5 comments about Samsung SC-DC173U DVD Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom.

1. I recently purchased this camcorder with a great "black friday" discount.
   I compared it to the Canon and Sony equivalent. The Canon was very similar with similar reviews (more expensive). The Sony had better reviews but was over $100.00 more. Since my husband and I film about two or three times a year, we decided that the Samsung was just fine for the money we wanted to spend. We have used the camcorder twice and both times had no trouble filming, using the controls, formatting, finalizing and viewing the finished product. While the camera is not perfect, it is fine for our use. We like the convenience of being able to replay the film right away. We used the fujifilm dvd's and the battery adapter to film. We have not fired up the battery but will do so at an upcoming party. The voice is excellent, picture average to good and the camcorder is easy to use. We have not yet used the memory card to take still pictures and really don't intend to. We have a digital camera and we intend to use that for our still pictures. If you want something that is a lot more sophisticated and that MAY make better videos, opt for the Sony 108 or 408 products that I have reviewed. But again, for the average user - this one serves the purpose well.



2. I bought this camera a little less than a month ago and thought I was satisfied. That is, until I charged the battery for the first time and realized that you only get about 20-25 minutes of battery life. What is the point of that? Then I thought, okay, well I will just buy a replacement battery, and cannot find one anywhere (I don't think they make one for this model). In any case, I shouldn't already have to look for a replacement battery. If I had it to do over, I would not buy this camera and do not recommend it at all.



3. i purchased this camcorder at sears on sale for 199 minus 100 in gift cards, so i ended up paying 100 bucks for it. Even for 199, the camcorder is worth the money. so here are some positive and negatives i've witnessed so far (keep in mind this is the only dvd camcorder that i have ever used)
   
   positives
   1. it is very small and fits in my hand comfortably
   2. discs are loaded easily
   3. case use dvdrw cd's so that you can re record if you don't like what you have done.
   4. it supports dolby digital surround sound
   5. 16 x 9 for my dlp tv
   6. 34x digital zoom (not available in 16x9)
   7. sd card slot to save my pics or videos to
   8. samsung reliability
   9. picture isn't bad
   10. camera does have light (no functional with 16x9)
   
   negatives
   1. pic quality isn't very good (cannot substitute for a camera)
   2. cannot snap pics while recording (i used to love to do that with my old jvc mini dv camera), but i have not figured out how to do it on this camera. you have to switch the camera to "card" to make it work.
   3. battery life is bad, but i expected that and purchased a bigger, more power battery on ebay for $16. hint: don't leave the battery in the camera, it will drain, quickly.
   4. when turning the camera on, it take 5-10 seconds until you can record, so don't expect to record something that may occur immediately if the camera isn't already ready to record.
   5. using 16x9 ratio REDUCES MANY features of the camcorder. you cannot use the light, the digital zoom, most effects, and the DIS function is unavailable. I have been switching back and forth depending on my what, where and when i am recording.
   6. recording in low light is very bad, unless you have the camera on 4:3 ratio and the shutter speed adjusted. Unfortunately you cannot use the light unless the shutter speed is adjusted, which then makes diminishes picture quality. shooting in 16x9 in low light areas is pointless.
   7. you only get about 25 minutes of record time on sp, and about 1hr with lp (not camera'a fault). so carry extra discs with you.
   8. position of the joystick button sux. it should be behind the camera.
   9. you have to kina of force the turning knob to off, it doesn't move freely to off and it almost feels like i'm breaking it.
   
   all in all, for 200 bucks, you can't go wrong. just don't buy this camera for the 16x9 feature and you'll be happy. so far so good for me. the easy mode is good for beginnings and the quick menu can also me useful to quickly change important settings. I just hate that samsung has greatly reduced the camera's features when 16x9 is being used. oh well.



