5 comments about Sony DCR-HC32 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom, Handycam Station, & Extra NPFP50 Battery.

1. Sony does a great job again. It could be a bit better in low light conditions, but with the 'back light' option it works well.



2. Working perfectly 3 years after I bought it with heavy use. Good quality videos too. Great buy.



3. This camera is not very good - poor video resolution after recording it on a memory card. The software is horrible and Sony tech support just plain lousy.



4. I once thought this was a great camcorder for all the reasons already noted. Great video and audio quality, easy to use, good price.
   
   But guess what? It's broken and out of warranty, and in order to even get a quote on the cost to fix it, I must send it to Sony, because Sony doesn't allow anyone but Sony repair their cameras any more. So, instead of going to one of the hundreds of capable and convenient repair shops in Denver, where I can get an estimate and repairs fast, I have to mail my camera to Texas. TEXAS!
   
   So what's wrong with it? The camera refuses to properly load any miniDV tapes now - I get an error that says "Reload tape" and the error message won't go away no matter how many times I reload the tape. Apparently this is a common failure, a quick google search shows this same problem in discussion threads all over the net. And, believe it or not, the most common suggestion to fix this error is to smack the camera repeatedly on the side to "unstick" a stuck part. This did not work with my camera, but good luck to you if you buy this piece of junk.
   
   This is the last Sony I will ever purchase. Been burned too many times by Sony now - a TV, a PDA, a digital camera, and now this. I'm buying a Panasonic PV-GS80 miniDV Camcorder to replace this doorstop. I bought an Olympus 790SW camera to replace my broken Cybershot, and it works great. I should have learned my lesson by now, but I'm brand-loyal to a fault. Sony pushed me too far this time. No more Sony. Never again.



5. Bought this to digitize tapes shot on my procam. Now I use this more than the HDV camera. Has all the controls I need but I wish it had the audio functions I miss on the prosumer camera. Never thought I would prefer this over the big brother. I haven't had disappointments with the zoom but I did install a wide angle adapter for better room coverage. Keep it mounted ALL the time.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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. The product showed on time and well shipped. I suspect the product box was opened. However, all materials were enclosed and were in "Like New" condition. The is an older model so I expected it. Thank you for the smooth and good transaction. Yes I would buy from this seller again. - John

5 comments about Samsung SC-D365 MiniDV Camcorder with 33x Optical Zoom.

1. The camcorder does not have remote control but there is a battery in the box with remote control written on it. You can not copy the recorded movies on the camputer. other than that it is easy to use abd sufficient.



2. I am not yet totally familiar with the operation of the Camcorder as I have only used it a couple of times. I seems to work as it should. I have had trouble with the Light. According to the manual, the light shoud come on when you push the record button and go off when you stop recording but the light stays on as long as the camera is on. Also, once you go in and change items in the menu like 16:9 Wide to OFF. The next time you turn the camera on you have to change it again. On the second day I filmed, I got a lot of static in the sound. Maybe my problems has to do with the fact that I am not totally familiar with the camcorder yet. I will give another review after I use the camcorder for a while.



3. This camcorder has a extremeley noisy cassette chasis mechanism, it is
   a very annoying and a intermittent problem. Other than that this camera
   is satifactory, I believe it is over priced for the quality of the video,
   especially recording low light conditions.



4. this is the worst camcorder i've ever owned.the picture quality is the worst.i can't get a clear picture unless i focus at one distance.if i move a little,or something moves in the picture it goes out of focus.i haven't got one decent video with this piece of garbage yet. i recommend panasonic,it was the last camera i owned and every picture was crystal clear.it's my fault i didn't do my research before i bought this.



5. I won this camera in a contest and now I'm kinda wishing I never had. Practically everything I've shot with this thing has turned out bad in some way or another. From the autofocus that can never decide what it wants to focus on, to the very poor image quality in slightly low lighting situations, to the camera recording glitches in the audio when I capture onto my computer. I know you may look at this thing and feel like the price is right, but I really suggest you just hold out a little while longer to save up a bit more and buy a Canon camera that's not gonna cause you these problems.

