5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS65 3-CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. I have purchased the pv-gs65 and everytime I use the camera with autofocus it makes everything blurry and only stays in focus for about 3 seconds. I returned my camcorder and got another one (pvgs65) and I am still having this problem. everytime i have used the camera i have to use manual focus.
   
   If anyone else has had this problem or knows how i could get this fixed please email me or post another review.
   
   brandonwg8677@comcast.net
   
   Thank You.



2. I bought this camorder around 3 months ago and so far I am very happy with it. First off let me say that I am a complete amateur when it comes to camcorders. I did a lot of research online though before buying this particular camcorder and saw nothing but positive reviews and for a 3 CCD camcorder I only paid $400 for it, which is the same as a good 1 CCD camcorder. I have a 20 month old baby and I use it primarily for home video footage. I was able to take it out of the box and use it very quickly. I keep the setting on 'auto' most of the time and that works just fine for me. The picture quality is excellent, the colors and vibrant and the camcorder is easy to use. I read a lot about camcorders not performing well in 'low light situations' and this camera does pretty well, even though I do notice that when I shoot video in my basement (which is not very bright) the picture is slightly grainy. However when the room is bright or when I am outside the picture is incredible. The zoom is not great but I am not shooting more than 10 feet away anyway, so that doesnt bother me. I am going to buy a video light and see how that improves my indoor video. Overall, I am extremely happy with this camcorder and highly recommend it.



3. Having just finished a half-hour video documentary using the Panasonic GS65 means I've seen the good and not-so-good. First, let me say that viewed via LCD projector on a giant screen, the color and image quality were satisfyingly rich. And I found the joystick controller terrifically easy.
   
   Along the way I racked up hours of interviews. The principal problem I found was a basic one rather than a Panasonic one: shooting with a bright background surrounding the face of the interviewee - backlighted - rendered uncomfortably dark faces. Still, I think better cameras (I had a top-of-the-line Sony for 6 years) are less severely affected by this common lighting situation.
   
   The good news for amateurs who need to rescue unintentionally-silhouetted footage is that today's software will allow you to boost the brightness in a scene as you edit. I use iMovie HD on my eMac and it proved an effective tool for tweaking both audio and video.
   
   I found the GS65's mic input and hotshoe to be essential for my interviews. I used an Azden clip-on mic with 9v-powered transmitter and receiving units and was very happy with my audio. And, by the way, I hope you realize that audio is one of the most difficult factors in bringing home a watchable video.
   
   One last bit: I noticed a bit of extra headroom on every shot despite composing tightly. I suspect that allowance needs to be made for a discrepancy between the view provided by the viewing screen and the camera's actual capture.
   
   I'm afraid the lure of Better Video via the 3-chip technology was only partially realized. Thank goodness the GS65 cost less than $400.
   
   Serious amateurs (skateboarders, teachers, etc) probably ought to save their money for a higher quality unit.



4. I bought this camera in January and have been very happy with the performance. Bang for buck, you really can't go wrong.
   
   HOWEVER, please look at the warranty on this camera before you buy. Panasonic has 12 months warranty - but the FINE PRINT says that after 3 months you, the consumer have to pay any service charges. Now we are into May, the camera mangles my tapes continually, and I have to pay for labour charges to get this fixed on a camera I have barely used and is still under warranty.....
   
   Panasonic does pay for parts - which are of course virtually free to Panasonic.... You will then need to send the camera away to a random 3rd party that may or may not fix the camera, and may or may not charge you a fortune for labour.
   
   Seriously sucks.....



5. I just bought this for about $190 at the local PX. I am impressed so far. I was going to buy the GS180, but for the sale price I would be crazy to pass this up.
   SO far the low light is much better than a single CCD. The video playback is quiet compared to a few other camcorders that record the motor noise onto the tape.
   I plan on buying an extended battery and a tripod today at the same sale.
   I will use this camcorder mostly for home videos of my son and vacations we take around Europe. I look froward to using this camcorder a lot!

3 comments about JVC GRDX95 Pocket Camcorder with 3 LCD.

1. I have the camcorder for about a week. works great no real down falls to this cam. everything you'd except in a small compact camcorder priced nicely too.



2. My new camcorder works as fine as expected and delivers everything I need : high-quality video, easy-to-use functions, compact design with incredible size and weight, 3" LCD color display, editing software (Pixela Image Mixer with VCD)...

   However, one drawback : the quality of still images recorded on the provided memory card (8 MB MMC) is lower than I expected. But that's not a problem : I have a Canon PowerShot digital camera for this.