4. While I bought this as a christmas present for my wife, She has yet to be able to use it. She tried to record a small video and it would not play back. Then the camera started telling her weird things like, the disk is not formated and do you want the camera to format it. When we answered yes, the same message just continued to come up. I called Samsung and was told that there was a patch I could download onto a dvd which could be put in the camera to correct the problem. When I told them I did not have a DVD burner, they offered to send me a disk. After waiting 2 weeks, the disk arrived but was on a full sized CD rather than the mini DVD so I could not put it in the camera to download. I borrowed a computer with a DVD burner and copied the file onto a mini DVD. Then when I put it in the camera, the camera told me the disc was bad. I did this three times with three different discs and the results were the same each time.
   
   I have now sent the camera back to the on-line store which sent the camera. They indicated that they will send me a new one. I am just hoping the software patch has been installed on the new camera when I get it and my problems are resolved. I was hoping to just get my money back and try a different brand but at this point, the distributor just wants to send me the same camera.
   
   Based on my experience to date with Samsung, I don't think I would buy anything else from that company.



5. I've had nothing but problems from this camera. It sucks the battery down lightening fast, it won't shut off sometimes and this weekend, it would skip on the recordings so it didn't record all of the event I was trying to capture. Returning this immediately!

5 comments about Aiptek MPVR 6MP MPEG4 Digital Camcorder with 4x Digital Zoom.

1. The camera will not download into my pc. There is a problem with the download port on the camera. I e-mailed the manufacturer and as of yet have not recieved a response.



2. My husband bought this for my birthday almost 1 1/2 years ago. The camera took blurry pictures and the video is only able to record is you stand still and not walk around. Otherwise the movie becomes distorted.



3. I ordered one of these camcorders, it worked for less than a year, rather than go thru the hassle of repairing it thru the mnfr, like an idiot I ordered another one just like it thinking I could save money using same batteries and chips...wrong. Second video camera arrived in april, dead in June. does not recognize the memory chip, says the memory is full in five minutes with a 2 gig chip? no way. emailed tech support, email bounces, called tech support, guess what...sorry we are experiencing a HIGH VOLUME OF CALLS TODAY, ...duh....i guess so. what a waste of money. do not buy this brand. junk.



4. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RSNZH60IGBL3X



5. it works fine, the only problem is that the image drags if motion is medium to high speed. not SDHC compatable so use no bigger than a 2gb card.

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

1. Let's get one thing out of the way. As an all around video camera the Flip blows. However as a "Video Notebook" this is the greatest thing in the world.
   
   Wallyworld knocked the price down to $75.00 (30 minute model) so I grabbed one. I love it. I absolutely love it! If I see something cool while I'm out I can record it. If I want to make a note to myself I record it. If somebody tells me something I say "Tell the camera. It has a better memory than I do". When the boss wants me to do something I have her tell the camera. When a customer makes a complaint I ask him/her to tell the camera and I'll show the video to the manager. When I am out shopping for something I just make little demo recordings of all the possibilities and go over them at leisure when I get home. If I want to show somebody something I just record it and show them.
   
   The video quality in decent light is good. Quite good enough for temporary notes and great for Youtube and Ebay auction demo videos. Actually if the light it good the video quality is very good. It lacks white balance and color adjustments and macro and telephoto and....but what do you want for $75.00 or even $149.00?
   
   As an all-around camcorder though it's very limited but I have my fancy Sony camcorder for doing the good stuff. The Flip is my carry-around fun pocket recorder. It's the one I can hide in my pocket and pull out quick when I need to record something. It's the one that I could lose or drop and not cry too much about it. It's the one that doesn't look much like a camcorder and hopefully won't attract a thief's attention. It's the one I can trust the kids with.It's the one that Grandma can operate because basically it's just two buttons; Power and Start/Stop Recording. Get one. You want one.
   
   You can get a nice waterproof (and therefore dustproof) case for it at a nice price so that makes the camera even better for carrying around everywhere. IE: A Pocket-sized Video Notebook. Sweet!



