2 comments about Panasonic VDR-D50 DVD Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. Panasonic VDR-D50 DVD Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom The Panasonic VDR-D50 DVD Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom is easy to use, light weight, and decent video quality. I recommend it to anyone who wants a relatively inexpensive camcorder without sacrificing much.



2. Panasonic Camcorder, Model VDR-D50P/PC
   I have had no experience operating a camcorder until I purchased this one. Detailed instructions come with the unit and once I became acquainted with some of its many functions, I found it very enjoyable to use. The clarity of the movies recorded on DVD and photos stored on the SD card is of superior quality. Both, the movies stored on the DVD and pictures stored on the SD card can be viewed on TV by connecting the camcorder to the TV via the USB cable that comes with the unit. (I found that the DVD might have to be finalized first)
   
   The software that comes with the camcorder which is advertised to allow editing of movies (particularly designed for "VISTA") does not seem to want to download into my computer. I have contacted Panasonic on the problem twice already, but the technicians were unable to help me install the software. I suggested that the software might be faulty, and asked for another disk, but have had no further response from Panasonic since the latter part of May 2008. Hopefully I can get the software to work on my "Windows VISTA". As that was one of the features I desired when I purchased the camcorder.

5 comments about Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 30-Minutes (Black).

1. The FLIP videa ultra series camcorder is compact and easy to use. It is my first foray into video cameras. It took about five minutes to get started and figure out how to use it. Having not used a video camera before, I was concerned that 60 minutes of video would not be enough, However, I am finding that most moments I want to capture only last about two minutes. Even when I have several of those in a day, I still have plenty of video time left.
   
   Pro: Easy to use for newbie, small and portable, decent quality.
   Cons: Quality of uploaded videos does not match quality on laptop, presumably because the process of shrinking videos for upload degrades quality. I need to figure out a way around that...maybe not use the software that comes with the FLIP or upgrade to the purchased version.



2. great cam for on the run and taking photos of friends and family- EASY to use...you won't be disappointed!
   few small problems on the upload but easy to get past...



3. Very easy to use, uploads video simply, couldn't figure out how to increase the record volume sufficiently. Great videos of the trip and fun to use.



4. Purchased for our vacation (cruise). Ended up to be the easiest, user friendly, compact camcorder with great results!! It's really that simple, power on and press the red button to shoot. Captured moments on a whim because of it's compact size and accessibility. Downloading to PC is just as easy. Anyone with second thoughts, NO WORRIES, a great item for a great price. I think this would be wonderful for new parents to capture all those precious moments. Flip video is way too easy to use to pass up.



5. The Flip camera made such nice video I had to buy one for my dad and both my kids want one. It is easy to use, I wouldn't bother with the camera pouch the hard sided case is much better and allows you to put the USB cord with the camera as well as other batteries. I would have bought the recharable one but it was not available when I bought the Pink one for my wife. She loves it!

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC28 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.

1. most of the playback and adjustment controls are soft touch via the flip out panel. that is very awkward and undesirable. it would be fine if that was a backup/parallel method, but forcing these fat fingers of mine to try and hit the little pixels, and driving down through all those levels of controls makes me crazy. i will be paying for the cheap price of this half baked item for many frustrating months to come, until i can justify getting a more well designed product.



2. Love it got it a week ago and have great fun with it .
   I love that you can record in widescreen and full screen.
   Pros:
   Size
   Sound
   Battery Life
   Playback Clearness
   Easy to use
   Nightshot Plus
   Touch screen
   And being able to flip the screen so that you can see your self while taping
   
   Cons:
   I only have one. it doesn't come with a firewire cable though.



3. I LOVE MY NEW CAMCODER. I USE IT TO RECORD MY KIDS AND IT'S VERY LIGHT AND VERY SMALL. I HAVE NO COMPLANTS.



4. I love this little booger! Seriously, for the price I paid, I'm very pleased. I did my homework. I would have liked a microphone jack, an accessory shoe and AV Input but didn't want to spend over $300. Perhaps after a few months, I may upgrade to the DCR-HC96 but for now, I'm happy as a clam. I have a Toshiba laptop with a built-in 4-pin firewire port and I purchased a generic firewire cord for all of $5 including shipping. I took some short videos of my boyfriend eating breakfast and within minutes I had them uploaded to Windows Movie Maker and had a ball editing them. Fun!



5. This is a great little camera for the money. I would highly suggest it to anyone on a budget.

5 comments about Digital Blue Tony Hawk Helmetcam.