5 comments about JVC GRDF430U MiniDV Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought my camera 09/2005, I used the camera and it worked great through christmas and new years. I packed the camera in the case I bought for it and did not use it until this year Christmas. I took the camera out and got the "lens cap" error on Christmas morning. I did call JVC after seeing the recall on their website, however my camera is not on the list. The customer service employee told me I could pay for it to be shipped and fixed at the nearest service center to my home in Houston,TX, which was in Lawrenceville, Georia. I personally will not purchase another JVC product. I recently bought a new television and I was considering JVC, I am greatful now that I went with a Samsung.



2. My model is JVC GR-D33U. It works great before I got the famous Lens Cap problem. I filled in a request at their customer support web page. To my surprise, a week later I received an email and JVC offered to fix it for free even it passed the support period. After sending out my camcorder for one week and receiving no feedback at all, I received the camera through UPS and the problem was fixed. JVC didn't bother to follow up.
   
   I encourage everyone with similar problem do the same thing and maybe JVC can fix yours for free as well.



3. We bought this camera in January 2006, and love its color quality, ease of use and size. We bought it to replace our bulky, but reliable five-year old JVC camcorder. This new one worked perfectly until a week before Christmas, when we got the lens cap error problem. We made it just in time (under a year) for the parts warranty, but had to spend $100 in labor to repair the camcorder. We still love the camcorder, but hesitate to recommend it to anyone now that we've learned that JVC has ongoing cap error problems with several of their camcorder models.



4. Hardly used the camcorder. No longer works. It doesn't register a signal and shows a lens cap error even when the lens cap is off. What a disgrace. My last JVC product.



5. I have been using this camcorder for two years. I did have the universal "lens cap error" malfunction. I went to my local authorized repair facility and had to pay $150 to get it fixed. That was a major bummer. However, otherwise the camcorder has been excellent to say the least. I love how small and light it is. It is comfortable to use for extended periods. The ergonomics are very good. I almost always use manual mode and set white balance manually, which produces superior results. I use automatic mode when I tape in varying light situations and it works reasonably well. Optical quality of the lens seems to be very good. Sound quality is good and it has a mic input, which is a plus. I have taken absolutely no precautions when handling this camcorder and besides some paint that wore off due to rough handling it has been very durable. Overall, while irked by having to pay to repair a known mass defect for which there should have been a service campain, I am quite happy with my JVC camcorder.

No comments about Canon XL-H1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III.

5 comments about JVC GRD33 MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/16x Optical Zoom.

1. I was very happy with this camcorder....until it died on me after 10 months. I bought this for the basketball team I coach (to tape games). It was used a total of 25 times, and then it started getting error codes. It irrepairable, and I'm stuck buying a new one. Invest in a slightly more expensive model (by a DIFFERENT company). It well worth the money.



2. I can tell you from personal experience with JVC mini camcorders that purchasing one is an expensive mistake. Even with a protection plan from Circuit City, Best Buy, etc., the units are EXTREMELY fragile (esp. the cassette loading/ejecting apparatus) and the now infamous "E04 Safeguard Mode" (go ahead, Google it) message will eventually appear and that will be the end of recording digital videos with a JVC mini DV camera. Further, JVC support is nonexistent with regard to these error messages and how to correct them.



3. This camera is very small, and works great. It is easy to use, and great for travelling. I am not a technical person, but I don't mind using this camcorder.



4. Not just this JVC camcorder, but all of them will have the "safeguard mode error" pop up and the unit will be rendered useless at that point. Just say NO to JVC.



5. With an excellent price of only $250 you can't ask for more in such a great camera.

5 comments about Samsung SC-D963 1.1MP MiniDV Camcorder with 26x Optical Zoom.

1. I have been playing with this camera for about a month now, and it is great. The only problem I have noted is you can hear noise on the built in mic, but turning on the wind noise dampener or using an external mic eliminates it completely. The battery life leaves much to be desired at only about 45 minutes on a full charge, which is not enough to even use up a full tape. And the digital zoom becomes too shaky and pixelated (even on a tripod) to use past about 150x... Other than those minor things, it is a great camera for the price, and I would definitely recommend it to any starting out video enthusiasts.