2. I love my new flip!!! I used it right out of the box. Easy to carry right in my purse. I'm so glad I bought it!!
   
   Joy



3. I got this and it never worked. I didn't know it didnt work because i didn't use it for a while after I got it and I had the original flip video that i loved so i didn't think it would be a problem, but it doesn't work. The picture is fine, but the sound doesn't come out and there is just a buzzing sound. I couldn't return it because it was past the return date so i'm stuck with a piece of plastic junk that i paid over $100 for. I'm so mad.



4. This camcorder is wonderful! I wasn't sure what to expect with the clarity of the videos, but once I began using it, I could immediately see how great the picture was. It's so nice to have something this small and portable that I can keep in my purse. I would recommend this to anyone looking for something small and easy to use for any situation.



5. The best part about the flip camcorder is it's size.I can carry it in my pocket and capture spontaneous moments with ease. It is a really great design and I am enjoying it's capabilities.

1 comments about JVC GR-D870 MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom.

1. This would happen to be one of the more easier to use camcorders that I have had. When compared to similar on the market this is a very well priced unit with all the functions that are buit in. Simple to use, simple to set up, oh so simple! (And about time!)

1 comments about Sony HDR-UX10 4MP DVD High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

1. An excellent HD camcorder. Saves to DVD+RW or ProDUO (I use the 4 GB Sony). Pictures are crystal clear, and the 5.1 surround sound is excellent (sounds exactly as if you're outdoors). An excellent price, too! A great buy, IMO!

3 comments about Sony DCR-DVD710 1MP DVD Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. We are leaving for a trip to Australia and have been shopping for a camcorder for a year. We ordered this one because we have been so happy with other Sony products. The camcorder has a very short field of vision and noisy. Everything is fuzzy except the center of the picture.



2. I purchased this item from another merchant(Dell for $339) about a week ago. In my opinion, its much better than the mini dv format. I love the ability to go from camcorder to dvd player without any problems. I have not tried recording on the memory stick yet, but dvd video is clear.



3. My wife was given this Handycam as a service award at work.
   
   We have owned camcorders ranging from RCA full-size VHS cameras 20 years ago to Toshiba full size VCR on up to Sony 8mm & Super 8mm.
   
   Honestly, and I think you will see this confirmed by many sources on the internet... the picture quality of older camcorders seems much better than these newer smaller models.
   
   It seems despite the hi-tech digital wizardry, video enhancement and all the other tricks the manufacturers try to use to squeeze to get more performance out of their small "handycams" today.......... you simply CAN'T FAKE GOOD FULL SIZE OPTICS AND LENS.
   
   This DCR-DVD710 has worst color and picture quality than our Sony Super 8mm.
   
   In fact, the Super 8mm is not as good as our regular Sony 8mm which had a large front lens.
   
   More importantly, the power button on this camera broke the 3rd time we used it.
   Now the only way to turn it on/off is by removing the battery.
   
   On the other hand, our old cameras have traveled with us to Asia and Europe and still work great.
   
   I am glad we did not pay for this camera, but it did help teach us a lesson.
   
   If at all possible in your budget, don't spend less than $900 on a camera if you are the least bit concerned about picture quality and go with the largest full size lens you can get for your money.
   
   Trying to use fancy digital tricks to get a good picture thru a lens that is smaller than a dime is technically NOT GOING TO WORK WELL.

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

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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



