5 comments about Sony DCR-SR62 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Handycam Station Included).

1. This camera takes good video quality and good picture quality (about 1MP). I bought this camera to possibly be a good all-in-one camera, pictures and video. The 30GB holds more than I need and it is easy to transfer to a Computer. My only problem at all with this camera is that it does not have a flash. I believe the Sony SR200 and SR300 have a flash. So, it turns out that for taking pictures indoors it is still better for me to use my other sony Camera. Other than that this camera fits all my needs and I think it actually works out better that I use this camera for video and the other for pics.



2. I was amazed at how this worked. The light for darkness blew me away. I wanted the next size up but this one was the better buy for the price.



3. Easy to use, good videos. We're not descriminating, so there's not much I can say that hasnt already been said. Takes great videos for the price; easy to use - right out of the box, we connected it to the TV to view the videos and were very pleased with the results. I especially like the fact that I no longer have to deal with disks or tapes.
   
   Only problem is that these small handhelds are geared towards right-handed users. You cant really hold/use it with your left hand as all of the controls, and also the screen are on the left side of the camera. I suspect most of the small handhelds suffer from this problem.



4. Parents bought the camera and it was too late to return it. Pros: very light and easy to use. Everything functions very well. Cons: Image quality sucks and you must use the dock to transfer files to computer. For the image quality alone i would have returned this but i cant anymore. Would i buy again? for the price, definitely not.



5. We got this when we are expecting our first baby. It's rather easy to use overall. Videos are gorgeous and we couldn't be happier. It holds hours of video. However, the still photos are of VERY poor quality. Thank goodness we brought our regular camera to the hospital. We had hoped to only have to lug one piece of equipment around, but the photos simply are of poor color and very blurry. We also are unable to figure out how to upload the videos using just the camcorder. You have to have the base, which means another piece to lug along if you are uploading on vacation.

5 comments about JVC GR-D250 MiniDV Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom.

1. Tried it indoor and outdoor.. It works fine.. And dual voltage charger is a added advantage too.. Works great and a good starter camcorder..



2. JVCs are great if you don't need any accessories or never need customer service. if you do you are in trouble. I bought a JVC video recorder last year and despite it being new it came without most of the accessories offered with it--things you'll probably need such as the cable to connect it to the TV and the one to connect it to the computer. I had to buy each of these for $40 each--they would not ship them, and also had to buy the software that was supposed to come with the camera. after all that, the leads broke, then the zoom button would stick, and finally the camera started eating tape. the customer service was useless and I finally just threw it out. I had owned this JVC product for less than a year and will never buy another one.



3. I recorded about 5 tapes in this unit and now I get the famous "Lens Cap" error that seems to plague JVC Camcorders. It will record audio, but no video. This Camera is not on the JVC repair list. What a piece of junk.
   
   Customer Support is a mis-nomer with JVC. They know they have a problem, but refuse to even listen. Do not buy a JVC camcorder.



4. Camera was great until the "Lens cap" error message came on in the middle of recording my son's first band concert. Have emailed JVC about so called free repair which isn't free because you still have to pay for shipping back and forth to repair center. Stay away for JVC.



5. After waiting several weeks for this item I checked the UPS tracking system and learned that the product was damaged in a train derailment. I emailed back to Amazon and was told they would look into it. A couple of weeks after that I finally got a refund (after I'd had to pay interest on my credit card, of course.) And to top it off, Amazon keeps asking me to review the product, which is kind of pissing me off, really. I'm happy that the issue was resolved, but upset that I had to be the one to initiate the communication to get it resolved. Having said that, I would still shop from Amazon in the future.

5 comments about Sony DCR-DVD403 3MP DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Poor lens cover design this is an offical money trap dont buy this product
   311 spending towards a quality cammera!



2. Nice images. Compact, easy to transport. Keep the manual handy as there are a lot of functions that are easily forgotten unless the camera is used often. Found this unit is not too nice to other disc manufacturers.
   Use Sony discs to avoid disappointments.



3. The Sony DVD403 Handycam takes great pictures and is easy to use, but beware! The software that comes with it messes up your computer BIG TIME! We have had to rebuild our computer and leave the software off. I have been told that "Sony is aware of this problem and is working on it" but I am very disappointed that they did not notify me of the problem. They could have easily done so since I registered the camera with them. If you have been experiencing problems with your computer not wanting to shut down and/or 'blue screen' and you have the software for this camera installed - that could be your problem.



