5 comments about Aiptek DV5900 5MP Pocket Digital Camcorder.

1. The AIPTEK DV5900 seems to be a nice little camera. I have only had it for a couple of days but within minutes (without reading instructions) was using it. I would agree with other reviews of this camera that the video isn't the best. But really what do you expect with such a small inexpensive camera??? My wife and I are going to London and Paris later this year and I wanted a small camera that I could just carry in my pocket or in her purse that would take decent video and some pictures. We have a Sony Cybershot that we take most of our still pictures with anyway that works good. The Aiptek video is about equal to a VHS quality video which is exactly what the camera says on its packaging. I would say it is well worth the money if all you want is something simple and easy to carry around and take short little videos. Also it is extremely easy to transfer pictures and video from the camera to my computer. My computer has a dock that the SD card just plugs in to and WHAM there are my picture and videos on the computer. I can then just take them from there over to a video editing program.
   
   I am a person that doesn't take lengthy videos on vacations or at holidays. I might record 30-40 minutes of footage and take lots of pictures then put them all together in a video editing program with music and put it on a DVD. (By the way Sony Vegas Movie Studio is a great program to do that) The AIPTEK seems to work just fine for that application.
   
   Be sure to order a SD card with your camera. Hope this helped a little.



2. This is my first camera and I use it for still photos and for video. The flash drains the batteries, so try not to use it too often. The sound for the video almost sounds like talking in a can. If the camera is held very still the picture is fine. If room is slightly dark, the camera will not pick up anything in the room. The camera is handy when traveling, but is hard to hold when filming.



3. The camera and video work, but neither are the best quality. I bought it for my 17 yr old though and she loves it and uses it all the time. I guess it depends on what you are using it for. If you want good quality pics this is not the best choice in a camera.



4. I bought this camera with the undrestanding that it was small and the price gave away the fact that you may not get much. But I never would have thought one could box such a peice of poo and let/allow others to purchas it. My story of "Joy, to This isnt even a good toy" I wanted something compact that my wife could purse away until our children did somethig cute or fun. We were able to use it twice with the children and then the dial on the sidr containing features fell off...and i mean not just the knob but even the switch attached to the curcuit board...so after two grainy videos that made my kids heads look like MAX HEADROOM it was finished...I should have and now can suggest to everyone that you should save a few more $99 and get something way better



5. After maybe two or three videos with this product, it gave out on me. I pressed the button, it stuck and never worked again. No damage or misuse. I didn't expect much, but I was at least expecting it to last a little longer.

5 comments about Canon ZR830 MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom.

1. To begin, this is the first camcorder I've owned. It's possible I was expecting more...I own a Nikon CoolPix 8mp digicam that takes movies, but obviously not with any great quality.
   
   I was kind of expecting a little better quality (higher resolution) from the camera. From that point of view I was a little let down...it's sufficient, dont get me wrong, but it's only a step up from my digicam.
   
   The device takes memory card and tape...It wont store video on the card however, unless a tape is in the device...didn't really say that in the manual and confused me (I had a mem card when device arrived, but no tapes).
   
   I got a little annoyed too trying to figure out how to copy from tape to PC...there's SQUAT about this in the manual, and this is tough to find even on 'net searches.
   
   WHAT YOU NEED TO COPY VID TO PC:
   FIREWIRE CABLE --> You MUST have this cable to copy to PC...$35+ part...BE AWARE
   
   The software that came with the device kinda blows...I don't know why, but software that's bundled with digicams and now i see this camcorder, is always chintzy...Use Microsoft Movie Maker instead...WITH FIREWIRE CABLE AND MS MOVIE MAKER, YOU CAN EASILY PULL VIDEO OFF THE TAPE, and you dont have to be a rocket scientist...hopefully I can save someone the headache I went through trying to figure this out...easy enough once you know...
   
   So, summary is, for the money, decent, not great...will suffice since I'm a cheapO.
   
   :)



2. As an aspiring filmaker, and with a very fixed budget, this was a great purchase, it has great features and the menu options are great. This is perfect to start off filming, and for family get together's, it's great!



