5 comments about Canon ZR600 MiniDV Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom.

1. Warning, this camcorder may not work with windows XP. I got this camcorder back in in November of 2006, I hooked it up to my PC, useing the firewire, my PC keeps saying it could not find any camcorder with 4 different programs that I tried. I got looking in the disk that came with it, and the disk is only for windows 2000, windows ME or a MAC. so I called Canon and they said they could not send me any other solution disk, there was nothing I could download for XP,they where of no help and with the disk, the programs keep poping up "OS?". other then that it takes great video, bad pictures, just don't hook it up to an old TV, you well get a really bad picture, you need a new TV or VCR that works with digital. the other bad thing is, if your camcorder breaks, and you have not found a way to download your tapes, then you have no way of watching them. so If yours work on XP your lucky.



2. This camera will satisfy most folks that read Amazon reviews! DV-ing can be an uphill climb for newbies, but with the proper expectations, you can be happy with your purchase and your future use.
   
   I have used this camera for 4 months, and here are my observations:
   
   A few assumptions:
   1. Firewire BABY! With almost ALL DV camcorders you will need a 1394 Firewire port on your computer, and a cable (about 10-20 dollars online)
   Workaround: none, this is DV! USB is too slow. The SR600 has two ports...make sure you use the port labeled DV. If you want to shell out $200-300 more, go with DVDcamcorder.
   
   2. For Transfer or Editing, Look in your Windows! If you have Windows XP, use the FREE Windows Movie Maker program which copies your movie footage from camera to PC, and allows a little editing. Vista has even more you can do, like copy to a DVD!
   
   3. Don't expect long shoot times... My battery that the camera came with lasts only about 35 minutes, even when I'm not using the LCD screen.
   Workaround: buy a $15 dollar 1700mWh battery(larger) on EBAY to have as your main battery, and use the stock one as a backup.
   
   4. Don't get left in the Dark. Reviews state that the camera shoots poorly in poorly lit rooms. This is common with DV cameras.
   
   Workaround: Move camera into P mode, from EASY on the switch near the zoom, and choose NIGHT as option on the LCD (using easy to use Joystick) when you are shooting in lowlight scenes.
   
   AS long as you know the 4 assumptions, this camera is perfect for newbies in DV, right on the money with price, and with good features, like 16:9 WS, Toggle button, and excellent OPTICAL zoom. Wish my sony digital camera had this zoom. IF they had a better battery and included the Firewire cable, I'd give it 5 stars.
   
   I would buy it again, but would opt for the ZR500 for price, or the ZR700 if I wanted to use it to bridge the copying from my VCR to the computer for moviemaker.
   
   OS: Windows XP sp2
   PC: 4 yr old DELL Dimension, with Creative lab card with Firewire
   Software:
   Windows Movie Maker to pull clips from camera, and to Edit movies
   DVDFlick (opensource and free) to copy my edited movies to DVD for playing on my home DVD player or computer (moviemaker only copies the .WMV file on a CD or DVD)
   Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ Professional DV tapes



3. This was a gift for my daughter and she loves it.
   Service and quick shipping are super.



4. Nice product but not available as new models have replaced it. New isn't always better!



5. Nice camcorder, a little hard to use. dont understand all the instructions. Probably my fault for not being able to read well. there is a lot to remember without looking at the instruction book. The book might be better organized. I like the camcorder.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC1000 3-CCD MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom.

1. I had this camcorder for about a year and think this may be the best small 3-ccd in its class.
   Pros: true to life picture; fine low-light shooting, manual functions; optical stabalization; advanced audio features; comfortable grip
   Cons: most controls on LCD; jumpy flashcard recording (limited to no more than 15fps)



2. This is the greatest little camcorder in the world with lots of bells and whistles that would have been way more expensive a while ago. I do wish that it had actual fstops rather than a slider on the touch screen for more accurate adjustments, ditto shutter speed and the manual focus is a bit fussy. More easily accessible manual controls would make it close to perfect. the touch screen takes a little getting used to and is not the very best idea. Other than that image quality is terrific under all sorts of different conditions, a camera mounted mike has decent sound and it is really a pleasure to use.



3. It is an excellent camera, probably the BEST on market for the price you pay, excellent video quality, and good pictures too.
   But need to improve 3 points:
   
   1- You Cannot wath it on a PAL System TV, Thats important to me because have to travel a lot to Europe, but cannot show what i have recorded to my family there. All my olds cameras have that option.
   