4. I've owned this camera for about 18 months now. I wanted a camera that could shoot both decent video and stills, and would do mpeg2 encoding to save me the work of converting DV-AVI files to mpeg2 myself. This camera largely met those goals but has lots of annoyances too.
   
   1. The lens cover. If you read the reviews here you'll be well aware that the lens cover on this camera is very prone to failure. In my case the lens cover will not close. There was no apparent reason for the sudden failure; I have always taken good care of the camera and only use it lightly.
   
   2. The PC software is truly appalling. Forget about doing anything useful with it. I use it in its first couple of steps just to get it to extract the individual mpeg2 files out of the DVD VOB files it creates, and then manually rename each one with the date and time, then I copy them out of the temp directory and quit the app. It's way more tedious than it need be just to do this, and useless beyond this basic task (and it crashes and/or hangs frequently so often requires several attempts).
   
   3. If you use non-Sony media the camera complains, and you cannot access the non-Sony media on your PC until it is finalized. This is pure evil manufacturer lock-in BS; I don't believe there is any technical reason for this as non-Sony media support multi-session writes.
   
   4. The still camera works great in good light but not in low light. The pictures are more reminiscent of CMOS sensors than a CCD.
   
   5. It's a Sony. That means don't expect any of these issues to be fixed or even acknowledged. Once Sony have your money you're dirt.



5. I've used this successfully with Maxwell, Panasonic, Sony and other mini DVDs in -R and -RW formats.
   
   However I have not had any success with Memorex Duralayer +RW DVDs.
   
   In the 3 years? or so that I have had the camera it has functioned well.
   I have had to replace the battery with a larger capacity model and to replace the charger when it cooked.
   
   Other than those items it has done a good job.

5 comments about JVC Everio GZMG77 2.0MP CCD 30GB HDD Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. I researched for weeks before deciding on the Everio and I am pleased with my purchace. It takes very decent stills w/ flash, the low light lens allows for twilight camcordering with out a need for a video light and the size,etc is perfect for my usage.



2. JVCs are great if you don't need any accessories or never need customer service. if you do you are in trouble. I bought a JVC video recorder last year and despite it being new it came without most of the accessories offered with it--things you'll probably need such as the cable to connect it to the TV and the one to connect it to the computer. I had to buy each of these for $40 each--they would not ship them, and also had to buy the software that was supposed to come with the camera. after all that, the leads broke and the camera started eating tape. the customer service was useless and I finally just threw it out. I had owned this JVC product for less than a year and will never buy another one.



3. This is a good camera. It has served well since I bought it a month ago. The only thing is that battery does not last more than 40 minutes when fully charged and there is no warranty on the battery. Mine is dead after one month. That is kind of disappointing. I had a Sony DCR-SR40. It had two hours battery life. JVC customer is not good like Sony or Canon.



4. About the only redeeming quality it has is that it does, in fact, record video. Other than that, I find numerous flaws and have multiple complaints. It is a camera that I record video _in spite of_.
   
   1. My camera eats batteries very quickly. If a battery is left in the camera for more than two weeks, it becomes useless. I now have about five dead batteries thanks to this camera. It seems that every time I need to record something the battery is dead. Of course it's out of warranty and customer service won't talk to me over email.
   
   2. JVC uses a bizarre, proprietary format - .MOD - that is essentially MPEG-2 with a strange audio format. **It is impossible to edit the files in Adobe Premiere** - a huge letdown. I had to go through hours of research and trial and error to try to get my files just to play in premiere. Why JVC couldn't have used a more universal format baffles me.
   
   3. Video quality is merely average - about on par with an inexpensive point-n-shoot camera. It is interlaced, and I could not find a way to record progressive, so all motion looks jagged when played on a progressive screen like a computer. Another huge letdown.
   
   4. The zoom control imparts clicks and pops to the video when it's used. Also, the zoom itself is very slow and actually varies with the focal length. E.g. If I hold it all the way down, the zoom moves at one speed from about 1x-6x and then slows down from 7x-10x.
   
   5. Misc. - The wide end of the lens is too long of a focal length. I have to use a .5x adapter to get a decent wide shot. The camera has a long startup time - 4-5 seconds as it goes through a "JVC camcorder" animation. It also has no physical controls for manual settings - all must be done through a menu. There is no focus ring; trying to manually focus through a menu with a joystick is near impossible.