3. My first digital camcorder was a GL2, which cost about $2,500.00. When the heads went bad, I decided not to fix it, and a year later, I bought the ZR830. Wow! Not only is this little camera easier to use than the overweight GL2, but the picture is just as great and needs much less light than the GL2. With a 600 watt light the picture is excellent and the shadows are not as overwhelming on film. The GL2 does not make a true 16:9 widescreen picture, it spreads the pixels, so you get a fuzzy picture. The ZR830 just blocks the view to make a widescreen so you have a true pixel size. The sound is much better on the GL2, but almost too good. It picked up everything that made any noice at all. I just turn the sound all the way up on the ZR830 and do some editing in Final Cut Express and it sounds just as good, without all the little annoying extraneous sounds that you cannot hide. If I had it to do all over I would have bought the ZR830 instead of the GL2, and not just because of the price, but It is hard to believe the price difference compared to the quality difference, which in most cases is none. And that is just my opinion.



4. We haven't much of a chance to use it yet, but we think it will be just fine- once we get the hang of it. The size is nice, and it's light-weight. Focusing with the zoom has been a challenge, but then again maybe we just haven't gotten the knack of it yet. It's our first video camera!



5. Bought it for my husband, he loved it. He wanted a camera that would take picture of tiny prints as he wanted does laser marking and pad printing. This camera zooms upto 35x so it takes great pic.

5 comments about Panasonic SDR-S7 Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Silver).

1. I purchased a new Panasonic SDR-S7K video camera at the Best Buy in Castleton, IN. I performed hours of research before I bought the camera, and felt confident in making a purchase. This is a new model so there wasn't much about it on the Internet outside of the standard promotional material by the manufacturer. I got the camera home and opened the box. Before I used the camera I read through the owner's manual. I learned the battery supplied with the camera only has a recordable life of 40 minutes! That is way too short for my purposes. No problem, I thought, I'll just buy a battery with a longer life. Wrong! There is only one battery that fits that camera and the life is 40 recordable minutes. The batteries are rather expensive too at $60 each. Three days after I bought the camera I went to Best Buy for a refund. They informed me there would be a restocking fee of 15% because I (GASP!) opened the box. The restocking fee was $42. I'm just glad I didn't buy a more expensive camera. Even though I didn't buy the camera from Amazon, I wish I had. Amazon has always treated me well.



2. I bought this camera as an impulse buy at Best Buy, and I really like it. There are some pros and cons just like anything but so fat the experience is good, and the price was right.
   
   Lets go over the cons first, as for some people the cons will break this camera. First the video quality, no way around it this camera is made for YouTube. You are not going to get great video quality out of this camera, very bad in low light but ok in sunlight. Second the battery life. To be honest it kinda sucks, 40 mins on a charge is a little lower than I wanted considering the size. I want to take this every where and use this all day, but that is not going to happen. The buttons on the camera are also a point of contention, as they have almost no tactile feedback. I would like it if they clicked a little or something, but that is a very small problem.
   
   Now the Pros. The selling point of this camera was the size. It is really small! It fits in my pocket no problem, and I literally take it everywhere. I have even tied it to a kite , and the top of my car just to see if I could, and it was great. Then comes the price, for $299 you can barley beat it, There are some cameras like the Flip but they do not have the flip out LCD (very handy) or replaceable batteries and memory.
   
   Bottom line is this camera is pushed to the YouTube crowd, short videos that you make at parties and stuff like that. Perfect for a Teen with limited cash to spend on their first camera, but wants a little more versatility than the Flip. Or the person like me who has a better camera, but needs something to take everywhere. The sound and video quality are just right for compressing way down and converting to flash, and to be honest if you want to get great video quality spend more money, nothing in this price range is going to be good enough for an HDTV or even many SDTVs.
   
   The battery life issue can also be solved for around 25 bucks by searching the model number(vw-vbj10) of the battery on Google. I have two 3rd party batteries and they work great.
   
   I am happy with my purchase and would recommend it to someone looking for something small and versatile to have fun with.



3. We're days away from the birth of our first child, and we wanted something to be able to capture some quick video... it's (of course) not an HD camera, but the quality is fine for viewing on the computer screen or a standard def TV. The size is great, the price is right.
   
