2 comments about JVC GRD796 MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom (Extra Battery Included).

1. Generally a nice product. But I was surprised that it won't record video on a memory card (MP4). Other camcorders of less quality are doing so. Anyway, with an IEEE1393 card, I was able to transfer my stuff to the computer. Nice for low light condition.



2. As basic consumer-grade camcorders go, this is an excellent product. At $265.00, you definately get your moneys worth. The camera is easy to operate; My 10-year old son had it figured out in no time.
   
   The optical zoom provides excellent range, but like all cameras, the digital zoom is pretty much useless. I believe the only difference between this model (JVC GRD796) and the JVC GRD770 is the battery. The GRD770 comes with one larger battery and the GRD796 comes with two shorter batteries. Having two smaller batteries has 2 big advantages: 1) You can charge one while you use the other. 2) The smaller batteries don't get in your way when you use the viewfinder. With the GRD770, the battery sticks off the back to far and your face bumps into it. So if you talk or move your face at all, the camera will shake.
   
   Both the audio and video quality are good for this type of camera. You won't be winning any picture quality awards indoors, but the camera does a great job outdoors in the daylight.
   
   Having always been a bigger fan of still photography than video, I like the image capture feature on this camera. You can press the easily located still image button (even while you are recording video) and capture a still frame. They download and print out just like any other digital camera. I was recording my son's basketball game and I captured the video and at the same time got a great still photo of him making a basket. I can't keep the video running on my desk at work, but I have the still shot displayed proudly.
   
   Overall, this is a great starter camera for the kid who wants to make it big or for the mom and dad who just want to capture their child's first steps. It even fits nicely in the diaper bag.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV900 MiniDV Handycam Digital Video Camcorder with Builtin Digital Still Mode.

1. I find it helpful to read the reviews of consumers that have already bought the product. But click on the review from Wayne C4 listed here where it says "Wayne C4 (see more about me)" and he has reviewed 40 + items with many of them using the same words in the review or with only a few words changed. And the items are similar that he reviewed. So he has obviously not purchased these items. So be careful what you read here. Shame on you Wayne C4.



2. I find myself using the DCR-TRV900 as a digital camera almost as a matter of course. I purchased the Sony 64Mb memory card (you need to also buy the PCMCIA attachment that it fits in) and taking pictures is a veritable joy. The supplied floppy drive is next to useless - in fact, I don't know how you'd use it in an active environment. There are manual options: aperture setting (depth of field) and shutter speed (great for darker environments)among them. You can also record stills right on the tape and later extract them on your computer. Transfering video and stills to a PC is effortless; I use the IEEE 1394 (Firewire) interface. To make great movies, including voice over (if needed) and background music, I'm happy with Ulead Video Studio rather than the Microsoft XP Windows Movie Maker program - which appears to be a minimal implementation of Ulead's program. Adobe Premier 5.0 might still be better, but I'm not professional enough to shell out [that kind of money] or so for that program. By the way, Ulead also allows you to create NTSC VCD files, which, once downloaded to a regular CD-
   ROM (I use Easy Cd Creator Platinum), can be played on your DVD player (not all of them, but certainly those produced in the last 2 years). Anyway, a great camcorder and camera; I find myself walking around with it for hours on end - it just feels good!



3. The USB software bundled by Sony for transferring images to computer COMPLETELY [MESSED] UP MY SYSTEM. The installation is very dicey. You need to do things in a precise order. It is prone to getting [messed] up,... it can't be fixed. As usual, the Sony software is a mess.
   Their instructions for unscrambling the mess don't work. They just get you deeper into the woods.
   Be sure to get the extended warranty if you buy this product. You will probably need it. As for the computer, it may require a complete disk wipe and reinstallation. God help you if you have RAID or something else. WHAT A MESS. Sony is big enough that they don't care. They don't have to.