   To sum it up :

   If you want to use this camcorder as a digital still camera : don't buy it. If you want to make great videos : BUY IT.

   Thanks Amazon for the fast shipping & delivery (even with Free Super Saver Shipping).(...)

   A satisfied customer from France




3. I bought this camcorder more than 1 year ago, and I'm quite satisfied with it, as it really makes good videos, and the special effects are useful too. The flash is not so good, but that's ok. Which I find strange is the bad quality of the pictures, they're supposed to get good resolution. I still hope that's because I just don't have the best software (Pixela Image Mixer 1.0 which came with the cam.), and I'm looking for it. I believe that if the pictures can only be captured that bad, the option wouldn't exist... If anyone knows of any better software and want to let me know at (...)I'd be pleased!
   
   A great site Amazon.
   
   I'm sorry for my English. Laia from Barcelona

4 comments about JVC GRH-D1 High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. This is the first camcorder I have ever used that looks good on an HDTV. No... Let me correct that. It looks great!!!

   Have you ever wondered why a normal camcorder looks so bad on an HDTV? It's because an HDTV is very high resolution. When you connect a traditional camcorder (even a Mini DV), the TV sees a much smaller, comparatively low resolution picture and must scale it (digitally enlarge it) to fit the screen. It doesn't matter if you have a $400 low end cam or a $4000 high end cam... Scaling the picture on virtually any HDTV will ruin your camcorder picture.

   JVC solved this on the GR-HD1 with the world's first consumer HD camcorder. Basically, it's the first consumer camcorder ever that makes a picture which correctly fits a widescreen HDTV. It records a picture with 720 x 1280 dots, compared with 480 x 720 dots for a normal camcorder.

   The result? The detail & resolution is simply phennominal! The colors look great! The video is much more appealing to watch in widescreen because it more closely matches your natural field of vision.

   The only thing you need to be careful of is the frame rate. This shoots 720/30P. What that means is it takes video at 30 frames per second. As a result, if the camera uses too fast of a shutter speed you may see a "jitter" in things that move on-screen. The fix is really easy: Simply take the camcorder out of the "auto" mode and lock in a 1/30th of a second shutter speed. This eliminates the vast majority of the jitter. What you are left with is a superb high resolution video with a subtle "film-like" quality.

   You don't have to be Stephen Speilberg to appreciate this. This is the ideal camcorder for any type of family video. Think about the great stuff happening today that you'll want to be able to watch 10-20 years from now, and still be happy with the quality.

   If you own an HDTV, no other camcorder else even comes close!




2. I bought this camcorder on September 28, 2003 when it was still fairly new on the market and more expensive than it is now. By July 2004 both the LCD screen and the viewfinder just went black. No image but I was still able to record audio. I reported it to JVC. They told me I had to send it in for repair, which I did. It seems that this was a common problem. They didn't ask too many questions. The warranty had already expired so I had to pay a couple hundred dollars. Six months later, the same problem again. I called JVC again and told them the problem. The technician who attended to me suggested that I turn it off and disconnect all power for about an hour and then try again because "that usually works." Now what kind of advice is that? I need this camera to shoot footage of events. What am I supposed to do each time this happens? Turn it off for an hour and ask the event organisers to postpone their events for an hour? Anyway, even that super solution didn't work, so I called again and they said I had to send it in for repair again. So I asked, would I have to be sending this camera in to you every six months? "No," she responded but "thank you for calling JVC."
   The words I would like to use to describe this camera and JVC cannot be expressed here but do not buy this camera!!! For the short period of time that it did work, it was great, but I will never buy this or any other JVC product ever again.
   
   I thought about fixing it and then selling it used but then my conscience wouldn't let me pass this problem on to someone else. So I decided to write this review.



3. The JVC GRH-D1 was released two years ago as the world's first hi-def camcorder (at least the world's under-$5000 HD camcorder). It utilizes the new HDV format, developed by JVC and enhanced by Sony, JVC, Sharp and Canon. The GRH-D1 is by now the "granddaddy" of HDV camcorders but it's great for those aspiring to shoot HD video. It has a comfortable grip, great image quality, and loads of pro features. The iamge quality is definitely excellent. Shop around to find this for around $2000.



4. At first I loved this mini HDV cam but, after it broke the first time it was the main button. Now the CCD is F-ed up. When I bought this unit I was offered the 5 year Mac cam warrinty. This is saving me the cost of a new one.