1. I recently used this helmetcam during a rollerderby practice. This camera will not be useful during an actual rollerderby bout becuz it will most definitely become damaged once it gets smashed against someone else's helmet or worse someone's face will get crunched by the camera. This camera, of course, had skateboarding in mind and not rollerderby. :)
   
   For this type of camera you aren't going to get top quality. If you want quality footage then you need to buy an actual camcorder, but I doubt that you'll want to carry it around with you as you are doing tricks on wheels.
   
   When my husband saw this product at Wal-Mart for $100 it was not something that we would have considered purchasing. The price lowered to $50 so to us that was a more reasonable price for a novelty item.
   
   After having it strapped to my helmet and watching the footage of skating in a pack of rollerderby girls it was pretty exciting. It's something neat to be able to share on youtube and pass around to one another. The band that comes with the helmetcam to strap it to a helmet works very well. It stayed in place and did not move. If it doesn't fit your helmet perfectly there is a rubbery piece that is supplied to help the fit be tight.
   
   It gives an outsider somewhat of an idea of what it's like to be able to skate in a pack of rollerderby chics. It was cool to hear the wheels rolling and the viewer sees what it is like to be right in the middle of the pack.
   
   I gave this camera three stars because I think the price is a little hefty for this camera. For the quality film that it records I wouldn't mind paying about 29.99 for this toy.
   
   Also the red laser light on the helmet is very annoying. As soon as you turn it on the red laser is on and blinking...you can check where its target is which needs to be straight ahead in front of you...and until you press "record" it continues to blink. So, you are basically blinding people with your red laser light. I wish there was a button to turn off the red laser after you had made sure you know where it is targetting. I think I will get a piece of duct tape to put over the laser light so that I won't have to constantly keep my hand over it before I decide to record what I am doing.



2. I was skeptical that this camera would be really bad - I mean, how many of these gadgets are just inferior quality with less than acceptable output. Well, this one surprised even me! After installing two AAA batteries and the supplied SD card, my sons and I took it outside to test it out. We decided to place it on a baseball helmet and see if we could get some live action "at the plate" video. We learned a few things - 1) This is actually a pretty good camera - while it is not the best resolution - it can capture videos akin to what you can view on youtube. So not really that bad. The color is good and the sound is very good. 2) You need good light to capture decent video. - The sun was going down when we took the videos and things got backlit pretty badly. But even at sunset, if you capture the action where the light is hitting it, it is very good. So you need good light.
   The camera is super simple to use, push a button and you hear a pleasant chime and you are recording. Press it again and it stops recording. There is a blinking camera icon on the small LCD screen which indicates recording and a nifty clock-like indicator showing how much of the memory card you have used up. It also shows the number of video clips you have taken and there is also a button for deleting invividual clips...super simple - in fact, my five year old figured it out.
   The product is pretty decent quality and looks durable. The supplied helmet strap and usb cable are very sturdy. We thought the product would look dumb strapped to our helmet but it is not that obtrusive.
   We decided that baseball did not lend itself well to the cameras intended use since it was way too jerky (but still fun). Biking, skateboarding, skiing, and more "smooth" & steady situations would be ideal. In fact, we strapped the camera to a pole and pointed it at our action and it was great.
   I must say, I thought this would be a loser and am very impressed. Our kids didn't know what to think of it and we were not sure they would even like it. They think it is pretty cool and can't wait to discover new uses for it.
   In fact, we saw a cool video on the web which showed this camera attached to an R/C airplane and it gave a flyover tour of a city area which looked really really good. Definitely a great camera for kids and adults alike who want some medium resolution fun video clips. Note: this will work with a MAC also if you have an sd card reader for the MAC (does not recognize via usb on MAC only via card reader).



3. I don't understand why people gave this cam only 1 & 2 stars??? The video is very good and it only takes a few footage takes to get the cam set perfectly for motocross riding. It just takes a little patience (very little) and know how to set up......in other words if you can open a gift wrapped box then you can figure this thing out. When it's played on a computer the picture is very good and scrolls perfectly, and the sound is really good also. I was skeptical about this thing based on some reviews but man, my buddy and I were pleasantly surprised at how good the video and sound actually were. Our motocross video footage looked exactly like it does in real time. Bottom line is this thing is perfect for what it's made for and what it cost, and what it is........a good cheap way to archive your fun times or for some of us our painful times. Buy it! You'll be glad you did. A good way to spend 50 bucks..............



4. I love this camera! I use it in a racecar...on dirt. The only thing I don't like is ... it only records for 15 minutes. If you want to record incar camera action this is the way go!



5. You have to remember you're only spending $[...] or so on this product so you can't expect some awesome quality videos. For the money I paid I was actually suprised how well it works. I used it for horse back riding, videoing on the flat and over fences. It's easy to work and the quality is pretty comparable to the video on my 5mp HP camera. It does only record for 15 minutes at a time but I put a 512MD SD card in there and got three 15 minute clips. For fun this camera is a good buy.