4. I bought the TRV 900 in September of 1999 and have been very pleased these past few years. This camera is lightweight enough to travel with...with me, it's been from Italy to Arizona...and produces clean, colorful pictures. I can also grab "still" pictures from my videos and have a perfectly captured photo (i.e. the perfect smile on someone's face or a moment in which a bird dives into a shot etc.) My only wish with this photo function is that the still photos had better picture quality...as good as the video. Nevertheless, it is still a fun function and allows me to send my photos from trips to others via email. The camera has many special effects which are fun to work with such as black and white, sepia tone, negative (great for manually made titles), slim (make yourself thinner!), stretch (make people on the beach fatter!), posterized effects etc...if you can edit in your head, these effects can save rendering time later. (For editing, I've used AVID EXpress DV. The Sony TRV 900 footage loads nicely into the AVID Express DV editing system and is a pleasure to work with. AVID Express DV editing software is expensive (2K) and does have somewhat of a learning curve but with time and effort is well worth the money. If you get this software and you're new to editing, get a turnkey system from a place such as Promax. )



5. The software mentioned on my May 16th review IS called "AVID Xpress" -- not "AVID Express" -- when my review was edited someone changed the spelling, possibly thinking it was a typo/mistake?

5 comments about Canon ZR700 MiniDV Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. very good, received in time. I just love it, very easy to use.



2. This is a great little camcorder. The size is awesome, small and light. The image stabilization works really well. I have heard the tape noise while recording, but after downloading video and burning it to a DVD I haven't been able to hear it. The audio is great for the price range of this little camera. I especially like that you can record in widescreen. For some reason it gives your home videos a more interesting look. If you are having trouble shooting inside, which has been a complaint from some, try turning all the lights on in the room you're recording in and setting the camera for the tungsten light mode. Recorded this way, the videos look better than if you just record in auto mode. And although you can't really control it, any outside light coming in really enhances the video quality too (especially the color).
   I think this was a great purchase for us. Highly recommended.



3. I used this camera for 15 minutes and got the "remove the cassette" error message. I tried using other tapes thinking it may have been defective but still received the error message. Then I researched the internet and found out that this is a very common problem. Its so common that if you go to the Canon product page, they have a special link to address questions about this error. Canon's website is basically set up to make you think that you, the consumer, may have caused the problem by allowing moisture or dirt inside or by improperly closing the tape door. However, the real problem here is a defective design.
   
   Since I bought the camera so recently, you would think Canon would apologize and send me a shipping label. No. They are making me pay for shipping to their repair facility.
   
   Needless to say, I will NEVER purchase another Canon product again and I will discourage anyone I know from ever purchasing a Canon product.



4. I took my first foray into video-making last spring. I needed a decent camcorder that would work easily with my iMac. After a couple of months of research and leg work, I bought the ZR700 as well as another more expensive camera ($100 more) that was more highly regarded. I tried the two in a side-by-side comparison. It was no contest; the ZR700 blew the other away.
   
   I won't go into all the ins and outs; suffice to say that I find this camcorder easy to use with plenty of good features. It feels good in my hands and I love the joystick control. Every control is quite logical and makes sense. One small feature that many cameras don't have is the built-in lens cap. With the touch of a button, the lens opens; another touch, it closes. Much preferable to having a lens cap to dangle and perhaps lose.
   
   When it came time to making the movie, importing the clips was a snap--it was almost too easy. And the picture quality was everything I could have hoped for. I loved the features that let you program the video for the type of scene you're filming--outdoor sunny, outdoor overcast, indoor spotlight, etc. The sound was fine, too.
   
   I'm sure if I spent $500 more on a machine, I'd notice the difference in quality. But this more than met my needs. If you want an excellent camcorder at an extremely reasonable price, the ZR700 is a good choice.



5. The camera came in a timely manner and was exactly like the description stated. I would have no issues recommending or purchasing from them again.

5 comments about Samsung SC-X300L Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom and Wired External Camera.

1. It's a cool, little, fun camera but the image quality isn't mind-blowing. It's perfect for action, sports, etc.
   I wish they had launched the wireless version of this camcorder, the cable is a pain.



2. Others are correct that is does not come with internal memory, but still the camera is great. Fits in your pocket, records almost two hours on a 4GB card, and the picture is very good quality. The external camera works great and with the remote on it allows you to put the camera in a safe place while doing action sports. I have used it to record several things on my bike with great success. I would definitely buy this again.



3. If you think this little 350 dollar job is gonna give you the same image quality as the canon xl2, or that it will be your only way to capture all those precious family memories i would suggest you keep on looking...now that "those" people have moved on...... The SC-x300L is nothing more than a fun little toy. If you have owned a cell phone or video camera since Reagan you shouldn't have any problems with the function or navigation for simple operations. The video quality is ok --samsungs website has all the info you need- sub for tv but great for web or if your a whiz w/ final cut it should be fine. The physical construction of the camera seems cheap and weak and i was originally a little reluctant to man-handle this unit but after being attached to my motorcycle and surviving a 90mph low-side that did a grip of damage to my bike i've since changed my mind. ((i've also taken it on wet and muddy trails -motocross- and it survived a nice little impact with a rock and my hip)) Overall if you are looking for a good helmet camera this is your best bet for the sub 800 price.
   