5 comments about Panasonic PVDV203 MiniDV Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and 8MB SD card.

1. The optics on this camcorder don't make the rich colors I'm used to on my Sony Hi-8 8mm camcorder, but the camera is nice, lightweight and very easy to use. And the battery seems to last forever. DO NOT bother with the still photograph to SD card feature. There is *no* excuse for how bad the picture quality is. Get any cheap digital camera, if you want still pictures.

   You can find these for far less than the original US$600 MSRP now, which makes them a good deal...




2. I got the same "Dew Detected" problem as another reviewer noted, and if you do a quick search on any search engine, you will find that this is a very, very common problem with this camera. I now own a very expensive paperweight.



3. Took this on trip of a lifetime to Japan. PV-DV203 didn't make it back alive. The miniDVs started popping out while recording and finally stopped recording altogether. Upon return, replaced PV-DV203 with the PV-GS15 and tried to run the miniDVs from the trip. Picture and sound quality terrible with a lot of skipping and poor auto-focus. Hoping PV-GS15 is an upgrade.



4. I am furious.
   
   A year and a half ago I got the dew detection error after a winter weekend ski trip and figured that perhaps some snow had gotten into the camera when I was changing tapes.
   
   I called Panasonic's customer service and since it was still under warranty, I shipped the camera to someplace in Indiana and after about 5 weeks it was returned and I thought okay. All is hunky dory now. So I had to pay $25 out of pocket to ship this defective DV camera to be repaired. But now it seem to work just fine.
   
   Then a few months later, out of curiousity I logged onto Amazon to read the reviews of my camera. That was when I found out that this 'dew detection error' appears to be a common problem with this particular model (and perhaps even other Panasonic models as well.
   
   If this is indeed the case, why then hasn't Panasonic issued a recall on this model?
   
   Flash forward to ....THIS MORNING just about 3 hours ago...
   
   I get the old 'dew detection error' again when I was trying to film my twin boys in our backyard. Family friendly camera? Huh? Dew detection in the middle of a draught? It hasn't rained here in WEEKS!!! The camera is as DRY as a BONE. And the error message won't stop! I could probably aim a hairdryer at this camera for several hours and still get this error message. And there is nothing you can do. It shuts the camera off after 10 seconds and tells you to eject the tape.
   
   I am so angry right now and I KNOW that by now my warranty has run out so now i am stuck with--as another customer wrote--a very expensive paperweight. UNBELIEVABLE. I plan to phone Panasonic today and find out if there's any recourse. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA PEOPLE. I usually trust the Panasonic brand, but in this case I would advise going with another brand at least for a digital camera.
   
   --Bill



5. I was shocked to see that so many consumers of Panasonic camcorders had the same problem I did! The infamous "Dew Detected" error message will not go away on my camera after owning it for just little over a year. My camera is useless now and I can't even play my old tapes!! I have to buy a new camcorder just to play my old Mini DV tapes....You can bet I'll buy a Sony, Samsung, or JVC camcorder from now on!!

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

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Sony DCR-TRV330 Digital8 Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode.

1. i would like to purchase this product
   i am from Bali - Indonesia, can give me lower price



2. Bought this camera less than 2 years ago and I thought it was pretty good, except the digital part. Terrible pictures, it isn't worth the extra $$. However, the camera recently broke, despite extremely mild usage. The camera will no longer close with a cassette inside. I now know that this defect is fairly common, but an expensive repair. I'm looking for a different camera, different brand. Sony has a quality problem.



3. I've been looking around at prices and i'de say this is the best price I've found. I was checking out other cameras and found one for $500. It was not as good as this one and cost more. Its worth your cash and the specs are nice! Like the 25x optical zoom is crazy. The digital zoom doesn't really make a difference after u get over 200x zoom on that. So dont think that 700x zoom makes much of a difference. I'de say buy it asap.



4. This Digicam sulks..I used it for < 2years and it has gone kaput. When I reported this to the Sony Service center they asked for $300 repair cost. They are living in anachronistic times when they quoted this sky high rate. You can get a new one (and that too the latest model ) for a little more than $300.



5. Numerous reports of camera stopping (type DCR trv38 and problem in google and you'll see what I mean) . The screen goes blank and that's the end of your DCR. Costs about $300 to repair. Reports from 2 months to 2 years usage and not linked to how often used or how treated. It is a problem with the "board" and your camera WILL die it's just a matter of when. It happened to us and we are thinking it was just us. We're buying a new DCR and you can bet it won't be a SONY even if they gave us one--they are too unreliable.