3 comments about JVC Everio GZ-HD6 3CCD 120GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. Excellent image quality, good color and contrast, amazing resolution. Very easy to use and setup. I have owned Sony cameras almost exclusively and wondered how the joystick control would work over the touch screen - it worked very well - if fact I liked it better. My largest concern and the reason I returned this unit was because of the wind noise. No matter what the setting, the slightest breeze would create an awful muffling sound - drowning out important sounds - even kids screaming and having fun at the pool. However, to be fair, the indoor audio quality is right up there with best in my opinion.
   
   If you want to edit videos created by this camera consider this -- the iLink (IEEE 1394) firewire connection does work however you must record in the lower quality 1440 CBR (Constant Bitrate Mode) in order to get the video over the link and into popular capture software such as Adobe Premier, Sony Vegas and Apple's Final Cut Pro. I found this to be a little confusing and not well documented. Moreover, the camera will NOT stream video over this link - only playback previous recording footage.
   
   Batter life is remarkable and the included software works great. You can create DVDs and Video CDs right over the USB cable using the supplied software.
   
   Also, I read a ton of reviews about the awful image quality when taking video in low light conditions. I have to disagree with these prior reviews. I found it to perform about even with the Sony HDV-A1U - a professional HD camera.



2. This is 3rd time that buy camcorder.
   
   1. Good things
   - Resolution
   - Weight
   - Size
   
   2. Bad things
   - Camera resolution
   - Seporated camcoreder and disital camera
   
   I strongly recommend to buy.



3. This is a great camera. BUT, it claims to be Mac compatible. FALSE advertising.
   
   Google the article in Macworld magazine about this problem...

5 comments about Aiptek GO-HD High Definition 720p Camcorder with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. I was concerned about some of the complaints regarding short battery life, noisy zoom lens and an overall cheap plastic feel of this camera, but it was a great value & I decided to give it a try.
   
   Luckily, I havn't had any of those problems with the camera, and after several months, am perfectly happy with it. Yes, the camera has a plastic body, but it's been very durable while travelling and seems no flimsier than any other electronic device made today. The plastic body is one reason why the camera is so easy to take everywhere. It's light, compact & not a chore to haul around, which is nice.
   
   Rather than a short battery life, I have been suprised at the long life of the battery that came in the camera. I bought an extra battery because I expected it to run out quickly, but I've never used it. I've never needed to. During a 4-day weekend in the mountains, I plugged the camera in at night, and was able to record any time and every time I wanted all day long each day.
   
   The noisy zoom lens? I don't know. My model doesn't have a noisy zoom lens. I can barely hear it when I use it, and have never noticed the sound of the zoom during playback. Maybe it happens with some of them.
   
   Granted, the built-in microphone doesn't produce the best sound, but it's been good enough for my casual use of video. The video has been clear, sharp & colorful. Would I use it to record a wedding? Probably not. To record my mother's belly-dancing recital? You bet!



2. It's a $200 camera so I wasn't expecting much but I was actually impressed with the picture quality of the 1080 and 720 settings. The 720 60fps setting looked great and had fluid movement. The only thing I didn't like was that the recorded sound was about 1/2 second of ahead of the video. That matters when someone is talking to the camera. The still camera took bad pictures too, kind've blurry on the sides. I didn't buy it for it's still camera quality though, I probably never would have used it.
   
   I returned the camera though. Overall, if the sound would have been in sync it would have been 5 stars because it really takes nice video, vivid colors, autofocus seemed to work fine, crisp HD picture.



3. I admit that I am a geek and I'm proud of it. I love to explore new technologies and see how different designers approach the same problem.
   
   I have had a little media production company for a few years which has allowed me to experiment with a lot of different equipment. High-end video cameras are great, but I also love the cheap little cameras sold by companies like Aiptek and Mustek. My interest in these cameras is based on their tiny size and tiny price. Unfortunately, the video quality has typically also been "tiny."
   
   With that said, for little money you can buy a camera that serves both as a still camera and a video camera good enough to send videos of little Timmy's piano recital to grandma or to take some casual still shots. Several years ago I wrote a long review on the Aiptek IS-DV camcorder for E-pinions. Although the IS-DV was a seriously flawed machine it offered "good enough" performance, a very attractive price and a nice software bundle. Based on the above I thought it would be a great little camcorder for the above listed uses, especially for those on a tight budget.
   
   So it was with great expectation I purchased the Aiptek "Go-HD" camcorder. This camera was bigger than the IS-DV but offered 750p resolution, a 5 MP camera, low light mode, auto focus (instead of fixed focus) and an optical zoom. I was very excited to try it out.
   
