade effect, to seperate different sequences of video

   3. AUDIO EFFECTS AND ZOOM MIC
   I like to be able to cut out the background noise caused by the wind howling. Also, in relatively quiet conditions, the Zoom Mic can filter out the ambient noise and try to make the sound (from the area you are zooming into) more prominent. Cute!

   4. POWERFUL LIGHT
   I found this to be quite useful. Digital photography products generally struggle in low light conditions, so this was a must have feature for me. And while it would certainly take up more battery power, my batteries didnt seem to drain out very quickly either

   5. WEB CAM MODE
   You can also use this as a Web Cam. I've never used this mode but expect it will do as well as any dedicated Web cam in the market

   6. DECENT LCD
   Though not exactly great when in bright outdoor conditions, the LCD is about as good or better when compared to other camcorders in the market

   7. REMOTE - EASE OF USE; and RELIABLE
   I found this camcorder to be easy to use. The remote helps playback / operate from a distance. The Camcorder has good build quality and that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling

   ''''''''''''''''DISLIKES :(''''''''''''''''
   1. OPTICAL ZOOM - 10x
   I think Optical Zoom is one feature which you can never have enough of! 10x is decent and useful, but frankly, there are tons of models there that offer 20x+. Though I would certainly love more zoom, be warned that the more the zoom, the more the shake that gets into the video; and the lower the picture quality (because there is lesser light incident on the lens). I never use Digital Zoom so Optical Zoom is all the zoom I've got

   2. USB CONNECTION AND STILL PHOTO MODE
   This has its caveats. Yes, you can transfer videos using the USB 1 connection, but its just not practical. One second of video takes 40 seconds to get downloaded onto the computer (because USB 1 has a bandwidth of only 12 Mega bits per second). Also, you can download only 1 minute of video at a time (which will take you 40 minutes anyway). Just not practical!
   I wonder if Panasonic will be upgrading these models with USB 2 support soon - that will be good - its 40 times faster!
   Regarding the still photo mode, I was disappointed. I thought 1.3 Megapixels (albeit interpolated) would give me decent shots, but it doesnt. Take others advise and plan on using a [good] camera for stills, they'll leave this for dead. And dont get impressed by the Memory Card feature - its not very useful to have poor quality shots caught on the card.

   3. FIREWIRE TRANSFER LIMITATION
   Honestly, I don't know how many people would use this feature to store / process their digital recordings. In case you are like me and intend doing so once DVD Writers are cheaper (so that you can dump about 1 hour of video after doing the necessary modifications on 1 DVD), there's a caveat. The firewire transfer mode only does 3 minutes of video at a time. I don't know about other digital camcorders, but this sounds like a trivial irritation

   ''''''''''''''''MUST HAVE ADD-ONS :O''''''''''''''''
   1. MORE BATTERY
   The battery that comes with the camera is good for about 40 minutes of Video - with LCD usage and Zooming. I found this out the hard way - the very next day I bought this camcorder, I went out on a cruise by the San Francisco Bay to watch the 4th of July Celebrations. I had captured details of the Alcatraz; and after waiting out in the cold for 3 hours, the fireworks finally started. And as Murphy would have warned, the battery gave way immediately! :'(
   You've been warned. There's a decent Panasonic battery that I purchased for [a moderate amount]- that gives me about 2 hours more. Must buy!

   2. VIDEO CASSETTES
   These days you can buy a 60 minute cassette for [a small price], you'll need them as long as you don't start burning your videos onto DVD

   3. FIREWIRE CARD and DVD WRITER
   To burn videos onto DVD. I'll probably wait for DVD technologies to stabilize and prices to drop - maybe a year or two before I buy these

   4. CARRYING CASE

   5. OPTICAL LENS
   I haven't done this yet, but am planning on buying a 2x Telephoto Zoom lens and a Wide angle lens. This way, I get to overcome my main gripe with this camcorder - the 10x zoom




3. The camera locks up when recording, and it's already fallen outside of it's 90 day parts warranty.

   I can't find much out about what's wrong on the Internet, and of course, since most of these types of repairs can cost nearly as much as what the camera cost, it's turning into an expensive paperweight.

   This camera has disappointed me because I couldn't take movies of my Kauai trip.




4. This is an excellent Digital Cam. It has great features that are easy to use. Also, the quality is very good. The only negative is the slow digital picture taking between clicking and being to take another picture. I have owned this camera since it came out. I use it alot and never had any problems with quality or functionality.



5. I'm giving this product three stars, because our PV-DV202 was a very good camera.. until it quit working. The quality of the video and even that of the still shots was very good. Panasonic cameras are also generally very user friendly. Beware though of Panasonic's customer service. Its Internet and telephone contact system is notorious for not returning requests for assistance, routing its callers through a confusing phone tree to poorly synthesized voice messages or long waits to talk to a customer representative. If you are seeking to repair a product that is out of warranty, your camera has actually just become a very expensive doorstop because repairs will usually cost you more than the camera cost new. We found this out the hard way. We were very happy with the camera for the two years of gentle use we gave it. Suddenly, the tape head went bad and we discovered the ugly truth about Panasonic, that it sells its cameras at a competetive price by reducing its customer service overhead. If you are nonetheless willing to take this risk or choose to buy an extended warranty for the camera, then Panasonic's customer service situation would be a non-issue for you.

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