   The bad: sound quality (wind noise) on external camera. no native mac support (do a little google search and you'll find a nice individual that has written a little converter program that work like a charm)



4. PROS: The camera is awesome for video. High resolution excellent quality and the "anti-shake" feature is the best I have seen. If you want VIDEO ONLY this is an excellent choice.
   
   CONS:
   1. NO internal memory was built into the unit that I bought. As far as I am concerned that is false advertising.
   2. It will function as an MP3 player, video recorder, voice recorder, and external hard drive, BUT IT WON'T TAKE STILL PHOTOS?!?! I simply do not understand the marketing decision behind that. It would have to be a simple software/firmware adjustment in order to make it function as a camera but the brain trust at Samsung felt it more marketable to include MP3 functionality or even better, voice recording? As if I am going to leave myself voice memo's with it? Now I have to carry a second device if I want photos and I am not going to drop my iPod in favor of using a video camera to listen to music.
   3. Battery life is not that great.
   
   In conclusion I would give this 5 stars if it handled still photos and came with the advertised 1GB internal memory.
   
   UPDATE: You CAN in fact take still photographs with this camera. See Below for instructions.
   
   Taking Still Pictures
   
   
   * You have to set the mode switch to the MEMORY CARD position to use the camcorder as a Digital Still Camera.
   * Audio cannot be recorded with a still image onto the Memory Card
   * Images are compressed in JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format.
   * The number of pixels are 640x480 unless you change the image quality (see below)
   
   Inserting The Memory Card
   
   1. Turn the Power switch to OFF.
   2. Insert the Memory Card in the direction of the arrow into the Memory Card slot located on the bottom of the camcorder.
   
   Recording images to a Memory Card
   
   1. Set the mode switch to MEMORY CARD.
   2. Set the power switch to CAMERA.
   3. Press the PHOTO button.
   The still image is recorded to the Memory Card.
   
   
   
   Note: While the camcorder is recording the still image, appears on the screen.
   
   Selecting Image Quality
   
   * You can select the quality of a still image to be recorded.
   
   1. Set the mode switch to MEMORY CARD.
   2. Set the power switch to the CAMERA mode.
   3. Press the MENU button. The menu list will appear.
   4. Turn the MENU DIAL to highlight MEMORY.
   5. Press the ENTER button to enter the sub-menu.
   6. Turn the MENU DIAL to highlight PHOTO QUALITY in the submenu.
   7. Press the ENTER button.
   8. Using the MENU DIAL, select the image quality. Press the ENTER button to confirm the image quality.
   If you exit the sub-menu without pressing the ENTER button, the quality mode is not changed.
   9. To exit, press the MENU button.



5. Yes, there are multiple versions of this camera out there. This seems to be a huge problem. The one I purchased does not take stills, does not have the built in LED flash, or the 2gb on board flash memory as described on the web site I purchased it from. This is false advertisement. Buyer beware. As far as how the camcorder operates, read the other threads. I only gave it one star because of false advertisement.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV310 Handycam Digital Camcorder.

1. This camcorder is great and has every feature you need. It is self expainatory and easy to use. The best feature is the digital camera which takes photos along with being a digital recorder. The only thing that would make it better is if it recorded onto a floppy. The color screen monitor is awesome and the microphone picks up every quite detail. It is well worth the investment and we enjoy it a lot!



2. This must have been the best handycam for the price when I bought it! And I love the death out of it! All I can say is that this camera would still be great if it were still manufactured, 3 years later! If you find one someone who is selling this camera in good condition, by all means get it! It's a great camera!



3. The B&W viewfinder is better than color for manual focus and contrast. Having both in the package is a plus and not a negative.



4. The Sony DCR TRV310 works _very_ well as a Windows XP camcorder. Windows XP Professional include Windows Movie Maker. This el-cheapo free-bee isn't adequate. In 2002, Microsoft released a free upgrade: Windows Movie Maker 2. Version 2 ROCKS. With a whole host of new camera effects, a zoo of fades, excellent title and credit control, and very controllable multiple audio tracks, it's possible to do quite a bit of movie editing, without paying a dime more for software. Version 2 even allows you to re-record your finished video back onto the camera!