   As has been said, the battery life is listed at 40 minutes, though I haven't tested that, that's real world use (through starting and stopping, etc.), it should last longer than an hour of continuous shooting. I also bought an off brand replacement battery along with it for $12.
   
   The 3 main requirements I had were small size, low price, and records to flash (Because I knew I'd never use the camera if I had to keep up with tapes, and I didn't trust the performance of DVDs or the longevity of hard drive). If you're willing to accept a slightly lower quality for those things, then this should fit the bill perfectly.



4. I was looking for a camcorder to capture memories of our kids. I'm pretty cheap and not a video snob. That being said, I wanted a camcorder that wouldn't break the bank and one that I wouldn't be afraid to take out of the house. I purchased it from Best Buy only because I needed it right away, it was on sale for the same price as here. I brought the camcorder home and charged the battery and started shooting. Played it back on 42' DLP HD TV and the picture quality, while certainly not HD, was just a good if not slightly better than our old Sony HI8 camcorder, and this was SP video setting (medium). I tried some recording using XP setting (highest quality) and didn't notice enough of a difference to sacrifice half of the recording time. Dark settings do not record well, I think there is a night setting but haven't explored that yet. The 40 minute life of the battery isn't anything for Panosonic to brag about but for my needs, multiple 1 to 2 minute clips and occasional longer ones, its longer than you think. I found many websites that sell the battery for as little as $11.00 and ac/dc chargers for $20.00, a very affordable solution in my opinion. Now the ultimate test, will it work with my macbook? Yes. Sold. I just pluged it in and iphoto grabbed the still pics and imovie grabbed the vids. I have a new macbook w/ intel processor and iMovie '08, I understand older versions will not work. To sum it up, Affordable price, good video quality, compact and lightweight, and not afraid to take it anywhere. It is just what I was looking for.



5. I recently purchased this product from best buy (yesterday) and will be returning it today. The picture quality is just too bad to justify the $300 dollar price tag. It does have positive attributes such as size, portability and ease of use. The problem is my digital camera (still) takes the same if not better quality video as the SDR-S7. It's too bad because the positives would have made this a great camera if not for the YouTube like video quality.

No comments about Sony DCR-DVD910 4MP DVD Handycam Camcorder with 15x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

5 comments about Sony HDR-HC3 4MP High-Definition Handycam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. I happened to get a great deal on this camera at $500. It has more than been worth it for that price, but there are several shortcomings that keep it from being worthy of the premium price range at most retailers, and the interests of mid to pro level videographers.
   
   First of all in terms of manuel control, there is very little to be said. It is, for the most part, non-existent.
   
   You can set the small wheel to adjust the "exposure" and the focus, but that is about it, its also very easy to jiggle the frame when using the wheel.
   
   Apparentlly you can shut auto shutter off, but sadlly after doing so, you aren't given the ability to adjust the shutter speed.
   
   White ballance can be set manually, but you will need to go into the extensive menues to do so, and the camera resets to auto each time it is turned off.
   
   Low light situations are a problem for anyone that is going to be filming indoors whitout any extra lighting.
   
   My personal most inconvenient problem with the camera is its complete lack of inputs. For me its a real shame because i need to do a lot of signal captures from different sources, which means I can't bring along this cam for a good amount of work. Also audio is a pain because of this, At the moment I'm having to record to minidisk, and even though the quality is better, allways having to sync up in the edit is becoming a bit of a pain.
   
   
   Aside from all these things, this camera really does create wonderful images under the right conditions, and with its size, its incrediblly convenient if you want to get great shots without having to lug around a huge kit.



2. I must agree with an earlier reviewer, that this camcorder is not worth the asking price ..... especially now, since Mini DV seems to be a dying technology. Don't get me wrong; for what it is, the HC3 does a great job, with quality video and relatively easy operation. But the tape mechanism, as I've had to discover the hard way, is very delicate and it is getting harder to find people to service these machines ..... unless you want to send it directly to Sony and spend over $500. Ouch.
   