   My overall impression has (unfortunately) been so-so.
   
   Why?
   
   1. Cost...The price of the Go-HD is dropping, I bought it when it had just come out and it was significantly more expensive than previous Aiptek products. It is significantly less expensive than a true HD camcorder. With that said you can now get a regular DV type camcorder for just a little more than this one.
   2. Picture quality...Certainly an improvement over older Aiptek cameras but (IMHO) not as good as a regular DV camcorder. This surprised me as the specs of the camera suggests that the picture quality should be better..
   3. No image stabilization...I didn't think that this would be a big deal as I know how to hold a camera. Yet, it turned out to be a big deal as the camera is so small it is hard to steady and the video can look pretty shaky unless you are real careful.
   4. Quality of still pictures...They are pretty good, so what is my beef?? They are not as good as an inexpensive point and shoot which you can now get for around $100. Low cost point and shoots now offer a lot of modes (like sports, night shot, etc) which this camera does not. I often found that I had to tweak pictures in a photo editor, something that I don't have to do with pictures from other cheap cameras.
   5. Poor battery life
   6. Rare codec...The Aiptek web page says that the camera's video is in the .mov format. What is in the small print is that the camera uses a particular codec called the H.264 codec and it doesn't seem that many video editing programs support this particular combination. This is a huge problem if you want to edit your footage. I did buy Arc Soft's Total Media Extreme software from Aiptek and that software does work with this camera but is it extremely basic in its functioning. To get a useable file (one that I could edit) I had to combine all of the video clips and render them to more common file format. This was a very slow process (set it up and go to bed) which degraded the final video. Only then could I use a video editor like Vegas Video or Movie Maker. Apparently there is some sort of a work around to use ULead's Video Studio but even that program doesn't support the H.264 codec packaged in .mov. This is a big deal as many folks would buy this camera for things like emailing a video to family. When you do this you want to trim the video down so that you send the smallest possible file. If it was possible to easily edit video from the Go-HD I would rate it higher.
   7. Noise...Using the optical zoom results in a very loud motor noise the in final video. Even when the zoom isn't used the audio quality isn't very good and you get a mechanical noise when you play back the video. This is very strange as the machine records to flash memory and there are no moving parts.
   8. Size...The camera is very small, but bigger than the IS-DV which was so light you would forget that it was on your belt. Other camcorders have been shrinking and now the difference between them is less than it was a couple of years ago.
   
   In many ways this camera is a vast improvement from the IS-DV that I liked in the past. However, the cost of this device is higher and the playing field has narrowed considerably. You can buy a decent DV or DVD camcorder for just a little more cash. On paper DV resolution should be a lot worse than the Go-HD's 720p, but in practice DV looks better (IMHO). Further, you can easily edit DV videos with many inexpensive or free programs.
   
   Conversely, you can buy an inexpensive point and shoot camera that will take great still pictures. Most of these cameras will also shoot decent (not great) video, perfect for email or web use.
   
   There is also a very inexpensive, tiny video camera called "The Flip." This camera takes very nice video and has built-in flash memory and editing software all for a very inexpensive price.
   
   Will I continue to play around with this tiny camera?? Sure! However, I find that I rarely use it in "real life." Nowadays when I need a mini video of a recital I use a "Flip" video camera and for more serious video adventures, like a vacation, I go with my standard video camera. What about stills?? My $100 Nikon from Walmart seems to do a great job. I wouldn't say "don't buy the Go-HD," but I would say "check out all of your options." You may find a camera that better suits your needs.



4. The camera works as advertised. It is portable, light weight, easy to configure, comes with a handy bag.
   
   The only con is battery life. If you are planning to record a 3 hour long event, forget about this one.
   
   [...]



5. Not the most reliable, stable piece of equipment, but what do you want for the pricetag? I'd say it's a very amusing gadget and I'm prepared to see how far this little thing can go. This actually has an optical zoom, unlike the other models that have a "digital zoom" (completely useless as far as I'm concerned). The biggest minus is the sound - it's outright horrendous. Manual override with the other functions is not easy to implement. Picture wise it's a nice achievement, 720 P video for such a low price.