   I bought my Sony DCR TRV310 used (partly broken). Since the input/output connections don't work properly, I just plug my TRV310 into the FireWire port, and use Windows Movie Maker 2's capture mode to control the camcorder -- right on the computer screen!

   I sent somebody some video I had shot, stored as a .WMV file on a CD-R. He sent me back a note thanking me for the DVD!!!

   This model is aging, and its cost is going down. Since it does everything you'll want, including playing back 8-mm and Hi8 tapes directly into Windows XP in digital format, it's still an excellent buy -- and an even better value than ever!

   Windows Movie Maker 2's minimum computer requirements are, CPU 1,500 Mhz (1.5 GHz), 512 K RAM, lots of disk space (20 GB+), and a FireWire port. Since Windows Movie Maker 2 uses Microsoft-specific storage formats, you may want to spend a few $$$ to purchase third-party video editing software, which will record to more formats, or give you DVD authoring capability.

   Suggested equipment upgrades for the TRV310: External clip-on microphone for better forward gain & extended bass sound; 8-hr InfoLithium battery HIGHLY recommended.




5. I have had this camcorder for 4 years and I am still happy with the purchase.
   
   For myself being a big guy, I was never comfortable with the tiny MiniDV camcorders out there, and the size of the Digital8 camcorders is a nice fit in my hands, without being too large and heavy for my wife to use comfortably.
   
   I have not had much chance to do comparison testing, but the picture quality is very good. In some cases I might think the color is a bit undersaturated, but I prefer this to seeing colors pushed beyond what they should be. I have no complaints about the sharpness of the video. In very low light the picture doers become grainy; I suspect that new camcorders out there may do a better job in low light than the TRV310.
   
   One thing I really like about this camcorder today is that it seems better built than the Digital8 models than Sony is currently producing. In addition, the lens is a bit larger on the early Digital8 models, so low light performance may actually be better than the current ones (but I have not done a comparison). I also will recommend the TRV130 for video editing; I have had no problems loading video off of the camcorder onto my Windows XP PC with a firewire cable.
   
   My complaints on the camcorder:
   1. Still uses tape, which can jam up inside the camcorder (luckily I havent lost a tape yet). I've also been told specifically to use *only* Sony Hi8 / Digital8 tapes with this unit.
   2. There is a manual exposure setting, which is good for shooting candlelit scenes, etc. But the camera is missing a manual white balance that I wish it had. The white balance is done automatically when the camera is turned on; when indoors with natural light I will point the lens to a blue object at powerup to eliminate a bluish tint to the picture; likewise if the indoor scene is lit I will point at a warm-toned object to eliminate everything looking orange.
   3. The supplied Infolithium battery is useless. I which Sony would include one of the larger batteries as standard.
   4. As mentioned above, low light performance could be better. The low light settings the camera provides are rarely used.
   
   Altogether, I'm very happy with this camcorder.

4 comments about Sony DCRTRV950 MiniDV Digital Camcorder.

1. Have had the TRV950 for 3 weeks now (my 2nd Sony digital camcorder). The picture quality (both still and video) is awesome, and it has a ton of useful features. Playing back video on a TV, it is easy to see the difference between this 3 CCD camera and a single CCD Sony.

   It is very small (weighs 1 lb 11 oz), which actually makes it slightly harder to handle compared to larger cameras I've used before.

   The zoom is a little touchy at first -- will require some practice to be able to zoom in/out slowly.

   Of course, the 8MB memory stick is too small to do much good -- go for the 128 MB one, and the battery is on the small side.

   Recommend this one highly!




2. Pros: Compact three-CCD camera; large, readable flip-out screen; one-megapixel still-image capture; clean, clear video images.

   Cons: Poor low-light sensitivity; low-capacity Memory Stick supplied; stills require more light than video; Bluetooth communication requires optional purchases.