5. This is a wonderful camera. I purchased it and took it on my long-planned trip through Europe in 2006. Upon return, I downloaded the pictures using the Cyberlink Power Producer software. I worked on the pictures, then saved them until I had time to return and finish my sorting, renaming, etc.
   
   When I returned, the pictures were missing. I found a file with the correct extension, but the software wouldn't open it. In spite of several attempts to get Cyberlink to resolve the problem, we were unsuccessful. Their suggestions for resolving the problem were short-sighted and repetitive. I even paid Data Doctors privately to try to find the file. Cyberlink finally admitted there was nothing else they could do.
   
   JVC didn't even bother to write back.

5 comments about Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap MPEG4 Digital Video Recorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. The camera would be as advertised if it was not for the MPEG2 file fomat and they use and lack of software control over your files. Sure you can copy and rename the files off the SD card, but don't save them to your computer first using the supplied software, it uses some compression method to create one huge file from all your little ones. And they will be little, 10 minutes record time in high quality for $900.00 + cost of 512 MB SD card, please.
   
   Lastly you cannot edit the panasonic MPEG2 formats like others using Adobe or Ulead, you can burn them straight to DVD but splitting tracks, adding effects, and doing the things that make a video look slick don't work well if at all. Many players don't have the codec available to play back the files either!
   
   Check the net for more info, plenty of angry folks on the camcorder forums discussing the workarounds for panasonics mistakes and misleading product info.



2. The comment from reviewer "Xdeth" about using Ulead editing software is completely wrong. I've been using Ulead VideoStudio 8 to edit SV100 videos for over a year. Yes, as many others have stated, the ".mod" files need to be renamed to ".mpg" to use Ulead and much other software.
   
   As for the camera itself, what other memory card based MPEG-2 (DVD quality) camcorder can you toss in your pocket like a wallet? I take it everywhere. I have also dropped it a few times and have a few dents to prove it. I am very pleased with it's ability to withstand physical abuse.
   
   While it only records 12 minutes in MPEG-2 on 512MB card, it's not much of an issue. I keep an extra card in my wallet. I also have a 40 GiG portable rechargeable X-drive Pro hard drive with built in media card ports. I can off-load files with the press of a single button without a PC.
   
   Furthermore, how often does anyone ever take more than 12 minutes (MPEG-2) of continuous video? For those who do need the extra recording time, do as I did. Buy an extra SD card or an X-drive Pro.
   
   I bought this camcorder specifically for the MPEG-2 file quality. I only shoot the higher compressed MPEG-4 video when I know I'm going to email the clip.
   
   Another plus is it's 10X optical zoom.
   
   The only downside is the inability to shoot in low light and only 640 by 480 still photos. Since there is no other tapeless MPEG-2 pocket camcorder out there, the AV100 stands alone in it's catagory.
   
   My recomendation: Do buy this AV100.



3. I own this this camera since February 2004. It is very well built, light and handy, fits in any pocket.
   
   Video quality with light is very good. In low light conditions is very bad or no video at all.
   
   It is complicated to manage the files. Panasonic uses a trick to edit the video files. Files extenssion is .MOD, it is not .MPG. The change of extenssion was done to allow the edition of the recorded files with included Panasonic software and you will not find another compatibility for edition.
   
   If you backup the files in CD's or DVD's you will need to replace the extension of the files to play it in your DVD Player except for Panasonic DVD players.
   Example: File name MOV01.MOD must be changed to MOV01.MPG.
   
   You may want to use VLC software in your computer instead of Panasonic software included.
   
   From my point of view this product is not completely developed yet.



4. The fact that this records files with an .mod suffix is irrelevant. When you rename them as .mpg files they are fine. Actually, Premiere Elements 2.0 doesn't even require you to rename them, it deals with .mod files just fine.
   The video is very good, with just a bit of jagged lines when there's fast motion.
   The point is, this camera is meant to be an easy thing to put in your pocket so you are always ready to grab some video and it does this superbly.
   It's not quite as good video as a higher end DV camera, but it's not meant for that. It's a great addition to your camera collection.