5. I recently had the Canon GL1 and thought it was time to upgrade to Hi-Def. After reading about 30 customer and 20 pro reviews it was the only camera that was offered pro features and great image quality worth way more then the price. It is all because of the CMOS sensor the camera uses. It consumes less power, less money to produce, better image quality then CCD and does not smear light. Some people say it's a consumer camera because it only has a one chip sensor instead of three like a CCD sensor but a CMOS sensor is a lot different then a CCD. A single chip CMOS sensor is three mega-pixels just like three CCD chips. It should be considered a pro camera instead of a consumer camera.
   OK; now what the camera can do..... It has a touch screen which is handy but you have to keep wiping it off because it smudges easily. The personalized menu is a great idea; you can have all your most used items at a touch away. The cineframe and cinematone features are a good idea if you want your movies to have a more professional Hollywood look to them. The picture quality in good light is almost identical the image quality of the Sony Z1U which cost $4,000 and that's really amazing!! The low light performance is not that good, this is a downside of the CMOS sensor. I really like the exposure lever, one strange thing is that the camera does not give exposure increments like F1.6 ..... F2.6 it just gives you a bar. Three quarters of the bar is for exposure and the last quarter of the bar is gain which digitally brightens the picture and makes the picture real grainy. Just make sure you adjust the exposure manually in dark places and turn the gain off by not going to the last quarter of the bar. It has some other great features and that I am not going to go in to but you can read about them on this page. One other thing is that this camera is quite compact and I am really amazed at the picture quality that it takes.
   Over all it is great camera and a good choice for any one who needs a good Hi-Def camera for a low price.
   I hope this review helps and I will be adding more to this review.
   06/29/08
   I don't know what the problem was with the guy below me. I think he had problems in low light with the camera, this camera is not the best in low light. The auto focus is a little slow indoors but it's a lot better in good light. He also had problems with the mic, there are a lot of settings for the mic and you have to set them right to get good sound. When rewinding tapes I did not think it made a horrendous noise but it does make different pitches as you rewind it. The camera is small, they made it compact so pros could get great images in tight places. If you need a good low light camera go with the Sony V1U.
   07/18/08
   Price went up $300 from when I bought it, I guess I made a good investment.

5 comments about Sony HDR-HC9 6MP MiniDV High Definition Handycam Camcorder 10x Optical Zoom.

1. I've been playing with my HDR-HC9 for only about one month now, so I am still not familiar with all the bells and whistles. The big positive feature - I think this camcorder has just about everything one could ask for in a small package. The positives outweigh the negatives, but there are significant negatives, too. Some of the negatives I've found are:
   
   1. Extremely complicated owner's manual with many conflicting statements. Many of the camcorder features are only minimally covered, and I think conflicting statements made may be due to poor translation into English.
   2. If you record in HDV and then transfer to DVD, you'll never play your video on an old TV where you can't pick a 9:16 aspect ratio. Camcorder is supposed to automatically sense TV aspect ratio, but that doesn't translate to DVD recording.
   3. On-screen menu. That means your hands have to be clean to use it - no fish slime or axle grease allowed!
   4. Compact camcorder, but everything is too compact. Designed for someone with spider fingers, not cigar sized fingers like mine. I have difficulty opening up the output covering because my fingers are too big to get under the opening flap. Etc...
   5. To activate fader you have to go through several menu items and it reverts to the default "no-fade" after you use it only once. Can't fade-in and fade-out with an external button like my DCR-TRV9 this replaces.
   
   I haven't used it enough to say more. I'm sure I'll like it more when I become more familiar with it.



2. This is our first HD camera, so we didn't really know what to expect. (Note that for video review, we played the output via HDMI to our Sony Bravia 46" HD TV.) In full light, the picture is fantastic; you get some blur and artifacts during movement or in shadows, but I don't know if that is normal or not for an HD camera, so I'll take that at face value. Night shooting without the IR light (Nightshot) is pretty grainy, even with an add-on light. The Nightshot IR functionality works great and is a lot of fun to play with. The built-in IR light seems to work well up to 7 or 8 feet and then drops off.
   
   Still shots are pretty poor; even in picture mode, they look like video captures; the contrast and color balance are bad compared to a dedicated still camera, but that seems to be common with most if not all dual use cameras so, again, take it at face value. Note that it does have a built-in flash (I couldn't find that documented anywhere).
   
   It is small and light; you can almost stick it in your pocket, even with an extended life battery. Contrary to the CNET review, I didn't have any issues with the touch screen functionality.
   