No comments about Sony Handycam DCR-HC96E - Camcorder - widescreen - 3.3 Mpix - optical zoom: 10 x - Mini DV.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV530 Digital8 Camcorder with Builtin Digital Still Mode.

1. this model is being discontinued by Sony, replaced by the TRV-520. Biggest change is the new one will no longer play the hi-8 tapes, only digital. Smaller screen, other minor changes. but because it's being discontinued, you can get it really cheap elsewhere. .... by the way, camera is awesome. A little bulky by today's standards, but it can do tons of stuff.



2. ...Comfort and user friendliness is important to me and this just didn't have it. The zoom function was difficult to control and it was hard to reach the zoom button on top of the camcorder and it just didn't feel right to move the lever left to right as opposed to front and back. The viewfinder was only B+W. My Sony Cam from '91 felt more ergonomically correct than this unit. Glad the TRV530 is discontinued. The TRV117 is a much better choice.



3. I recently bought the 530 some time ago and let me tell you it was the biggest mistake of my life.

   I am so happy this camcorder is discontinued because it won't make others as angry as it made me.

   First off, the digital stills are laughable. VERY WEAK!

   The camera is bulky. I can't even get my finger to rest confortably on the zoom. I end up holding the damn thing with two hands!
   Okay, the optical zoom is good (that's where it gets ONE star from me). However, the digital zoom is so awful that its pointless that its even there.

   Picture is very grainy at times when seen on my TV. This had my family very disapointed as I was filming my first born's first few steps. I was REALLY angry.

   This camcorder was a bust for Sony and I'm glad they threw it out.

   I will be getting the MINI DV soon.




4. Excellent, digital and optical zoom. Special efects wonderfull. I would be great better resolution for taking pictures.



5. This camera is excellent for capturing videos, and the still picture quality is ok if you are outdoors. For shooting still pics indoors & especially during night-time, you must have a very bright light source or a brightly illuminated room. The optical zoom is great. The memory stick is a nice addition but Sony should have provided a 32 MB memory stick as a standard accessory. The software is good enough to get started but I recommend Adobe Premiere and an iLink (firewire) cable if you are serious about editing video. Battery Life is adequate but I recommend buying another battery. Overall I highly recommend it.
   
   Pros:
   1. Portable, small and light weight, but big enough to hold steady.
   2. Extra-large 3.5 inch LCD screen.
   3. Photo quality is ok but you may need a separate camera if you are a stickler about quality.
   4. Reversable swivel screen for viewing from any angle.
   5. No detectable motor noise or hum when recording.
   6. Easy operation and simple controls.
   7. I've dropped it several times with no problems.
   
   Cons:
   1. Battery must charge in unit... not easy to remember. Get a charger or a second battery because you will forget to charge it and may miss the good shots.
   2. Software is fair but useable.
   3. Included memory stick is insufficent for camera, buy 32 or 64 MB memory stick.
   4. You must remove camera from the tripod to change tapes.

4 comments about Canon DC22 2.2MP DVD Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. Warning: Do not buy this camera if you expect to do anything other than record pictures and view them on the small window! The support software is hidious and will not work. You CAN NOT connect to a computer using the ROXIE software and the software upgrades are a bait and switch!



2. While I have some reservations about this camcorder, I believe that it is the best mini-DVD recorder for most people.
   
   Briefly: this camcorder is easy to use, can take decent pictures and excellent video at a reasonable price.
   
   Number one on my list was that it needed to be easy enough for my technophobic wife. Operation is as simple as 1,2,3,4: Turn it on, put in a blank DVD, press record/stop, finalize the disc.
   
   There are a plethora of manual controls if you want to go beyond auto mode. You can choose from two manual modes: scn & P. Scn is for an intermediate user who knows what the outside conditions are but isn't ready to control every aspect of shutter speed, white balance & so forth. There are 8 scn settings, including sports, snow, fireworks and night. The expert user can select P mode and can control even the most obscure settings. I prefer to use auto mode most of the time and when appropriate switch to scn.
   
   Now, inspite of my 5-star rating, the DC22 isn't perfect. I'm very concerned that one of my kids will get ahold of it and it will be sionara. It is delicate. There is a lot of technology crammed into this small camera. Another gripe is that the joystick is difficult to use. You use the joystick frequently because it is the primary way to navigate the menu screens and change your settings in the function screens. I frequently have to repeatedly press down on the joystick before it will take. While these are major issues, I made my rating based on the competition.
   