   2- The Microfone is not as good as the cameras with the Mic on Front. This camera havi it on top, ¿why? i don't know
   
   3- Most of the funtions are on the touch panel, i want the white balance out, and maybe some others funtions.



4. this appears larger than the PC-1000, and its not clear to me what you get for that extra size other than a little extra zoom and the swivel mount. anyone know the difference? thanks.



5. Must say : this camcorder does it job as a pro-camera ! Althought the controll on its LCD, it is heplful when you have to creat some lively scence.

5 comments about Canon ZR300 MiniDV Camcorder w/22x Optical Zoom (High Metal).

1. This really is a great camcorder that I have been using for more than a year now. I have not seen any problems so far. I has excellent video quality. It is quite handy and easy to carry. Also, unlike some, I do not hear a playback noise. I also used to have Canon ZR500 and ZR600, but I can say that this one is better than those. I totaly recommend Canon ZR300.



2. I bought this camera more than a year ago, but I was updating some reviews when I realized I never wrote one for this product. Well, I just have to say that it's a wonderful camera that shoots high quality film. I do some video editing as a hobby, and I am happy to have the Mini-DV's available for transfer to my PC. If you are going to do any editing, always get Mini-DV, it'll make your life much easier. The only complaint I have is shooting under low light situations where the picture becomes pixelated and could use improvement. All in all, a great camera at a great price!



3. I have had little problems with this product at all.
   only complaints:
   -poor battery life (even with upgraded)
   -no frame record mode on camera ( if there is can someone please reply on this)
   thanks



4. Nice picture quality, nice zoom. It would also be nice if this camcorder functioned half of the time. Does "remove cassette" mean anything to you?
   My advice: Never buy Canon. I've used GL1's and GL2's that have also had this problem.



5. If you want to know how good this POS from CaNOT is, just do a google on Canon ZR-300 "remove the cassette". This message will appear after very light use and the tape will constantly eject. Lots of other people have had the same issue. Have missed 2 very important occasions because of this problem. My last digital camera which was also a Canon stunk too, I will never again support the Canon team as they try to pedal worthless overengineered under QC'd pieces of junk to the American market. They also have a proprietary software system in their copiers that you have to pay 5k and be a dealer to do anything with. Here's hoping Canon's sales drop and they go bankrupt.

5 comments about Sony DCRHC20 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Someone complained about the battery draining. My battery isn't draining and works great. The only two negatives I can find is that the picture stabalization feature doesn't appear to work and all of the manual controls are on the lcd screen so they're hard to use without shaking the camera some.
   
   Someone else said that it's not good to tocuh an LCD screen. This isn't a big deal. There is some kind of coating on the LCD so you aren't really touching the screen directly and you can clean screens.
   
   Yes, this camera has an external microphone jack! The built in stereo micrphones are surprisingly good. They must have some sort of active noise cancelation built in.
   
   The 7 second "delay" when taking a still photo: the photo is taken immediately and then copied onto the frames of the other seconds. You also get audio to go with the still.



2. Enjoyed it while it was working.
   In December 2004, I purchased this Sony DCR-HC20 brand new from Best Buy. Less than average use, only the occasional weekend stuff and twice a year vacation. Always exercised great care in handling and kept it in a protected carrying case when not in use.
   
   Within the first year after purchase, the touch-screen and side button controls began to lose function intermittently and a false error message began appearing saying the cover was not open. I sent the unit to the Sony center and was charged $257 for repair of the unit (labor only, parts were included within the 1-year warranty period).
   
   Last week, attempted to capture some video to computer, and discovered the DV i.Link feature was no longer functioning. I tried other cables and a different device to no avail.
   
   Finally, two days ago the unit's cassette mechanism failed and the unit no longer accepts cassettes. It sends the infamous C:31:40 error message (do a google). I tried resetting it, removing and replacing the battery, different cassettes. No dice. The unit is effectively useless at this point. The DV i.Link function is inoperable, the false error message about the open cover still appears, and the unit no longer accepts cassettes.
   
   Bottom Line:
   
   Paid $400 to purchase this product brand new plus another $257 for repair less than a year later. Within two years of purchase, the unit is essentially worthless.



3. We had this camera for about 1.5 years before it konked out. We can now only record audio. Every blue moon we'll get video for about a minute before it goes black. My husband works in the film industry and this camera was meant to be used at home for the kiddos and he spent hours researching video equipment before he bought this product. I can't stand spending money fixing a camera that was $400 and from the looks of other reviewers, I won't be calling Sony for customer support.