   Video and still import work fine; I had to buy a different firewire cable (the one included has the small end on each side, my PC has a large firewire connection). The Picture Motion Browser did not work; it crashed with an error when trying to open on Vista. Sony were absolutely no help; they just kept sending me to knowledge base articles that were of no use, and refused to make any effort to help (given that I just dropped $1500 on camera and accessories, you'd think there would be more love there).
   
   On the whole, I'm pretty happy with the camera, although I'm disappointed that I have to carry two devices to get quality stills, and I'm very frustrated with Sony's support for their worthless software. But, at the end of the day, I paid for an HD video camera, not a still camera or software...so, four stars for the video functionality.



3. Justin Paxton's review is right on the money. I couldn't have done better. If you want a miniDV tape format camera (for all the right reasons such as image quality, editing capability, shelf storage) then read his review carefully. I also agree, that this camera needs a 20x-25x optical zoom lens. I've been holding out until such a camera comes on the market at this price range. A 10x is basically useless to me.



4. I love this camera! The image is good quality and the colors are vivid. I would recomended!! The only thing is that the battery doesnt last long, only about 1 hour so I would recommend a second battery but they are expensive.



5. I picked up this camera back in March 2008 for a one day Amazon sale of only $[...]. Amazing price! The detailed reviews are spot on. Video is stunning to say the least. I firmly believe that HDV is THE way to go still for many reasons. Highest bit rate of all HD Camcorders, The tapes are CHEAP these days and you can use regular tapes just fine, no need for any expensive HD tapes. An 8 pack of DV tapes can be had for less than $[...] at Costco or Sams club. Tapes are easy to archive as well. They will last forever if you take care of them. If you have a hard drive based camcorder or flash based and you run out of room on your vacation in the middle of nowhere, your out of luck. The flash chips are expensive and editing software still hasn't caught up or on to either hard drive or flash based cameras. This camera worked perfectly with iMovie HD for editing. You can now burn a Blu-Ray Video disc on a regular DVD using Toast 9 and playback on your PS3. This means you can get up to 9GB of 1080i video data on regular DL DVD. Of course you can also downrez to 480P if you wish and burn to regular DVD to send to the grandparents. I wish it had a 25X optical as the 10X seems a little weak.
   
   Here is my one major complaint about this camera. No analog passthrough! The only connections to this camera for input are digital. That means if you wanted to use this camera to passthrough any old VHS tapes so you could edit and burn to dvd on your computer your out of luck. I wish I had known this before I sold my old regular Sony DV camcorder. Other than that one problem this is a great camera. The build quality is solid, it doesn't feel cheap in your hands and the controls (at least for me as I have had 3 Sony camcorders now) are easy to learn and simple to use. Very highly recommended.

5 comments about Flip Video Camcorder: 30-Minutes (White).

1. Overall it works great - I wish I was more into doing videos, I take it with me and forget to use it half the time - LOL.
   
   The only negative is that the movie-making software that is comes with really sucks - very limited.



2. I bought this for my daughter BD, she used it once on that day, and once more the next 3 weeks, only about 3 minute-used, suddenly the Flip stop working, thought it just batteries, changed fresh batt's, but NO LUCK!
   
   SHE WAS VERY VERY DISSAPOINTED! NOT-RECOMMEND!



3. The FLIP Video ultra is so easy to use even I can do it! It's small and compact and features easy access to unload files to my computer. The only drawbacks I found were the audio pickup and having only 60 minutes of time on it. I had a ball taking video with it, and just shortly after I got it, I put together a video presentation for a co-worker who was retiring. It got rave reviews. Again, a great investment for the money.



4. I love the Flip Video Camcorder! It is so easy to use and also easily plugs into my computer to view my video.It can also be used to watch video on my TV with the cables to do this included but I have not used this feature yet. I am not an expert in camcorders but I can tell you that I am very happy with my purchase and the quality of the video I've taken at special events is quite good. I would highly recommend this product to everyone!



5. This is the third flip video purchased this year. All recipients are thrilled with the clarity of the video and the quality of the sound.