5. I found no flaws with the d-spap av100, except for the fact that whenever I plug it into the TV, there is no audio. Maybe it is just me, but if anyone knows what my problem is please let me know.
   
   rskurban@comcast.net

5 comments about Panasonic VDR-M53 DVD Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this camera because of consumer reports great reviews. But I'm bound and determined to get my images onto my PC. I purchased a DVD-RAM compatible drive for my PC and still can't get it to recongnize either DVD-RAM or DVD-R disks. Do I need special software? And if so what? Roxio DVD builder is not doing the trick.
   
   Other than that, the camera works great, images and sound are clear, and camera is easy to opperate. If you figure out a new cell phone, you can figure out this.



2. If you buy this camera, remember to buy also additional DVD copy software (IntelVideo Copy - around $70), plus only Panasonic DVD-Ram mini DVD disks (also expensive). Also, after my experience, if you erase one DVD-ram disc at least twice, on the third use the movie will have many video or audio problems. Not knowing this problem, I ruined my friend's baby shower video. Panasonic customer service is not helpful at all. A representative was even surprised that my camera does not have USB cable!!! Other then that - let's say, once you cannot return this camera to the store, because I opened it and used it, you can still enjoy lightness of the camera. One more thing: you need to purchase the light also; this camera does not have built-in light - you will need it. ... So, how much does the camera cost after all???



3. I've bought this camera about a year ago and I am very happy with it. The batery charges fast and lasts long, the movies are good in quality (clear, not blured, the colors come out exactly the same) and the camera is light enough. The only problem I've had so far is that you cannot record in the dark - the movie comes out darker than it seemed and you can hardly see anything. Otherwise I am more than happy with the camera.



4. If I could, I would give this camcorder a 0 of 5. Since I now have to search for a new camcorder, from reading other Panasonic model reviews, I am convinced I did not just get a lemon, but the Panasonic brand is bad.
   
   We bought this camcorder 18 months ago at the birth of our son. It has had problems from the beginning. First, I could not finalize the disk. I called Panasonic support, who basically told me the problems we were having were because the camera was not being held still while recording. This is ridiculous since I often set the camera down on a countertop so I can be in the video. Then I finally got someone to tell me that I needed to be recording on Panasonic mini-DVDs. The best it has worked have been on the Panasonic DVDs which are some of the most expensive, and even that is no guarantee that you will be able to watch the DVD after finalization. I still have freezing of the picture and sparatic playback when trying to watch. It has skipped over whole sections. I have 3 DVD players in my home (all different brands) and the disk works on none of them.
   
   I finally got an address to send it in for repairs. I was not happy to be without my camcorder for an extended period of time. I was told they would look at the camcorder, see if there was a problem and call me. I waited a week after I knew it was in the shop to check the status. Panasonic FAILED TO MENTION that I would need to pay $207.50 UP FRONT for them to look at it, then if any repairs were needed, this cost would cover them as well. SO, I have been without a camcorder for 3 weeks while waiting to see if it needed fixing, and the company I sent it to has not even looked at it because I have not paid them! This is crazy since I can get a brand new miniDV camcorder for $225.
   
   The only reason it has taken me so long to take drastic action is because we are military living overseas and bought it at Best Buy. So you see why I couldn't just take it back to the store (or I would have a long time ago)! Also after spending over $500 on this piece of junk, I could not afford to just replace it. Sending it in was not an option when my son was a newborn, because I didn't want to miss any precious memories (which I ened up missing anyway!). So now the holidays are upon us, and I will be forced to purchase another camcorder, since I don't know if they will send it back to me in time for Christmas. I will not pay the $207.50 for a camera that hasn't worked well out of the box. I also had to pay shipping both ways for nothing!
   
   Plus another thing, the still picture is bad quality. Very grainy and you can actually see pixels when you print it. We only used that function once.
   
   I have lost so many disks, and have so many others that only play part of the DVD that when I think of it I cry. I have also wasted so much time trying to figure out how to fix the problem with a customer support that is useless. I wish I would have never bought this camcorder! IF YOU ARE BUYING THIS CAMCORDER TO CAPTURE MEMORIES, BUY ANOTHER! I will not buy Panasonic products again!



5. I've owned a VDR-m53 for 20 months. I have lost at least 4 event DVDs (birthdays, holiday pageant, vacation) to disk errors even when using the correct media, being incredibly careful with this camera, and following all relevant instructions. According to panasonic my camcorder is in good working condition, and the problems I'm having are due to "bad media". I've purchased the appropriate type of mini-DVDs from various major brands at several chain stores, and I've had these problems (corrupted disks/disk erros/disks in need of repair/camera unable to read portions or all of disks/video freezing) on every major brand, even on brand new disks used the day of purchase.
   