4. I bought this camcorder for its blend of feature and good value for price. I used it mainly for auto track days, recording video from a suction mount and it performed adequately, returning good image and sound quality and acceptable battery life. Features like the microphone input jack and the IR remote control were precious in that usage model.
   Unfortunately, the camcorder stopped working abruptly after 3 years of light and careful use, camera still functional but no image. So much for Sony's reputation for quality and reliability.



5. WE ONLY USED THIS CAMERA THREE TIMES....BOUGHT IT EXACLTY 3 YEARS AGO AND I TRIED TO USE IT THE OTHER DAY AND THE SCREEN APPEARS BLACK & A MESSAGE APPEARS SAYING "LENS COVER IS CLOSED" - WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
   
   IT ONLY RECORDS AUDIO NOW AND YOU CANNOT SEE WHAT YOU ARE RECORDING - USELESS! FROM READING THE OTHER REVIEWS I REALIZE THAT SEVERAL OF US HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS PRODUCT - IT IS OBVIOULSY POORLY MANUFACTURED. WE HAD JUST PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY TOO BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL ONE WAS COMPLETELY DEAD.

4 comments about Sony DCRTRV950 MiniDV Digital Camcorder.

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

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

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

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

   Recommend this one highly!




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

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

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




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

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

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

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




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

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

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

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

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

5 comments about Sony HDR-HC7 6.1MP MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. I've had this camcorder for about 8 months now and I've been using it enough, I feel, to give a pretty accurate review.
   
   I've been using the camera in a number of different environments (outdoors, studio, in the home, etc) and the only thing I've noticed it consistently stumble with it nighttime shooting, but considering this is camera is on the prosumer end of things, this is to be expected. Day time shooting has been flawless and the camera holds up in the studio as well. Even using the standard miniDV settings, the image is pretty superb.
   
   The camera can be outfitted with SCORES of different accessories--lenses, filters, mics, etc. I haven't used the hotshoe at all because I have a lot of "cold-shoe" accessories which can be mounted with a video bracket with universal mounts (search online--they're about $10-$15 and totally worth it). I feel it's the way to go instead of shelling out more money for hotshoe accessories. Just carry some batteries around.
   
   On the topic of mics; the build in one is actually pretty good (most camcorder ones are), but the problem is that, usually, the camera is too far away from the action to accurately pick up good sound. That said, it's totally reasonable to invest in a small shotgun mic ($50) if you're serious about your audio quality. A big plus with this camera is the mic input in the front of the camera. It seems today most consumer cameras are losing this option, but it's a great one to have.
   
   The camera accepts all standard 37mm lens accessories (filters, lenses). Filters (polarizing ones, especially) are great to have if you plan to do a lot of outside shooting. As for lenses, the 37mm wide angle lenses I've used (the cheap ones, at this point) have really messed with the image quality, so I resorted to using older, larger lenses (49mm). To do this, all you need to do is pick up some adapter rings and you're set. If you choose to do this, watch out for vignetting--this is where your image gets rounded at the edges because the adapter ring/lens is cutting off the actual camera image.
   
   The touch screen is pretty useful except there are a lot of menus to go through if you want to know EVERYTHING the camera does or is capable of. It's hard to see in bright daylight, but there are hoods you can buy (or make out of cardboard...) that will help you out.
   
   The one thing the camera lacks is a real focus ring. Sure, there's a dial on the side near the lens, but it just doesn't feel right and focusing becomes a somewhat daunting task. You can set the dial to do a number of things, like exposure, for example, but I would've preferred an actual focus ring.
   
   The still photo quality is pretty decent and now that my old digital camera has crapped out on me, I've been using the camcorder for still shooting.
   
   All in all, the camera is pretty versatile--if you're using this for leisure, it's great as is with some menu-tweaking, but if you're looking to do some amateur work, it can be tricked out with more accessories than you can imagine.