5 comments about Sony Professional HVR-A1U CMOS High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. At first i wanted to buy the DVX100B ,i did not know that better products could exist, in other hand every time i called DVX100b dealers they were very rude, i really don't understand why !!!!!and they told me i could not use the DVX unless i purchased the lens which was so confusing, so after arguing many time because of their rude and cold attitudes i decided to call Panasonic them self, they told me that NO lens should ever been purchased for that camera to work, and that the lens already comes attached , they also said that such dealer are illegally their try to rip people off big time , seller like bestcameraprice, or express cameras and other expocameras ,are doing the same stupid thing , and on top they are very rude, like it's out of style,!!! it also look as if it's the same Dealer that has several website and try to act up as different one from the other be ware!!!
   I started to accept the possibilities of using other brands,for my work, cause i was looking for the Hollywood look and 24fr/PS and a pro camera, so i stared looking around after many ,many long, and sometimes frustrating hours Thank God i discover the SONY HVR A1 the Perfect one " The one hat gives you 24fr/s and the Hollywood look, and the craziest of all it delivers AMAZING HIGH DEFINITION which the DVX 100B don't so in conclusion the Sony HVR A1 is a great Professional Power Pack Camcorder it is a slap in the face to those that are accustomed to the same thing !
   The HVR A1 is a must have.



2. This is a great camcorder, taking nice videos.
   One thing I like to see in their next version is using hard disk, instead of using tape. Tape is not reliable. HDD is a lot easier for repeat use.



3. I have been shooting consumer video since 1981. I started with a reel to reel system, worked with a camera and VHS portapack, did 8mm, Hi-8 and replaced my Digital 8 camcorder with this HDV camcorder earlier this year. Primarily, I use it for family functions, but I do shoot things that require me to gather better sound than what comes out of the built-in mics. The primary reason I bought this camcorder was - at the time - it was the lowest price HDV camcorder that had a way to connect to external audio sources. I wanted a Canon A1, but didn't want to wait the extra year or two it would take to save up for that!
   I also liked the idea that it used tape. I have a DVR that I fill up all the time and then have to dump onto tape or DVD to store what I want to keep. Also, in my informal in-store tests, the picture with the AVCHD codec just didn't look as good... at this time. I use standard DV tape mostly, but I clean my heads regularly and only record on the tapes once. I can think of two lost half-seconds of video where the key frame was corrupted in about forty hours of collection.
   Primarily, I found three things to be important going from SD to HD. One, picture stability. Use a tripod as much as you can and don't make sudden movements. Two, you need a lot of light to shoot good HDV. Three, focus is absolutely critical in HD.
   The touch screen menu system took me awhile to get used to. However, you can adjust the menus to have a personal set of menus; putting the menu selections you use mostly at the beginning of the list. Even so, Murphy's Law seems to dictate that you need to hit at least two menus to get to what you want. On a tripod, I find I can navigate quickly to the fader button without too much shake; this is much harder to do when I am doing a handheld shot. Also, I strongly suggest you get an LCD protector for the screen.
   In bright light, the camera is fantastic. I've shot landscapes that just blew me away watching on a 46" plasma HDTV. My son played flag football and I covered that - a la NFL films - all in close up and with lots of action in the frame. It looked great and very clear, even in slow motion.
   Inside, it's a little different. Family functions tend to take place in low light: table lights, kitchen overhead light, that sort of thing. The camera is not designed to shoot in those light levels (to be fair, no HDV camera seems to be at this time). The video can get very grainy (especially with a lot of dark areas in the frame) and the colors tend to go reddish. I'd say it compares to my Hi-8 camcorder from the early 90's in terms of sensitivity. On the small LCD screen, it's pretty much impossible to determine how grainy it will look. You won't be able to tell until you play it back on something normal sized and then the artifacts can be distracting. I would say anything below a bright kitchen needs some additional light. I've tried a couple of LCD lights that fit on the camcorder, but I haven't found one that I like yet, so I won't recommend one at this time.
   However, so far, the stuff I have shot at school seems to look fine under lots of fluorescents. And HDV seems to have a wider range than standard video. You can have a lot of light and dark in a frame before you completely blow it out and have white glowing blobs instead of kids in a spotlight against a dark background (parents have had camcorders for an entire generation; you'd think they would have noticed this by now!). And the camera does have a "Zebra" function that will alert you to areas of your frame that need to be toned down.
   The final thing is focus. Again, in bright light, this isn't too big of a problem. Even in flag football, the auto focus worked remarkably well, adjusting to the focus point within a second in almost all cases. Indoors, it does okay with one big exception that I just found out: Christmas tree lights totally screw it up. I don't know what it is, but our tree lights, my friend's tree lights and my aunt's tree lights all had the auto focus totally confused. However, the focus can be manually controlled by a switch on the side and through the dial at the front of the camera. I quickly zoomed in all the way, focused and then began to shoot. In any case, I recommend you zoom in all the way before you shoot as it is very difficult to tell on a three inch LCD screen if the scene is properly focused, but it is very easy to tell when you are watching it on a 46" HDTV!
   There is a single button on the side called "ASSIGN" that you can have set up to do a number of things. However, you cannot assign ANY function to the button, just SOME functions. For example, you can't set it to black fader.
   A "nice to have" would have been an HDMI out. You have two proprietary outputs for standard video and component HD video that I have hooked to my HDTV permanently. I need both of them because the component only outputs the video, so I have to use the RCA outs of the standard audio as well.
   The 10X zoom is okay. I think I would have liked about 15 - 20X though, especially since I primarily use the camera with a tripod. Another issue with a tripod is when you eject a tape. It exits from the bottom, so - at least on my tripod - you have to take it off the tripod, take the connection plate off and then reconnect it after you put in a new tape. This is an annoyance for me about twice a month as I generally shoot 60 minutes of tape every couple of weeks; not critical, but more of why did they change it from the top loading mechanism on my Digital 8 camcorder?
   The battery life with the original stock battery that would get sucked dry in less than an hour. However, I picked up a six hour battery and got rid of that issue. Actually, that helps to balance the camcorder in my hand when I use the audio breakout box which fits on the top of the camera towards the front. I use that a lot because the built-in microphones seem to pick up more sound from the sides rather than straight on and they really seem to pick up a lot of wind noise. The external microphone that comes with the camera isn't bad. I shot a football game with thirty mile an hour gusts and only the worst ones came through the wind screen.
   The camera will shot still pictures to a Sony MemoryStick. I have a 1GB stick and can fit something like 800 pictures on it. The pictures are okay (no flash) and they are in the 16:9 format of the camcorder. One nice thing is to be able to take a still while recording video. Again, in flag football, I could be shooting the action and then taking a still or two while the kids were running and the 10X zoom was much better than my 3X on my snapshot digital camera.
   The camcorder comes with a hood for the lens with a built in lens cover. Unfortunately, if you want to put on any filters, the lens shade can't be used. I have a clear filter on my lens to prevent scratches, use the 37mm lens cover from my Digital 8 camcorder and generally live without the hood.
   All in all, I'm pleased with the camera and generally astounded with the quality of the video. It took me a couple of months of use before I was totally comfortable with the camera layout and didn't accidentally turn it off when I wanted to start shooting. It's taken me longer to figure out how to best shoot in HD versus SD, but I'm getting there! I'd recommend the camera though there are now consumer level camcorders with external audio options that you might want to research before buying this one.