   I'm not a clueless, reckless consumer. I was duped into buying a product that is utterly unreliable. I'm sending it back to Panasonic. Not because I want a new one (or a credit toward a Panasonic product, as they have been horrendously unhelpful with customer service and tech support), but so they understand I'd rather never see this terrible piece of equipment again.
   
   If, in fact, they are correct and my camcorder works fine, then the DVD media is so horribly unreliable that I can assure you I will NOT buy another DVD-recording camera. So much for the convenience of recording right onto a DVD. I'd rather pay a professional to transfer my precious videos, because at least I'd HAVE them.

5 comments about Sony DCR-PC1000 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. As a Handy-cam, it works fine. It has an "idiot" mode button that allows simple point and shoot operation. So, if you're on vacation and shooting outdoors, you're set with the PC1000. It's fine. The resolution and quality are superb.
   
   Anything beyond those lower expectations, however, forget it. Operating the camera in any type of manual mode is a cumbersome method in sub-menu frustration. Low light performance is atrocious and there's NO WAY to get quality audio into the camera.
   
   None.
   
   You can buy an after market cam-mounted stereo mic from Sony, but it's still doesn't provide good fidelity; mainly because there's no way to get the mic close to the subject --save for moving the camera itself. Not an option if image composition is important to you. More mind-boggling is the decision to leave off any kind of audio monitoring whatsoever. Headphones? Nope, no headphone jack. Not only does it capture sub-par audio, it doesn't allow you any ability to monitor possible flaws in audio capture.
   
   Case in point: I bought the external "hot shoe" mic from sony. Well, if has an 'off' toggle switch on it that's hard to discern, thus I recorded a 20 minute interview with the lousy default cam mic and had no way of realizing my dilemma 'til I play-backed the tape in another machine.
   
   Anyway, the cam makes a nice image in good light, no question, so it's good for video novices that just want simple home movies. Don't expect anything else out of it though.



2. Iam from Costa Rica, this camera is very expensive I do not recommend you to buy, i t has no night shot or super night shot, the built in Flash has power for close pictures, the picture quality is just aceptable in sun ligth but indoors is very bad, i recommend you to buy the DCR-PC105 or similar from sony, it cost less and is almost the same video quality but this one has more features, the DCR-PC1000 has two modes of picture quality, i do not recommend this device.



3. I've only had my pc1000 for a week and it seems to be a great camera. The camera form factor, user controls, and picture/audio quality are all better than I expected.
   
   The one area where it missed the mark was that Sony doesn't adequately emphasize that Mac users need an additional 4-pin to 6-pin IEEE (Firewire/i.Link) cable. This is not included and runs around $25.
   
   From the product specs, I misunderstood that a Mac with USB 2.0 would work with the supplied USB cable. USB will ONLY transfer Memory Stick data - not MiniDV data, which is where you'll record most of your video. The only place I found this documented was in the "Troubleshooting" section of the manual. In other words, Sony considers their poor OS support to be a user problem.... Feh.
   
   Once you get a 4-pin to 6-pin Firewire cable, however, iMovie effortlessly imports your video. Don't bother with the included Sony software.
   
   Otherwise, the pc1000 rocks.



4. This camera achieves its goal as a sleek, simple dual function (still/movie) camera with moderate access to advanced functions. It is easy to use, small and lightweight, and has a very high coolness quotient. It has an interesting form factor, which I haven't found difficult to use, although the zoom toggle is sometimes difficult to reach because it's placed too high when you're holding the camera low in front of your body. The video is sharp and clear, and the audio is surprisingly good considering the built-in mic is placed on the top of the camera body. I do wish it had even the smallest of lights to assist with low-light conditions, because the video quality can be average in dim light. I think Sony should either have put a standard accessory shoe on the camera, or they should offer more options in terms of accessories, which are limited to a couple of mics and a light/flash or two. For example, a combination video light/flash and quality stereo or surround mic would be fantastic. Also, there is no external microphone input or headphone monitor jack, both of which should be standard on a camera in this price range. The battery life is limited. At full charge it reads 80 minutes. There is a larger battery available, but even that wont hold up to sustained use of zoom and flash. I suspect Sony chose an enclosed battery compartment to keep the camera sleek, but they should get working on a more potent option.
   