2. The Sony HDR-HC7 has features that you would not expect in a Handy cam. I once asked a Professional at a local retailer, why HD Tapes are 63 minutes instead of the traditional 60 minutes tapes. He said that the additional 3 minutes were for professional Camcorder to save there settings. I wondered what settings would a camcorder need to save! Well I did not ask any more question because one again I figured that the setting were for the "Big Boy". Well one day I was playing with my HDR-HC7 and I ran across "Color Bars", so I call the retailer and asked what were "Color Bars", and he reminded me about the 3 additional minutes on the tape he told me about, was for "Bars and Tone". The next time I talked to him, he had sold his Canon HV20, and purchased the Sony HC7. He loved the feel, the ability to do so many things in manual mode, that he "now says that the Canon felt like a toy in comparison". I think you get the point. I would like to see 24p on the Sony HDR-HC7, but I would not even think about giving up my ability to use all of the great manual features available on the HDR-HC7. If you look at the Sony HVR-HD1000U HDV camcorder, it is the HDR-HC7 repackaged in a Professional looking body, for twice the price.



3. I am very pleased with the video quality and the comfortable feel of this HD camcorder. Unfortunately, the camera began to intermittently auto-focus erratically in the third month and failed in the fourth month of use. Sony offers a one year parts and 90 days labor warranty on this camera. The labor charge after 90 days is a flat rate of $249 regardless of the repair required (25% of purchase price). Since I had contacted Sony within in the first 90 days about the auto-focus problem I was able to convince the fourth person I spoke with to waive the labor charge for the failure.
   
   Got the camcorder back from Sony today and the repair ticket states "reconnected power flex". I suppose a connector must have come loose. Hoping that I get several years of use out this camera before any more failures occur...



4. When I encountered a defective internal lens cover I went to their website about getting it fixed and they state there is a minimum $250 charge. Their warranty only covers parts, not labor. I sent the camera in anyway and they called to say they would charge me $600 to fix it because of "corrosion" which was not covered by the warranty.
   
   I only had the camera about two months when the lens cover started to fail when I was on a week's vacation at the beach in Sanibel, Florida. The camera will not start when the internal lens cover fails. When it fails, you get a message on the screen that says "lens cover failed to open, turn camera off then on." I did that several times and it usually did not resolve the problem. But sometimes it would. Ironically, here in dry Arizona it works most of the time, but at the beach or near the Colorado River it jams up.
   
   However, this had to be a known manufacturing defect if they have an error message for when it occurs! I had ordered the camera with a lens filter and the filter was always on the camera, so it is highly unlikely anything entered the camera through the lens opening.
   
   So now I have an expensive camera that works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. When it works it works great, although the autofocus can be off at times. And the still photos are gorgeous. I think its a good camera when it works, but I'm a little miffed that they want me to pay over 50 percent of what the camera cost to fix their defect.
   
   I would advise not buying their 1.7x teleconverter because it doesn't improve the zoom that much and if you zoom out your videos vignette so badly it looks like you filmed it through a pipe. I also bought the Sony wide-angle screw on, which vignettes if you put a filter on it. I suspect these may be because the internal lens cover requires the real lens to be recessed quite a ways.



5. Lots of noise issues in low light situations. Sony's customer service isn't the best either. Their uncooperative reputation is starting to bite them or so I hear. My personal experiences with them have been frustrating to say the least. Cannon has much better customer service and their HD products outshine Sonys. This HDR-HC7's low-light performance was a disappointment.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC90 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Like other reviewers, I researched this purchase carefully and was very pleased with the overall performance of this combination video/still camera. Video quality is great.
   
   Some issues - buttons are designed for holding the camera eyepiece to the eye. The secondary controls on the screen are ok, but otherwise it is awkward to use the camera at waist level. Still camera focus is slow and unreliable. Stills can take "forever" to snap - especially #2, 3.
   
   Finally, the camera has completely shut down on me twice in 6 months and I am sending it back again for service - just before the holidays when I would really like to have it. This unreliability is unacceptable.



2. I shopped around for a while before I bought this camera. I checked out many reviews and I have to say, I'm VERY happy with this camera. I wanted something that worked in low light. This was the most important feature I was looking for. I had a Canon video camera, and I now have very few videos of my daughter growing up because if there wasn't enough light it would make interference on the tape. This camera works very well with normal indoor lighting. You don't have to turn on extra lights. (It also has nightvision which works in very low light)
   
   The only complaints I have are 1) the battery doesn't last more than an hour - but I don't video that long anyway 2) the memory stick doesn't hold many pictures - but I'm spoiled with my digital camera holding lots.
   
   In general, I would highly recommend this camera. You can download the video to you PC really easily and burn it to DVD.
   
   Oh, and in some reviews it mentions that the zoom is hard to use. I don't find that to be true at all. It is sensitive, but not hard to use.