4. I purchased this camera last month, and almost at once I knew it was not the camera for me. For several years, I've owned and used a Sony DCR-VX2100 3 CCD Mini DV Camcorder, and have been truly impressed with it. I thought that buying a high definition camera from the same company would be a great move. I was so wrong.
   
   The HVR-A1U is the most disappointing camera I have ever come across in my life. It is astonishingly slow to auto focus, and at lower light levels makes nearly continuously adjustments. Even with the CCD turned up to full brightness, the picture looks washed out. Admittedly, I used it mostly at 480i, but even in 1080i mode, the result was no better. So much for the manufacturer's boasts about the Zeiss Vario-Sonna lens; they are, in my opinion, thoroughly unwarranted.
   
   The sound quality was also poor, despite the large mic, and when rewinding tapes, this camera makes the most horrendous noise. It is actually designed to do so since the noise changes pitch as the tape spools from one segment to the next. The sound is irritating at all pitches, and I cannot imagine why anyone would want to listen to it.
   
   The camera was also a lot smaller than the photos lead one to believe, so check the dimensions if you're used to a bigger, semi-professional camcorder.
   
   I returned this camera after trying it for 10 days. Buyer be warned about this one.



5. I recently had the Canon GL1 and thought it was time to upgrade to Hi-Def. After reading about 30 customer and 20 pro reviews it was the only camera that was offered pro features and great image quality worth way more then the price. It is all because of the CMOS sensor the camera uses. It consumes less power, less money to produce, better image quality then CCD and does not smear light. Some people say it's a consumer camera because it only has a one chip sensor instead of three like a CCD sensor but a CMOS sensor is a lot different then a CCD. A single chip CMOS sensor is three mega-pixels just like three CCD chips. It should be considered a pro camera instead of a consumer camera.
   OK; now what the camera can do..... It has a touch screen which is handy but you have to keep wiping it off because it smudges easily. The personalized menu is a great idea; you can have all your most used items at a touch away. The cineframe and cinematone features are a good idea if you want your movies to have a more professional Hollywood look to them. The picture quality in good light is almost identical the image quality of the Sony Z1U which cost $4,000 and that's really amazing!! The low light performance is not that good, this is a downside of the CMOS sensor. I really like the exposure lever, one strange thing is that the camera does not give exposure increments like F1.6 ..... F2.6 it just gives you a bar. Three quarters of the bar is for exposure and the last quarter of the bar is gain which digitally brightens the picture and makes the picture real grainy. Just make sure you adjust the exposure manually in dark places and turn the gain off by not going to the last quarter of the bar. It has some other great features and that I am not going to go in to but you can read about them on this page. One other thing is that this camera is quite compact and I am really amazed at the picture quality that it takes.
   Over all it is great camera and a good choice for any one who needs a good Hi-Def camera for a low price.
   I hope this review helps and I will be adding more to this review.
   06/29/08
   I don't know what the problem was with the guy below me. I think he had problems in low light with the camera, this camera is not the best in low light. The auto focus is a little slow indoors but it's a lot better in good light. He also had problems with the mic, there are a lot of settings for the mic and you have to set them right to get good sound. When rewinding tapes I did not think it made a horrendous noise but it does make different pitches as you rewind it. The camera is small, they made it compact so pros could get great images in tight places. If you need a good low light camera go with the Sony V1U.