   Summary: I bought the TRV50 2 weeks ago.I returned it for the TRV950 because zooming with the auto focus made video blurry.The TRV950 is instantaneously sharp.I also had made a tape just filming around the home with the TRV50.I compared that tape with the one I just made with the TRV950,just experimenting around the home.Now I see why 3ccd's are better than 1ccd.My best overall experiment was the digital alarm clock(with the big red LED numbers)in the bedroom.With the TRV50 the numbers always looked fuzzy.With the TRV950 those numbers looked crisp and sharp.Hence, I guess that where they get the term "color bleeding"from.I noticed that alot with the TRV50 while looking at bright objects.I even experimented with an UV and Polarizing filter on the TRV50 with no success.I know TRV950 is getting some bad press because it doesn't have Progessive scan,like the TRV50, but TRV950 has what's called Progessive shutter.Sony says it 's a step up and I believe it is too.I compared some of the stills I captured on tape and to me TRV950 comes out on top.I wonder if the number of ccd's has anything to do with this.If not then Sony needs to do more marketing in the Progessive shutter business.TRV50 has and TRV950 does not have infared.Does anybody out there ever really use the thing.Especially when it's only good for what 20 feet at most.Go to your local gun shop and get the real thing.I know the Carl Zeiss lens gets alot of publicity, but the TRV950 does not come with those lens. The less quality TRV50 does. What's the story with that?Logic only tells me that the higher end Sony lens must be better than the Carl Zeiss lens.Also TRV950 eats up more battery time than the cheaper TRV50.Be prepared to spring for a larger battery.I wonder if this has anything to do with the number of ccd's also.




3. great camcorder. the 3CCDs really make a difference in video quality in my opinion. unfortunately, you pay for this quality!

   pros:
   - as expected from a 3CCD camcorder, the trv-950 delivers excellent video quality - colors are reproduced accurately.
   - 1 megapixel still capability.
   - miniDV media is widely supported.
   - 12X optical zoom!
   - steady shot optical stabilization system works well.
   - ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
   - progressive shutter system.
   - offers color bars and zebra striping.
   - the 3.5" LCD screen is great.
   - built-in flash for stills.
   - built-in mic does a good job picking up sound from the target, not the operator.
   - great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
   - buttons along the left side and back of the camera body control essential camera functions (manual settings for focus, white balance, audio level, shutter speed, and special lighting situations) so you won't need to dive into menus for these commonly used capabilities.
   - side-mounted cassette means you can change tapes while the camcorder is mounted on a tripod.
   - low motor noise.
   - intelligent accessory shoe - very useful if you use the appropriate accessories.
   - allows a great deal of manual control.

   cons:
   - no built in video light but you can get a video light for less about fifty bucks.
   - you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability while panasonic's pv-dv953 delivers 3 megapixel stills.
   - as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
   - don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.
   - not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 4"H x 3-3/4"W x 8"D, weighing 2.4 lbs.
   - the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.
   - does not have a NightShot mode (although i'm not a big fan of this feature).
   - MPEG movies saved to Memory Stick are much darker than the same scene recorded to a miniDV tape.
   - noticeable shutter lag for still captures.
   - bluetooth communication requires optional purchases = more $$.
   - touchscreen menu system is not intuitive.

   this is great camcorder if you are looking for a 3CCD system. it sits atop sony's prosumer line. the competition is catching up though so make sure you also consider the panasonic pv-dv953. peace.




4. We bought this camera in the summer of 2003 to replace our older video camera and have had a great experience. The video quality is excellent. The color is superb. Great audio quality. The video records at more lines of resolution than current televisions use, so I have no doubt that the quality will still look great after high definition televisions dominate the home television market.

   Recently, my 4 megapixel digital camera needed to be sent in for repairs ... it is not a Sony :( ... We were upset as we did not think we would be able to print pictures until it returned...we decided to test printing out the Sony TRV950 digital pictures...we were amazed that we were able to print out wonderful quality pictures (3x5). So, we have been very impressed with a feature we never intended to use.

   The features included on the camera are great...but two that stand out in my opinion are the super steady shot to help get rid of the "jiggle" and the auto white balance...the best I've seen.

   This camera does cost more than other consumer level cameras, but the value is well worth it in my opinion. We bought it to take good video of our baby growing up...we are convinced that this is, by far, the best option and we will never regret spending the extra money.

   We purchased a 3 Watt light attachment, a 256MB memory stick card, and an additional M71D battery (250 minutes). I would strongly recommend these accessories.

5 comments about Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder.

1. Most of you need to recheck your information, the XL2 is currently available and it is featured on the Canon.USA website and it is far beyond any panasonic or previously produced XL's. I think Canon waited a little longer to produce this gem so it would be the only one out there like it (especally for the price). I had the ability to see the quality first hand prior to the release, because I was involved in making the commercial for it (you'll see snapshots of us making the commercial in flash when you click on XL2 under camcorders). Believe me the XL2 is the one you really want...