   What happened in my case was, at one point the camera prompted me to insert a cleaning cassette for dirty heads. Never do this. I got one, it became stuck, and caused damage to the camera's tape eject mechanism. It ended up in the repair shop for nearly three months because, as they informed me, it is getting harder to acquire parts for these cameras, despite their being only 1.5 years old! One of the reasons for this, I believe, is the popularity of the newer DVD and hard drive recorders that are replacing Mini DV camcorders. Though the downside of that is compatibility issues with standard editing software, at least for now .... that's the technology race for you.
   
   Anyway, I know this isn't really the best example of a product review. I was very happy with the little I was actually able to accomplish with this machine, but if you're going to spend this kind of money on a camcorder, I'd have to recommend one that captures to disc; it makes for better backup, and compared to the high maintenance of a tape transport-based unit, would definitely spare the user enormous expense and headaches on a device that will probably prove unreliable (not to mention obsolete) a year from now. Especially once the capture formats become compatible with non-linear editors.



3. I purchased my HC3 several weeks ago to film a family wedding. I didn't really intend on purchasing an HD camcorder, but I got a really good deal on a closeout and went for it.
   
   Having shot quite a bit of VHS and 8mm tape in the past, the images from this camcorder are unbelievable. Even downgraded to DV format, I'm amazed at what this little camera can do. I'm also very impressed with the auto focus and white balance. I reprogrammed the small "manual" button to do AE-shift and it worked perfectly. Even in very strong backlight or high contrast shots I was able to quickly dial in the exposure. Very very good.
   
   I also used the still image capture feature quite a bit. Despite being a camcorder, the images I got were almost as good as those taken with my small Casio EX-Z. However, they weren't nearly as good as the shots from my Canon G. My only complaint on the still imaging is a significant release delay between pushing the button and capturing the shot.
   
   The only thing I don't like about the camcorder is the steadyshot feature. I was hoping for more. Long-zoom shots were not nearly as corrected as I had hoped. I don't have expereince with the Canon or other steadyshot models, so I can't compare. Still, I was hoping for more. If you're going to do a lot of long-zoom video with this camera, because of its size and low mass, you'll need a tripod or steadicam.
   
   Low-light performance is average. I've seen better.
   
   Also. I purchased the Sony Bluetooth wireless mic and videolight. These were great. I can't say enough good thinga about the wireless mic. It worked perfectly. The videolight is terrific for its size and weight. It won't give enough light to fill a room, but it does a great job for what it is.



4. The Sony HDR-HC3 worked well. However the great drawback of Sony camcorders is shown in my recent experience with my HDR-HC3 which I purchased here on Amazon.
   
   We went as a family on a cross-country trip this past summer, filming hours worth of video. When we finally arrived home I plugged my camera into the DV port of my computer. In the past I have had no problem uploading video and making DVDs of family adventures, using our old Canon DV camcorder. We liked that the HDR-HC3 had the option of normal DV or HDV output.
   
   However, unlike with my Canon, my computer (and subsequent computers) could not recognize my camera. After much research online, I found that the problem was that I had assumed the ieee was similar to firewire in that it was hot-swappable. In fact, it was not. Both the camera and computer must be off when attaching them, or the port will fry.
   
   It takes a lot of concentration to remember how to connect the camera. According to other Sony users on various webcam boards, this is a common problem for the general public who are used to USB hot-swappable devices.
   
   The repair fee for this "misuse" is from Sony about $350, according to what they said. One person mentioned that they had been able to open up the camera and purchase a $75 fuse and connected that to the camera hardware....a complicated vs expensive choice of options for a general user like me. Sony acknowledges the fact that the port is extremely sensitive, but still considers it a user-mistake and the fried port is not covered under warranty.
   
   Consequently, I am in the market for a new camcorder that I will only use connected to my computer.
   
   Use of tapes filmed on my Sony HDR-HC3-- Oh, the clincher is this: I tried to use my Canon as a conduit for uploading my footage to computer, but because it was HDV, my Canon could not read it--and this goes for trying to use my Canon to watch the video footage on television. Also, you cannot plug the camera into the TV with a normal 3 to 1 composite DV cable, it requires a camera-specific cable, so tough luck if you forgot to pack it!
   
   This all said, I am pleased enough with the camera that having experienced all of the above, I have learned from my mistakes and probably will purchase another one on ebay for my computer uploads.
   