   Sony gets the ratings in most magazines. I disagree. Sony camcorder use propietary technology such as the Sony memory stick which you don't find at every Walmart & Target. Also, the reviews will tell you that the Sony's that offer still photography aren't much better than a cell phone. When it comes to the lense & the chip technology, Canon holds its own. And, personally the Canon feels better in my hand. But, you can be the judge of that.
   
   Briefly, about the still quality: It is as good as you can find on a camcorder. However, the colors often appear more vibrant than they really are and the still detail is not as good as even a 3.2 megapixal Canon camera. I prefer the prints over a disposable, but I would rather have a Canon Powershot model for this duty.
   
   Here are some other nice features. It uses mini-SD cards. You should have no trouble finding 1-2 gig cards that will handle 1,000-2,000 stills at one time. It includes a standard usb cable for transferring stills. It includes a cable that does have a proprietary camera end but the other end has standard AV attachments for plugging into a tv or other video device. With this cable you can transfer video data either way. It also has a rechargeable battery that lasts 1 1/2 hours and a power cable that can be used for recharging and for general operation of the camcorder.
   
   As far as the media type, DVD-R, it is the standard. Why would anyone get a mini DVD camera that uses other formats? DVD-R is what will play on your home DVD player. If you recorded on DVD+R or even DVD+/-R DL (this recorder can use DVD-R DL) you would be limited to playing your DVD's on this DVD player or loading them onto your pc and editing them. If that's your gig, the editing software is easy to use and can create professional looking event DVD's.
   
   I recommend this camcorder for most people. If you prefer to edit your videos and create a final product with the highest quality video possible, it is still no match for mini DV players. But lets face it, my wife wants to point and shoot and play it for friends without having to do a lot of work. And the last thing I want to do is sit at a pc for hours going over raw video footage in order to create semi-professional movies. Also, don't waste an extra $200 getting the DC40. The stills suffer from the same coloration issues so even though it offers 4.3 megapixals, it won't replace your still camera.
   ****Revised 1/30/07****
   Per request, here is my take on DVD type. I prefer to use DVD-R at the 20 or 30 minute quality. There's very little difference in quality. However, if you attempt to record at the 60 minute/per disk quality, you will notice a difference. It's easy enough to change DVD's during filming. Just open it and stick a new one in. It takes 10-15 seconds before you can begin recording again, so you probably won't miss much. The reasons for choosing DVD-R over DVD-RW and DVD-R/RW DL are cost, durability and universality. DVD-R disks will play in any DVD player... not so with the DL disks. You will need a Dual Layer compatible player. DVD-RW degrades more particularly if you erase and re-record. The surface is softer because it is made to be burned to, erased and re-burned. Therefore there is a greater risk of data loss. Now you might wonder about erasing useless video and/or editing. If I want an edited video (which I usually don't), I would copy the raw footage to a pc and then edit and burn a new (preferably full-size) DVD-R.



3. Received this item as a gift, was so thrilled to have it for the kids first day of school. Luckily I was playing around with it the day before and found out what a piece of crap this camera is. I recorded and then tried to finalize and found that the amera could not read the disc - amazing since it s the canon one that they even provided with the camera!! Then I lost everything I recorded. So, I tried 3 other dvd-r discs -- which are not cheap and the frikin camera could not read those either. What a piece of crap -- lost everything. I read the manual and even called the Canon people -- all they were able to tell me is geesh, that is not supposed to happen. I can only hope 6th ave. will accept the return tomorrow. Please stear clear of this item, unless you like to record things and only see them once and them loose them.



4. We received this camera as a gift. We loved the features and the nice crisp image... until we tried to watch it on anything other than the camera's own tiny screen. My husband is pretty computer-savvy, but we couldn't get the camera to connect via USB without crashing the computer. Every time. The roxio "my DVD" software, in a word, sucks. You must register to use it, and it makes us re-register every time we boot up. Plus, it won't access the DVD. Finally, you can supposedly "finalize" the DVD to watch it directly on a DVD player or computer, but "finalizing" only ruins the DVD, so your memories are kaput.
   
   My in-laws got us a Canon because optics were supposed to be the most important thing about a camera. But we found out the hard way that being able to watch the videos may be even more important than image quality. Who knew that for close to $400, that was even in question? Canon should offer a product recall to everyone who bought this piece of junk.

No comments about Canon XHG1 1.67MP 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.