2. As of now, the XL1S is a little outdated by some other cameras that are on the market, but the end product has very desirable results. I have used cameras like the Panasonic DVX-100, and the XL1 will suit your needs at least 90% of the time that the DVX will. There is no LCD screen, but the viewfinder does sort of double as one and the overall shape of the XL1 makes it unwieldy at times, and more convenient at other times.
   
   Overall, if you have the chance to get this camera, then go for it if something like the DVX is out of reach. The XL2 is coming out soon apparently, which will probably drop the price of this camera and it would be a great opportunity for people on a smaller budget to pick up a camera that is capable of cinema quality pictures.



3. Canon still seems to have problems with it's lenses and how they interface with its electronic components, which means a blurry picture. For Canadians, there is only 1 service department in Calgary, while customer service is in Ontario. Imagine the bills trying to track down your camera over 2 provinces. Canon has somehow managed to keep this issue under wraps but it is a good idea to investigate where your nearest service department is and what kind of return time you can expect on repairs. The XL delivers great shots and definately looks the part, which can be important, but if it's not in your hands then it won't do much good.



4. i am currently in high school, in the media tech department. we do the school news, and produce some films. we currently have 3 kinds of camcorders, the sony dsr200, sony dsr300, and the canon xl1. most of the class perfers the xl1 for many reasons.
   it is definately the easiest to use, it is very light weight, and has many options that other cameras just dont have. it has a firewire port directly on it to help get onto computers, though there are other ways.
   
   i have personally used this camcorder, and i must agree, it is a wonderful piece of technology. a few months ago i had bought one of the new Sony handycams that burns to miniDVD, and i had nothing but disappointment, now i am looking into an XL1 of my own, because i know how to use it, it is easy to learn how to use, and there is so much more that you can do with it then most camcorders. if you are looking for something professional, and yet decent in price, you might want to consider the canon xl1



5. 7 years later, the XL1-S still stands as one of the best Prosumer minDV cameras money can buy.
   
   Very comparable to the Sony PD-150. Both great cameras, but I prefer the Canon.
   
   The only drawbacks are the abscence of XLR inputs and the tiny LCD screen.
   
   However, for a camera that is probably 5-7 years old, anything above $2,000 is way overpriced in my opinion. You can always go for the cheaper GL-2, but it does not have all the features of the XL.

5 comments about Mustek DV 9300 3MP MPEG-4 Digital Video Camcorder.

1. Overall, a good deal for the price. Only shortcomings are files are saved in .asf format only and low level light performance is not that good.



2. The Mustek DV 9300 performs pretty well for its price.
   The microphone is very clean and clear, and the built in speaker is tin-can-ish but sufficient for replaying and does not cut out at high noise levels.
   My experience with the video is that it adapts decently, but not great, to low light situations, and it automatically focuses pretty quickly.
   The covers for the memory card and jacks do snap closed, but not well at all, i find them hanging open from time to time. Not that I care.
   It has a built in 32MB memory which is pretty sufficient for shots under five minutes or so, and of course it can take SD memory cards to expand that.
   The interfacing with my computer is nicely simple - no software is required, at least using Ubuntu or XP. Just plug it into the USB port and it will come up as a removable drive with a folder each for Pictures, Music, and Video. Of course it comes with software, but it is pretty silly, like pretty much all camera software, and serves only to clog up my machines.
   The built in MP3 player makes it even more worth it's price, and it also plays WAV and WMA formats, not that anybody uses them. There's a standard headphone jack for this function that gives quality sound.
   The screen is clear and swivels all the way around, so you can film yourself and watch it at the same time.
   It takes pretty clean pictures but the colour is a bit washed and there is grain in darker areas. More than the average person needs for shooting quick 'smile!' shots on the go, but certainly not an art camera. No Macro either. And as always, the built in digital effects, like Sketch, Solarize, etc, are completely useless.
   The battery lasts a long time, 50 minutes or so continuous shooting, and recharges to full in 15 minutes.
   It has a built in stabliser but it annoyingly turns itself off every time you power down.
   The interface is is terribly simple, and does not give much malleability to the situation, with very few options.
   I have yet to experiment with the interval shutter option, but it seems pretty fun.