1 comments about DXG 5.0MP High Definition Digital Video Camera - Silver (DXG566VHD).

1. When I read a review of this little gem in MacLife, it seemed too good to be true. A very low cost HD video camera. Well, I took a chance and bought it, knowing nothing about video cameras.
   
   It doesn't have a lot of features, but then my phone and calculator confuse me enough, nevermind my camera. I just got back from a vacation and found that it works great. Nice video quality. Sounds not the best, but you aren't paying for that. an inexpensive digital voice recorder was recommended in the MacLife review to improve this.
   
   For a beginner like me, it's an absolutely priceless introduction that you don't mind experimenting with. If you are looking for a camera to last the rest of your life and you know exactly what you want out of the camera, then this isn't for you. Unless high quality video recording at a low cost is all you are looking for.
   
   For those of us interested in finding out about video recording, then it's an excellent value as a learning tool and if you want to go on, you will have a much better understanding of what is possible.

5 comments about Sony HDR-CX7 AVCHD 6.1MP High Definition Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. It has a great quality for video and good quality for photos (6mp)...
   Didn't got a good quality in photos taked when still recording Videos and can take only 3 pictures in this mode at 4.6mp .
   
   You should buy a secondary battery if planning to film for more then 2h... Sony NPFH100 H Series is a great choice for that.
   
   I miss in this product other away to see images other than lcd but only for pictures, for movie i think it's fine.
   
   The menu is simple and easy to use.
   
   One problem is the needed to use dock station every time you need to connect to computer and don't after you copy the movies to computer in Full HD mode, you need a secondary program to see it because the sw that comes with them don't allow you to play movies in your HD... or I don't know yet how to do it.



2. The avchd software does not work with vista 64 bit PC's. The camcorder is very good.



3. I chose Sony HDR CX7 over Panasonic HDC-SD5, Samsung HMX10A and Canon HG10 after an extensive research. I want a camcorder that can record both in HD and SD format, using Flash memory card, and taking decent still pictures. The reasons why I bought it are listed in THE GOOD section.
   
   After using it for 3 weeks, I hate it in some areas. They're listed in THE BAD and the UGLY SECTION.
   
   THE GOOD
   
   BEAUTIFUL VIDEO QUALITY
   It records beautiful and sharp video even in SD format. The color is vivid and attractive.
   
   BEST STILL PICTURES
   It takes pictures in 6 and 4 mega pixels. The color are lively and bright. All the competitors take pictures in only 2 mega pixels. They look very bad compared to Sony's. Still, these pictures do not look as sharp as a digital point and shoot camera. No pictures taken by any camcorders look as good as the ones by cameras.
   
   NIGHT SHOT FEATURE
   You can shoot video in the dark by turning on the built-in infrared light. No competitors have this feature.
   
   SHOOTING VIDEO IN BOTH HD AND SD FORMAT
   
   Only Sony and Panasonic camcorders have this feature.
   I want mine to be able shoot movies in both HD (AVCHD) and SD (Mpeg2) formats. It's because I and the majority of my friends have regular TV's and DVD players. We think the price of HD equipment is still too high.
   
   HIGH-CAPACITY EXTRA BATTERY
   The battery that comes with my camcorder lasts only 2 hours. I bought an extra one, NPFH100 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery. It lasts approximately 7 hours. That's more than enough for me.
   
   NOISELESS RECORDING
   Because it uses flash memory card, the camera makes no noise. As a result, my video recording does not have any sound made by the camcorder. The same thing goes for any camcorder that uses the same technology
   
   THE BAD and THE UGLY
   
   SUPPORTING ONLY 8 GB of FLASH MEMORY
   
   The highest capacity of the memory sticks supported is only 8 GB. If you're recording in SD format, it will record for 4 hours. That's good enough for casual users. If you're recording in HD format, it lasts only 2 hours. That is short. I resolve this problem by using 2 memory sticks of 8 GB each. That gives me 4 hours of HD video or 8 hours of SD video. This is good enough for me. I wish it support 16 GB memory stick.
   