3. As an owner of the Sony DCR-HC30 model DV Handicam, I want to warn everyone about my horrible experience with this product line. Design and feature-wise, these Handicams are great. The problem is, they are built like junk.
   
   From the day I opened my box, I got a message that told me that the heads were dirty and needed to be cleaned. In retrospect, I should have returned it for a replacement then and there. But being a basically optimistic guy, I decided it just got dirty in transit, and I got a head cleaner and cleaned the heads. It worked fine for about 30 days - just about the amount of time in Sony's crappy labor warranty. And from that point forward, I have gotten dirty head messages constantly, which at first could be `cleaned away,' but now, even when the message is gone, problems persist.
   
   I often get bars across the screen during playback, and I have already determined that I have lost many a precious memory of my infant children. Sony's solution to this situation is their standard "flat rate" repair program, truly a bargain for $250 or so - more than half what I paid for the camera in the first place.
   
   And Sony wonders why their brand value has all but disappeared? They are just another electronics brand now, and one with sub-par quality and service at that. Guess I'll be buying Samsungs or Canons next time around.
   
   Are you listening, Sony?



4. This is one of the best camcorders in the market today and I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to buy a Mini-DV camcorder
   
   Positive factors:
   - Very small and easy to hold with one hand. Can be easily attached even to a mini-tripod with ease.
   - Excellent widescreen video and hi-fi audio. Your videos finally get that "Hollywood" feel when you shoot movies in 16:9 ratio (widescreen format). Even if you don't have a widescreen TV currently, you will very soon have one as more and more people are buying them. So its better to buy this camcorder and shoot in 16:9 format to enjoy your movies later in widescreen format.
   - Includes widescreen rotatable LCD so what you see is what you get when you shoot in 16:9 ratio (widescreen format)
   - Good battery life. One extra battery is enough. You can easily manage a day's worth of shooting with two batteries before recharging them again
   - Includes docking station making it easier to connect to computer or TV. If you have a good computer with a firewire port, please buy a firewire cable to connect the camcorder to your computer. You can download your movie in excellent clarity in .avi format and edit it as required
   - Make sure to change the audio setting to 16 bit (instead of the default 12 bit) for very good hi-fi audio
   - Touchscreen menu system is great. You don't have to search for any buttons as they are all available in the touchscreen menu itself.
   - 10X optical zoom is more than sufficient for ordinary home videos. Anything more produces more "shaking" and would necessiate the use of a tripod. When you shoot without a tripod, 10X is the best zoom you can achieve without worrying about shaky videos
   - Widescreen still photo. The photo clarity is OK not too good. So please don't expect great shots. Since the photo is in 16:9 format, you can take panoramic photos and cover more people in group shots
   - Nightshot: Cool feature that records using infrared light. Useful for shooting at night as you can record a video even in 100% darkness
   - Color widescreen viewfinder - Very useful when you are running down on batteries and need to use the viewfinder. The color widescreen viewfinder gives an excellent picture and is as good as the LCD in clarity
   
   Negative factors:
   - Outdoor videos especially in bright sunlight are overexposed. So please adjust the white balance when shooting outdoors. Add the white-balance menu to your shortcuts so that you can easily access it and return to default once you start shooting indoors
   - Sensitive microphone may pick up button clicks (best to turn off the button click "beep" sound).
   
   Notes:
   - Use a fresh cassette after recording 2 or 3 times on the same cassette. The head tends to get dirty if you re-record on the same cassette more than 3 times
   - You can edit movies in Windowx XP using Windows Movie Maker, but beware it does not support 16:9 ratio video. Hence your videos look ugly as you shot them in 16:9 but Movie Maker converted it to 4:3. Invest in Pinnacle Software version 9 or 10 for better movie editing capabilities. Pinnacle is the only software, I am aware of, that preserves teh 16:9 ratio. Even Roxio could not allow 16:9 format.
   - You can also invest in wide-angle lens as it gives excellent coverage



5. Tuve este camara por año y medio, la usa bastante. Cualquier dia simplemente dejo de funcionar. Se daño el bus de datos que esta al lado del carro del cassete. Se daño simplemente por "mucho uso" o mas bien falta de calidad. Además la camara tiene problemas cuando enfoca fotografias. Es muy linda pero muy, muy delicada. No volvere a comprar filmadoras Sony me pase a Canon, que son menos lindas pero mas fuertes.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/26x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this camera for its great price, good reviews, and overall reputation as a great camcorder for the novice shooter. I returned the camera after three weeks, however, due to abysmal low light performance among other things.
   