3. My son received this as a Christmas present. He was enjoying it for a few weeks. It doesn't preform well in low light settings. About three weeks later, there were no words or icons on the screen. I visited the Mustek website and they didn't even list this camera as one of their products. So I called their customer help line (a toll call) and received no help at all. I was on hold more than I was speaking to the rep. He didn't understand what I was saying anyway. Needless to say the camera has been returned and we will be buying a different product.



4. This camera is a lot of fun! It easily fits in your pocket, and takes fairly good pics and videos. The downside is that its very cheaply made so you have to be real careful with it. Also it's not very good in low light situations. Even with the downsides I find this camera to be a great buy for the low price,and is very convenient for on the go situations when you need to capture a spontaneous moment with a pic or video. Overall it gets four and a half stars from me!



5. For this price you can't get much better.
   I was suprised how well the pictures came out both when i took them as a digital camera and as a video camera. The videos are superb, in night and day.
   
   A must have!

5 comments about Sony HDR-UX5 4MP AVCHD DVD High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. Sony dit it again. What can I say one of the best camcorders. The only bad thing is you need a bluray dvd but you can use the camcorder.



2. I upgraded from a Sony DCR-HC30E that was 3 years old to this new HD camera and these are the pros and cons that I have found:
   
   Pros:
   * High definition. Pretty amazing quality on good light conditions even when conected to a 32" Samsung LCD TV that is only HD Ready (not full 1080i)
   * 16x9 rather than 4x3 format
   * Power adaptor is smaller (important when travelling)although the power cable could also be shorter and smaller.
   * Faster transfer to PC (not at viewing speed like old tape camera)
   * More efficient for archiving the original videos in external HD (about 1/3 of disk space).
   * Direct one-cable connection to TV with Standard HDMI connector
   * Simple PC Software provided to view AVCHD files and to convert into regular Video DVDs (although it can take the whole night to genereate a DVD of 15 min)
   
   Cons:
   * Much bigger and heavier than my old camera. Now I need to think twice before taking it for my next trip.
   * Being realistic can only record 15 min instead of 1 hour of video, before changing the DVD.
   * Editing AVCHD files require a lot of processing power. Now I need to upgrade both my PC and my video editing software.
   * Not possible to record both high def and standard def in the same DVD
   * All disks have to be finalized before being able to read on a PC, and this is a slow operation that can take up to 5 minutes. So better to transfer videos through USB if you haven't had to remove the DVD from the camera because you ran out of disk space.
   * Battery duration. Battery supplied is NP-FH60 rather than NP-FH70 and sometimes won't last for 2 DVDs of 15 minutes each.
   * Only as emergency photo camera since quality of photos is way below my old Canon Ixus 2 Mpixel camera.
   * Photos taken during video recording are even worse
   * Memstick is not provided, so unless you buy one, you cannot even try it as a photo camera.
   * I bought a Mem stick of 1GB. This is the same capacity than the DVDs, but you cannot recrd video to the memory stick!
   * Camera is slow to start recording since you press the record button, so you may loose the first two seconds. In addition it is slow powering up.
   * No multi TV System. I bough in the US and therefore is NTSC only, but I want to use it in Asia Pacific and in Europe. Fortunately I have a multisystem TV.



3. The price of this SONY HDR-UX5 camcorder is a bit high. Also, you cannot just purchase this camcorder without also getting a Sony blu-ray disc player because you need a Sony blu-ray disc player to play the disc on your tv set if you are shooting with high def. Sony uses a video compression scheme called AVCHD to encode the high def video, so your disc with AVCHD video cannot be playback with regular dvd player. You can use the software that comes with the camcorder to playback the AVCHD video on your pc but I would rather watch my high def video on the big screen. On the pc, image size for AVC HD is 1440x1080 and MPEG2 SD is 720x480 which is about 4 in by 2 in. The quality of the video and audio is good and the 4M still photo is acceptable. In-door video is good if you have proper lighting. You can shoot at the screen of your tv set and get comparable result when you show the recording later on the tv set. Auto flash has three settings (high/normal/low) to give you sufficient lighting for still photo. I do not have problem shooting photo indoor.
   
   The camcorder ($700) is expensive. On top of that, you need money for the accessories.
   