   PROPRIETARY INTERFACE AND HARDWARE
   This is one of the reasons I don't like Sony merchandise. It's because it costs me much more in the long run. Further more, I'm not able to use many better accessories made by other companies. For example, if I could use Sandisk Compact Flash card, it would cost less.
   
   SLOPPY ACCESSORIES
   Sound quality is not good unless you stand about 1 feet away from the camcorder. It has too much echo. This is typical problem of all consumer camcorders made by all companies. So, I bought an external microphone, ECM-HGZ1 Shotgun Microphone. I ended up returning it to the store. It's because it's not better than the built-in one. It also looks and feels like a toy. If the camcorder did not use proprietary Active Interface Hot Shoe, I would be able to use pro external microphones made by other companies to produce excellent sound.
   
   Now, there's no way to record better sound with this camcorder. It does not have a line-in for microphone. If I want it, I'll have to buy pro -level camcorders which cost minimum $6500!
   
   BAD SOFTWARE SUPPORT
   I misplaced the software disc that came with the camera. So, I could not install the software browser to view HD video and picture files. I could not find the full version of the software on Sony website! They have only the upgrade version. Another problem is that upgrade version is for Vista only while my computer is running XP. Luckily, I just found the original disc.
   
   In short, this is the best camcorder in its class which meets my needs. If only it used standard interface, then it would be an excellent equipment.



4. The camera works great, but it does not work very well with a Mac. Sony's software is only for PC, which is hard to believe in this day and age. There is a way to make it work in iMovie, but I hope you have a few hours to download your video. Anyway, like I said, I'm not complaining about the camera itself (which is great), but I am very frustrated that this is even an issue.



5. I bought this about two weeks ago and couldn't be happier. My first experience, I took it to my daughter's dance and took some outstanding HD videos. Playing it on my 50" HD plasma you can't believe your eyes. It is as you are watching a broadcast sports event. Still pictures are outstanding and the look and feel of this camera is awesome. The only thing I would suggest is to get yourself a cable to go HDMI. Sony should have included this but it's not that expensive to buy one. If you are looking for a video camera that is portable and easy to use, this is definitely the one.

5 comments about Panasonic VDR-D210 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. This is my first DVD camcorder and I am very pleased with its ease of use and quality of pictures! This is for the basic recording for family, vacations, kids sporting events! Not alot of extra frills on this one, which I find very user freindly; since in the past I've had alot of extra options on my camcorder I never utilized-except accidently!All you do is insert a DVD and push record(I found Sony DVD-R are the best).Its easy to use and you get a quality, clear picture and sound-image stabilization is a must as it eliviates the blurrs from shaking hands. The price is right,its small and compact,easy to use.The screen is also large enough to actually see what you are recording and the buttons are all secure so no accidental recording will take place.[...]



2. This is an awesome camcorder, especially for a first time user. It is very easy to use. The picture quality is awesome. I just got it so I'm still playing around with it. It also takes still pics, which is a good feature if something really cute happens and your camera is not handy, but I try not to waste my disc space on pics since I already have a digital camera. The only thing I do not like about the camcorder is you can't delete pictures or video from the disc once you taken them (like you can with a digital camera)or record over them. Once it's on the dvd it's there for good. Now if there is another dvd like a dvdrw that you can do this on, I don't know. I will look into it.



3. Okay. There are some things you must know about the Panasonic VDR-D210 before you buy it. If you are wanting to make videos and edit them on the computer/upload them onto Youtube, then look else where. This Camcorder is not for you. If you want to record memories onto a Disk and cherish them for the rest of your life (sounds very cheesy I know), then get this Camcorder. I am a proud Panasonic Consumer and this Camcorder does what it's supposed to do. It has very nice Picture Quality, especially in Daytime. It has okay video quality at night. The Panasonic has a lot of features to it that I really like about their Camcorders. Something about their camcorders just draws me in. If you're looking for a Camcorder for Video Transfer onto your Computer to edit it, your best bet is investing a little bit more of your money to buy a Pansonic VDR-D230 (my Camcorder).
   
   Pros*
   Structure
   Video Quality
   Brand Name
   Features
   
   Cons*
   Not Computer Friendly/ No USB Slot
   
   Recommended if you just want to make memories and share them with Family. Not Recommended if you want to transfer onto Computer.
   Overall Grade* B
   Jordan



4. I received this camcorder two weeks ago, but tried it out over this past weekend. It is very simple to operate and picture is great. I am glad I bought one, and would highly recommend this product.



5. great camera. very small and easy to hold. picture crystal clear. used a sony disc and had no problem. very pleased.