   One of the best features of this camera is that it works quite well as a still camera! I use it interchangeably with my dedicated still for anything that will print 4x6 or smaller. Camcorders are typically regarded as glorified cell phones in terms of their still functionality, but this one breaks the mold. While it's not able to capture the same level of detail and color balance, it IS good enough for small prints and my wife's scrapbooking projects.
   
   As for the computer interface, it's very good over USB, and I'm sure over firewire as well. Connecting the camera couldn't be simpler. It auto-detects the usb connect mode, and is easy to switch from DV capture to DV pass-through or memory stick acces. It can even stream video over USB, though I doubt I'll ever use a $1000 webcam. As slick as the hardware is, Sony's software has a long way to go before it is mature. The video capture utility could be great, but they need a usability designer to sort the thing out. For example, it stops every so often at a non-configurable and arbitrary "time limit", making it impossible to simply punch "capture" and walk away from the camera, returning to a single, complete AVI file. I tried some freeware, but it choked on the audio, so I now use Windows Movie Maker. It's a simple solution that can both capture and edit, and it's the software Sony should have produced. They could improve upon it by enabling the ability to install video codecs other than WMA, like DIVX or XVID, or even just plain old MPEG1/2! But it works great for raw AVI capture and edits. I'll use some other tools to convert the video and burn the DVDs.
   
   My overall review of this camera remains 5 stars becuase of:
   1) size
   2) usability (others have complained, I find it quite good)
   3) versatility (camcorder, camera, camcorder - not too bad!)
   4) extremely good video quality (in bright light)
   5) cool factor
   
   BUT, Sony needs to put out a more powerful battery option, and expand on the shoe accessories. Plus, they need to improve the software profoundly on the next go-around, and they need to add a damn headphone and external mic jack to this thing. Finally, it WOULD be nice to have a more versatile set of manual controls and a simpler mechanical interface to access them (ie a nice control ring), and it would be nice to add a firewire/usb port on the camera to enable direct DV streaming to an external hard disk.
   
   Sweet camera overall, with a few acceptable quibbles...



5. I love this camera! I used this camera for a year now and in my opinion this is the best Sony camera for family use. It fits easily in a pocket, I just carry it in a ziplock bag to avoid getting it dirty. I carry this camera with me whenever I can, just to document bits of daily family life. I have other Sony cameras, but due to their size I always choose this one. The quality is excellent in good light condition, very good to document family moments. I also like the provided Handycam Station, I keep it on a table, put camera back when I'm home and thanks to this almost never forget to load batteries. I really can't complain about anything. Also, the photos quality are reasonable quality.

5 comments about Canon Elura 2MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode.

1. I took a brand new camcorder on an extended international trip shooting in a variety of harsh climates. Image quality - spatial and contrast resolution are superb. The colors are vibrant even in harsh sunlight. Better than average indoors. Editing is a breeze, even for a novice. You can't use this camera without everyone around you marvelling at its small size - even other jaded technofiles. Without reservation, an excellent camera.



2. While the small size of this camera makes it great to take around, and easy to use, it apparently doesn't come without a price. When I brought my Elura 2MC home, and shot a few minutes of test video, I was shocked to discover just how loud the motor noise was on the recorded video. Although there is a built-in noise filter, it seems to have no effect on the constant hum from the motor while filming.

   Given the price, I assumed that my camera had a manufacturing defect, so I took returned it for a new one. Unfortunately, the second camera had the same problem. While the camera is otherwise quite nice, the constant, annoying background really ruins the video it takes. ;-(




3. Very small...works great...easy operation...also films in B&W and sepia which i love...this is my 4th digital camera, and i like this one the best....only problem is the battery does not stay charged for long periods of non use...but recharges fast..maybe i should look into a larger battery?



4. I was very sceptical about this camera upon purchase. My needs are for a camcorder for family activities. We never used the Hi-8 unit we have had for 5 years, just sits in the closet to bulky to be practical or convenient. The size is perfect for my needs. I was concerned about quality, robustness, and utility (would controls be impossible to reach).
   Seems to work well for my needs. The battery winds down pretty quick (about 60 mins on a charge with no LCD usage and only recording usage). However seems to retain charge over a period of time (unlike some other comments read).
   Pictures are very clear, and am amazed at the quality. Stability mechanism works well. Do not use the digital zoom, as feel this is only a gimmick and of little real use.
   Controls are reasonably intuitive, seems like manual overrides for most anything, but use on automatic mode most of the time. Would like a wide angle lens, as equivalent of a 50mm lens. Quality definitely deteriorates under low lighting.
   After 3 weeks of use give a heartly thumbs up, seems like a keeper.