   I hope that you will learn from my mistakes if you decide to purchase this camera.



5. I love this camcorder. I used in during my vacation in Hawaii. I still can't believe how amazing it looks on the screen. Most of my guests who started watching the video thought that we were watching a discovery channel broadcast. It works it's best outside especially with great lighting. Lighting really is the key. The more the light, the better the image. I just use the component video cables on my HDTV LCD. I'd recommend it to anyone who's really into image quality.

5 comments about Canon HV10 3.1MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. I order this before Christmas, cheaper on Amazon than "anywhere" legitimate that I could find. Camera is small and light weight, LED light is great outside at night chasing my kids on Christmas Eve...even in low light inside, this wasn't that bad. I have a projection TV, not HighDef or anything and it wasn't grainy...just a little softer on the edges, but way better than my high-8 camera that it replaced. Overall, good so far, battery that came with the camera lasts about 1 tape in length assuming you only tape and do not watch video. Focus is awesomely fast.



2. Pros:
   -Lens cap (I hated my sony handycam len's cap ruining the souund of my videos hitting the camera in any movement or windy situation)
   -Small size and low weight.
   -HD Video Quality.
   -Integrated Led light (is really helpful)
   -Fast response from off to recording.
   -Integrated flash for pictures.
   -Optical stabilizer really works!
   -Good materials.
   -Price is really good.
   
   Cons:
   -Battery life is ridiculus (get a replacement batttery together with the camera).
   -Software included does not helps to download video to PC.
   -Battery life indicator is unreliable.



3. FOR ALL YOU FOLKS OUT THERE WHO HAVE HD TV'S YOU WON'T REGRET GETTING THIS CAMCORDER. THE VIDEO IS CLEAR ,SHARP AND COLOURFULL. I HAVE TRIED THREE OTHER CAMCORDRERES SONY,SAMSUNG AND OTHERS AND NONE COME EVEN CLOSE TO THE PICTURE QUALITY OF THIS UNIT......got it for 595.00 shipped from amazon
   
   PROS
   excellent video quality
   sharp video
   good lowlight video quality
   built in video light
   very portable
   lightweight
   high definiton playback up to 1080i
   
   
   
   CONS
   NO PREPACKAGED HD CONVERSION SOFTWARE FOR CREATING YOUR OWN HD EDITING....however a free downloadable program called HDVsplit allows you to import HDV files directlly from the camcorder also you will need another program called ffdshow for the HD codecs so you can edit it using windows media encoder



4. i am so far impress with the image quality, there are problems but it is a good deal for the price cannot beat hat,



5. The HV10 produces some great video. Fits my hand well and is easy to use. It uses the older DV tapes, but still has great video quality.

No comments about JVC GR-D870 MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom.

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 Sony DCR-HC96 MiniDV 3.3MP Digital Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Handycam Station).

1. I bought this product to replace an aging JVC miniDV recorder and am absolutely thrilled. We used it to record a focus group sitting around a table in dim light (using the sony bluetooth microphone) and had excellent results both visually and audio-wise.
   We also recorded our greyhounds doing their chasing after things thing and the camera had no trouble keeping up with them.
   Much improvement over the old JVC.
   Can't wait to use it for some upcoming seminars and some utube stuff.



2. Overall, this maybe be the best non-professional camcorder I've personally ever seen, maybe disconsidering only the gs-500, but I was still amazed by the picture quality, and specially, by the vivid and strong colors that the camera providaded, which everybody told me I should expect the opposite... But it's not a perfect camcorder, far from that. The Handycam station, though a conceptually great idea, is incredibly irritating to use, not only because of the fact that it doesn't effectively lock at the camcorder, leaving it open for many outcoming risky situations, but also because it makes impossible to hold the camera over a tripod and connected to some source at the same time. Also is important to say that, despite the fact that the Touchscreen provides possibly many more ressources of menu in the camera, it is also very uncomfortable to be greasing the lcd screen with the finger all the time and to make contorcionism in some situations to be able to reach the menu.
   
   Except for those facts, and an extra compleinment about the few-button remote control which makes it pratically unuseful, it's a grat piece of recording machine and I would recomend it to anyone willing to have the best movie-like experience!
   