   The catalyst for purchasing this camera was the impending birth of our first child. I took the camera to the hospital and filmed some of the labor/delivery and follow up. Unfortunately, when we returned home to view our footage, much of it was grainy and plagued with shadows and silhouettes.
   
   The camera does include a light and a MagicPix option, but unless you're using a tripod, you're bound to end up with a strobe-light effect (Perfect for recreating "Thriller music videos," but not much help otherwise.)
   
   I also found the image quality with the GS31 to be fairly lackluster and pixilated. Granted, you get what you pay for, but I was really taken aback that my 1992 camcorder shot much better footage.
   
   That being said, the camera did a lot better in good/outdoor lighting (albeit still somewhat pixilated), and the zoom is incredible. The camera is very light and smaller than I anticipated.
   
   In the end, I returned the camera in favor of a more significant investment (...)
   
   I will say that Amazon did a great job with customer service throughout. Also, if you do buy this camera, make sure to buy the DV cable (firewire for Macs) through Amazon or some other online retailer. (...)



2. I liked it and it is working fine.
   
   Cons
   no USB cable and night times is not the right time to shoot video or photo both.



3. its nice light small but its an ok i give it 3 and a half star...



4. It's an ok camera. For what I wanted, it worked. I was just wanting something that would record video better than my camera phone, and therefore it did the job nicely. If you want better picture quality, less noise, better dynamic range and the ability to add a mic, then look elsewhere. But if you just want a camera for quick captures that doesn't cost an arm and leg, then this camera will do just that.



5. This is a great camcorder. Very intuiative to use. Extremely lightweight. Very good video quality. Easy sync to computer for editing. Better yet, I have owned mine for over 3 years and had zero mechanical issues. A great buy.

5 comments about JVC GR-D370 MiniDV Camcorder w/32x Optical Zoom.

1. Works well. Packaging of item was good and package came to destination in good condition.



2. Product is working good and clarity is fine.
   But I found the next version product (with remote)
   cost lower than this product.



3. I used this for several occassions now and I thought this was a good buy. I was able to transfer video to my computer pretty easily. There is an SD slot on this for still pictures but nothing for moving video.
   
   I'm hesitant to buy newer cameras with Hard Drive capabilities or High Definition, because they cost way too much right now. It'll go down by next Christmas, but until then, I'll stick to this one.



4. First one I bought was defective upon purchase. Returned for new one at JVC advise. Second one broke after 5 uses and 6 months. Was told by JVC it would cost me $145.00 to repair. Total piece of junk and JVC will not stand behind their own product. Bought a Sony for about the same price and it is working just fine.



5. Everything positive written about this camera is true while the camera is working. Specifically impressive is the image quality (I shop for cameras like I shop for TVs...what's the picture I want to see? This looked sharper and more film-like than others in the store at the time).
   
   If you're curious, we only had the 90 day warrantee and after two years it quit in storage. The hardware evaluation to fix it is around $50 last I checked, and ordering the suspected damaged bit (the CCD) cost more than I bought the original camera for. Haven't yet found a place that'll recycle it since it's slightly older, and I feel bad paying too much for replacement parts and worse for buying the exact same thing over again.
   
   I think I just joined that club of "Charge me more and build a durable working product rather than making it cheaper and having it promised not to die within a certain timespan."

5 comments about JVC GR-D270 MiniDV Camcorder w/25x Optical Zoom.

1. Great for those of us who are new at this type of camera and affordable.



2. Haven't used it A LOT...but so far...easy to use...works in low light...decent sound...great video...



3. Good product, had it for a year now. Wish I had bought the one with a jack for an external microphone. Consider that if you are buying a camcorder that will be used for recording teachings or other educational event. It has good sound pick up but not good enough for proper recording of teachings.



4. this camera is an excellent camera. i bought it and it took great videos and good still pics. about a year after i got the camera i started getting an error message on the screen. it said that the unit was in safeguard mode eject and reinsert tape. upon doing so, nothing happened. the message still showed up on the screen. i tried everything i could think of to reset the camera. i removed the battery for several hours and tried again and the message still appeared. i have recently sent a message to jvc and am waiting for a reply on how to solve this problem. if you buy this camera make sure you get an extened warranty on it.



5. Excellent product with awesome zoom. Battery that comes with it last a long time as well. I would buy this product again without any hesitation. I have not used thew camera part yet because I have a digital camera. But I will use it sometime.