5. Sending mine back-- liked the small profile and features. Shot a few minutes of video on a new tape. Brought it home to watch it and ate the tape up when I tried to rewind it. I'm glad I was only trying it out, I'd hate to have the tape of something important get eaten by the machine.

5 comments about DC DXG-301V Digital Video Recorder with MPEG4 & Digital Still Capability.

1. When I purchased this item, I was expecting a video recorder that can also take still photographs. Instead it is a still camera with video recording capabilities. The product name is misleading.
   
   That does not mean that is a bad camera. In fact it is a great camera, if the user intends to use it primarily for still photographs. For video recording I would recommend something else. The resolution is only 640x480 and the results are heavily pixelated videos. The device also produces horrible monophonic sound recording.



2. This one is a product of bad quality, the cap of the batteries to a few days I damage enough of light is needed in order that the sign meets slightly clear, product of bad quality I do not recommend it to him(you,them) and for quality the price must be low



3. The camera itself wasn't all that bad. The video quality was okay, the picture quality was fine. But it was the sound quality of the video that really threw me off. I got this as a Christmas present and loved it... Until I tried playing the video back. In a nutshell, it is nearly impossible to hear anything anyone is saying if they're further than 10 or less feet away, even when you download the video to the computer. So I thought to myself, why not just buy a microphone for it? Wrongo! I found out the hard way that it isn't possible to use a microphone with the camcorder.
   
   So, if you just want a camera to make music videos or other silent productions, I guess this is fine for that. But if you're looking for a decent quality video camera for school or home videos or short productions, I would CERTAINLY not reccomend this.



4. This camera is cheap quality and doesn't produce good results. Invest in a real camera. Don't buy this one.



5. I purchased this item for my son for Christmas last year. He was able to use the camera for video for a small amount of time due to the lack of internal memory. He then installed the memory card (recommended with the camera) and then the system would not turn on. It seems that the memory card slot was not designed well. Once you take out the card, the camera would work. We tested the card in another device and it worked properly. We sent the camera back to the manufacturer and they had it for about 10 days and sent it back with no problem found. We still cannot use the camera with the memory card in it. Do not buy!!!!!

5 comments about Canon ZR45MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Digital Still Mode & MMC Card Slot.

1. As with others, this was a great camera until the remove cassette problem appeared 8 months ago. Now it barely plays or records. I'm never buying another Canon and going back to Sony. BTW, the buzzing is the automatic microphone gain. If there's not enough sound to record it cranks up the input volume so much that you hear the tape motor.



2. It was a pretty good camera until it stopped working. One day I turned it on and it started beeping and flasshing an eject tape message. But you couldn't eject the tape and the camera would not respond to anything. I had the camera just over two years when this happened. Luckily I purchased an extended warranty at Best Buy. Best Buy sent the camera to Canon for repair. Canon would not repair it because it would be too expensive so, Best Buy gave me a new camera. And I was allowed to get a different brand, so I went with a Sony Handycam.



3. one thing to watch out for,when using the zoom button,dont just let it go after you zoom,or it will click and the noise will be recorded. however,if you edit and can dub different audio then it wont matter. that said, we love the camera.
   ive been thinking about an off board mic for sterio audio,,just for fun. but since this camera is kinda old now,finding extra parts is kinda tough. when we bought it,they were just comming out and then everything was available,but now,several years later,,, well they arent. ebay or maybe canon outlet in the usa.
   in fact i just bid on a remote for it,we lost the other one. man,they come in handy.
   id probly also want a clear over lense to protect the main lense from grit and crud. cheaper to get a new cover than new lense.



4. This was my first digital camera, and I absolutely love it. Still going strong after 4 years. I've used it on trips, to record concerts, and just general fun. It's incredibly easy to use.
   
   The complaints I have are geared towards the fact that it's outdated. What once was sleek and smaller than the competition is now big and bulky. It's also slow to load up... meaning you may miss a shot turning on the camera. The battery is so-so, but to fix this just carry around spares.
   