   Bruno S.,
   Brazil.



3. I've had this camera for 6 months. 4 of those months have been spent fighting with Sony to service it.
   
   Stay far, far, far away.



4. Nice sharp video much better then the Hi 8 that I had and much better then the hard drive models. Nice cam if you can find it but dont pay over 400 for it.



5. I purchased this camera eight months ago. Since then, I've recorded more than 30 hours of video. The HC-96 has performed superbly in some incredibly demanding environments. The touch screen is very easy to operate (although sometimes I use the tip of a retracted pen to make sure I hit what I intend to). Additionally, the programmable "P-Menu" ensures the features/options you use most are right at your fingertips. The transition from video recording to photo taking is extremely simple and fast. I recently took the camera to a wedding and was very pleased with the speed of the transition back and forth, not to mention the fact that I didn't have to reach for a still camera every time a photo opportunity presented itself. A 3 megapixel image won't win you any awards, but it's plenty clear for an 8x10 photo.
   
   Picture Quality- Simply amazing. When people see the detail, color, and contrast that my little Sony is able to recreate, they are always impressed that such a little device is able to produce such incredibly crisp, detailed video. As long as your lighting is right, your videos will look like they were professionally shot. Example: While on a trip to Rome last fall I shot a facade at one of the many basilicas. Initially, I was focused on the outer columns and scupltures, which were in direct sunlight. But I also wanted to shoot the mosaics that were set well back from the front of the facade and in such dark shadow that I could barely make them out with my naked eye, three stories below. I simply zoomed in on the mosaics and as the white marble walls left the field of view, the camera adjusted the white balance so quickly that the mosaics were immediately crystal clear. The description hardly does the performance justice.
   
   Ease of Use- Fantastic. The buttons fall under your fingers, it's lightweight, it's very durable (I've dropped mine, spilled Sprite on it, and done a hundred other things the manual doesn't recommend) and it's small enough to be inconspicuous.
   
   MiniDV Media- I wouldn't trade my tapes for a harddrive or DVDs. The ease with which I am able to view, download and edit my video is awesome. Plus, each tape holds about 9G of video, for only $2.50. The firewire interface works very well (buy a 4-4 and a 4-6 firewire cable, because not all computers take a 6). Rewinding and playback do use a fair amount of battery, but most of the time I'm viewing I can have it plugged in.
   
   Battery Life- The included battery leaves something to be desired. Buy the bigger ActiForce extended life battery. It's definitely worth having. I can have the camera on and recording for more than three hours at a stretch.
   
   Other Features I've used:
   
   Smooth Interval Recording- Produces fantastic time-lapse shots. Works beautifully. Allows you to choose from 1-120 seconds per frame.
   
   Night Shot & Super Night Shot- Great for low-light shooting within about 100 feet.
   
   Spot Focus- Works very well when you need to manually direct the focal point. Very good for off-center shots.
   
   Steadyshot- The HC-96's electro-optical stabilization is amazing. The camera not only steadies out the bumps, it helps smooth out your panning, as well, so the resulting video is very smooth and a pleasure to watch even when zoomed in very tight on distant objects. I've taken it to the lake to film wakeboarding and waterskiing and the picture is incredibly steady- shot from my hand without any kind of external stabilizing equipment.
   
   Remote Control- Works very well. Must have a clear line of sight to the front of the camera.
   
   Variable Speed Playback- Allows for frame-by-frame viewing and editting. A must-have feature. The controls for variable speed playback are extremely easy to use.
   
   End Search- Will automatically cue the tape to the last frame of the last shot you took and seamlessly transition it to the next shot you record. It's extremely convenient.
   
   Summary- I'm so happy I purchased this camera. It has all of the features I want and produces video that is every bit as clear as that of much larger, heavier, more expensive cameras. More to the point- it produces video that is so clear I'm amazed every time I watch it. It's hard to believe that such a little device could turn out such a professional looking product. Add to that the convenience of taking still shots to a Memory Stick Pro Duo media card with a quick USB interface and I can't really say much more. It's a great piece of gear and it's held up for eight months. I would recommend this camera to anyone.

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.