   1. You have two choices of video format- HD OR SD. With HD, you should get the sony blu-ray disc player because the High def is AVCHD 1080i and can be playback on your tv with sony blu-ray disc player. Without a sony blu-ray disc player, you can playback the high def video by connecting the video camera to your tv set with the supplied component video cable. You will not be able to play "the disc" by itself using a regular dvd player if it is recorded with HD video. With SD, it is MPEG2 video. So, for SD, you can play your 8cm disc without the blu-ray disc player. For high def, you should get a Sony blu-ray disc player. I think of the Sony blu-ray disc player as an important accessory to the UX5.
   
   2. Using the supplied battery(FH60), the recording time for SD (on SP mode) is about 75 min. I upgraded the battery to FH70 and I expect to get about 150 min. So I do not need to run back to my hotel to charge the battery when I was only halfway through shooting at the Great Wall. The mini dvd+rw disc records 30 min (single-sided, 1.4GB). If you want to record continuously on a single disc, consider using dvd+r DL. In SD (on SP mode), it is about 55 min.
   
   3. If you record with dvd-rw disc, you can split or trim the video and that is all the editing function you got from sony. Or, you can use Nero 8 Ultra Edition to edit High Definition content in AVCHD format. Roxio easy media creator 10 and Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus will edit AVDHD. I don't know whether EMC 10 down-converted your footage. Certainly, it is much less expensive than doing it on the mac with Final Cut Studio 2. On the mac, you need Intel Core 2 Duo, Quartz Extreme graphics card, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, at least 2GB of RAM, Final Cut Pro 6 which is included in FCS 2. If instead, you use imovie '08, which is included with iLife '08; it will downgrade the high def to 480i. To me, it means it is not high def anymore.
   
   So, as I've said before, AVCHD means get a Sony blu-ray disc player, shoot in high def and show your footage on the big screen like it is meant to be.
   
   [...].



4. For the product and technical illiterate, this is a great camera. For those who know a little bit more, it is an excellent camera. Easy to set up, use and edit. Placing the dvd directly into the camera is the best! Finalise it, and walk right over to the DVD player...Awesome!



5. I think that the HD is in progress, because when I record in HD HQ, I can't edit the recorded material in the cam before finished the DVD.
   I don't have been used all the facilities of the cam recorder.
   
   Thanks.

5 comments about Pure Digital PSV-351 30 Minute Point-and-Shoot Camcorder.

1. Awesome camera, no fuss, easy to use and the DVD's I've gotten back are very good quality. I'm very happy with this purchase. I love that it's so small too...truly is a go anywhere size.



2. The first time that I used this camcorder, I could not believe how easy it was to use. I first used my brother's and decided right then that I had to have one to take on my Hawaiian cruise in mid-September 2007.



3. All that needs to be said is, pure simplicity & brilliant product.
   
   Honestly since this product is so cheap I thought it would only last a couple of months.
   
   I personally have had mine for almost two years & I purchased a bunch more as gifts....
   
   Everyone I purchased tis for loves it..
   
   Highly recommend.



4. The camera seems to work as advertised. For the price, the picture quality is excellent. Autofocus and brightness auto-adjustment does an excellent job. The only problem I had with it was that the program that it had installed on its internal memory which was supposed to let me view my videos on a computer contained a virus and the Puredigital technologies website (not to be confused with a similar one for PureDigital of the UK which seems to apply only to small radios) was pretty useless in getting me a replacement for that program. There is no mention of the PSV-351 anywhere on their website that I could find. I still haven't located a replacement and the 888 tech support number only works from US locations.



5. I just got this exact product for $13 from BIG LOTS. It's well worth the money. I may buy a couple more. It's tiring to haul out my DVX100 + tape + battery pack whenever I need a quick vdeo reference or moving texture for animation. This tiny camera, with acceptable video quality, is perfect for that. Low light performance is much better than I expected. I don't have to worry about dropping it or losing it - [...]! File transfer is quick and easy via USB. The video files are 640 X 480 XVID AVIs. I convert them into MPEG2 files with SUPER (a free program, from:[...] for loading into other video programs for rotoscoping and etc.
   
   This is not a videophile product, though. Its low price (did I mention it cost [...]) has much to do with my positive impression. The video is solid, great for reference, but not pretty. There are obvious compression artifacts. The digital zoom is very pixellated. Sound is bad with lots of hiss. It sucks AA batteries dry in a hurry, so use rechargeables. If you want good-looking home movies, spend at least a couple hundred bucks for a better camera. If you want a throwaway video toy to keep handy in case a UFO crashes while you're out jogging, this camera is perfect.