   The good have so far outweighed the bad... fast/easy transfer of video & images to a computer. I can use it as a temporary webcam. I also use it for quick digital pictures (but the quality isn't that great). The battery and memory are easy enough to replace if needed (I haven't needed to yet). The zoom is amazing!
   
   It's overall versatile, and I'll keep using it until it dies (no signs of it so far).



5. Giving my unbiased opinion: I am an adult and i know my way around technology. I owned other canon products before from powershot cameras to this ZR45MC. I've had this since early 2002 and I've used it for many things, graduations etc.... I just recently had problems.
   
   first, GOOD: If you're not going for pro quality, technically superior lines this and pixels that....the video is pretty good in my honest opinion. I just used it on a trip to Boston and used it for whale watching and I was quite satisfied. The video was clear, crisp and colorful. It was cloudy and darker when we were out at sea and the video was still good, even after the whale spit out on us... yum. The aqaurium was even darker, still good. I avg anywhere from 1+hr to 2hrs on tapes. I read many reviews on the buzzing noise and I've yet to hear it. Perhaps i wasn't in a super quiet room but even though my videos had some quiet time in them i really didn't notice. The sound it does record is pretty clear. I bought a DVD-R recorder and transfered them immediately over to DVD and they transfer beautifully. It has many features like an adjustment lever by the eye piece to better meet with your eye (which is a plus since i have an extended battery and it sticks out a bit more but no struggles with the eyepiece extended-comfy). You can use the supplied AV cables or the not included S-cable but the supplied AV transfers just fine. It's been good with power consumption on my extended battery (digital concepts lithium BP-522CL 2400mAh)and i keep the stock one as back up but i've never had to switch to it yet. The software is pretty straightforward and I do use either the software from my powershot camera or the camcorder to load pics so they are compatible with each other in this case (zoombrowser EX).
   
   The not so Bad: nowadays with the pixel/resolutions quality of the cameras the 640x480 is not up to snuff anymore. It's better than nothing in a pinch when set to Fine quality. I really wouldn't use standard unless you using it for quick loading pic via internet i.e. ebay pics....
   
   Now the BAD! I really am surprised at Canon's response to this. I began having tape issues which also seems to be a fairly common complain. Now i really don't know if this would be a common issue with age and usage with all miniDV tape camcorders or just particularly Canon's but it began asking me to "eject" tapes more often but i noted it was related to when rewinding. Of all my taped it crimpled 3 and ate 1 (older tapes) during fast rewind. In other words, press stop, then rewind then it seems to be more riskier. HOWEVER, If the tape is playing and i hold my finger on rewind it doesn't have any problems eat/crimping. I contacted canon and they said it may need service. I keep my stuff meticulous....the cost of whatever the probably BS repair is quite high considering it may range from a simple yet $125 - $175 service to a much more costly and not worth the $$ problem. They did offer me to be a member of the canon loyalty progam which they send you an access code to their loyalty website and basically give you credit and a discount towards other items for your product. Think of it as trading in a car for a new one (and yes you still do get somewhat of the shaft but if you want to avoid the headaches of selling and getting something for the item then just bite the bullet). I still think if canon had a decent amount of concern regarding this tape issue they would be a little more proactive about it. It just seemed like he was saying an indirect but courteous "it's old so tough luck". I do note most of my problems have been with the FUJI tapes. I just switched to PANASONIC tapes so it's still early but no problems so far using my rewind method. TDK seem to work well with it too but it seems hard to find now. Too bad, i liked the TDK tapes. Anyone else come across another compatible bard lemme know. Reading some stuff on this, some say it is the type of coating or tape used that may make it more or less compatible but that's internet reading so take it with a grain of salt.
   
   Accesories: aside from the extended lith battery i mentioned, I also have crystal optics 3 lens filter kit (UV, PL and flourescent filter) which i recommend lens filters for any cam for 2 reasons, #1 and priority- God forbid if you dirty or scratch the lens, it's the filter lens that's much cheaper to replace vs. replacing the actual cam lens itself. #2 it does enhance taping if used correctly...it can minimize glare, tone down the brightness if you're taping on a super bright environment or give a more natural look to recording if taping under flourescent lighting....
   
   I guess I'm still keeping mine for now. THANKS FOR READING - I HOPE THIS HELPS ALOT!