2. I just got this camcorder for an exchange- my old camcorder was another samsung scd5000, and I waited 5 (five, unbelievable, months) for the camcorder to be exchanged.I have called customer relations for 100 times, they said they are going to fix it, exchange it, repair it, then did nothing in the end. I had to call them another 100 times, in the end executive customer relations, a superb invention of the management I suppose, which is responsible for everything, but is supervised by noone. Cut it short, they agreed for an exchange.
   Then I got this one, scd963. I opened the box, nice, clean. Turned on the recorder mode, fine, recording; then the playback mode. A blue screen, not recording anything, not showing anything. The memory records, but not the tape. Well, should I be surprised?
   In a word, Samsung is my worst experience in the United States, in terms of customer service, and quality of products. This new camcorder, is totally plastic, and now giving it another thought, I would be surprised if it worked. But simply, Samsung does not work.
   Right now, my wife is on the phone with the executive customer services, for forty minutes, all they said was send it to us, we will repair it.



3. Just a word of caution to anyone who buys Samsung products - If you do have a problem with the product at a later date - you will have a very difficult time getting any support or customer service from Samsung. Their customer relations department exists solely to confuse and frustrate and lie to the Samsung consumer. Beware!



4. I bought this online and it is my first camcorder. at first sight, i was excited. it is small, handy, looks good and easy to use. and the price $250 is good for the 1.1 MP which means you can also take photoes that are clear enough for most purposes. But after using for several times, i am not satisfied with the quality of the video. The problem is that the time of focusing takes too long, for about 1 or 2 second, which means whenever the object move, or the camcorder move, there will be seconds that the video become blurred. This is unacceptable flaw for capturing moving objects especially when the object is small and close to you. I think this may be the common flaw for Samsung camcorder. i go to circuit city and try other brands. at least Panasonic is much better than this one. so my suggestion for the first time buyer of MiniDV camcorder is: go to some local electronic stores and compare the quality of different brand before you made decision buying online. overall, consider the price, i can only say it is just ok. Maybe i have to spend more time learning the tricks how to capture a more clear video using this one.



5. I bought mine last June. But at that time there was no any review anywhere. The camcorder was proved to be a piece of junk. The zooming function faile about 2 months after I bought it. The sounds in videos I recorded are fragmented. Both the video and pictures have very bad quality. In addition, the battery is becoming bad too. I sent it to the service center last month, with $45 payment for labor. Not recommended at all!

5 comments about JVC GRDV500 MiniDV 1.33 MP Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 10x Optical Zoom, and 8MB MMC Card.

1. Since writing my first raving review on this camera it has fallen to the "Blue Screen of Death" that most JVC cameras face.
   
   No recording, no playback. The screen just states that I need to clean the heads. After 10 brand new head cleaners have been tried and fail the view screen still remains blue.
   
   I was trying to use the digital camera mode but even that hardly if ever works.
   
   I now have a shiny item to hold balloons down or better yet to use when I want people to THINK they are being videotaped.
   
   Gone is my previous high rating, this camera is just plain junk.



2. I bought this camcorder last Christmas and I've loved it since. I was looking for a reasonably priced Mini DV camcorder and came across this one at a local Sears. It felt nice and sturdy in my hands unlike the smaller ones offered by Sony and Panasonic. I checked some reviews on it, found them to be good and bought it at J&R over in NYC. The video quality is nothing short of outstanding in good lighting thanks to the 1.33 megapixel CCD (a godsend in this price range).

   As for faults, the only real Achilles heel this camcorder has is the worthless "Night Alive" mode. Sony's nightvision trumps the JVC in this respect because the picture becomes nothing but a bright, blurry mess in Night Alive mode. I will invest in a video light to remedy this problem and I suggest that those considering this camcorder do likewise. Overall this is still a terrific camcorder thanks to the 1.33 megapixel CCD not usually found in this price range.




3. If you're lookin for a crisp clear image, a powerfull ccd, a lightweight camera with photo capacity for a low price, from a trustble company, this is your choice. Despite some reviews that report bad quality images on low light, I've got nice movies under that circustances. Of corse you should know that you'd better use a tripod and as with any cam a bright light is prefereable. But once you watch your footage on TV it's better than you thoght. For this price you cannot get any better. Now I moved for a GR-DV4000, much expensive, including britgher lens and some other upgrades on the same body. If you're looking for daylly use camera, stop searching. You found it.



4. This is the first DV camera I've owned and I'm glad that I made the right choice. I've had this camera for over a year now (bought in Feb 2004) and have no major complaints with it. This camera has a very clear video quality that often amazes me! Digital stabilizer functions well. Stereo sound is good.
   The only reason this camera didn't fetch 5 star is the relatively poor video quality in low light. Though this can be adjusted using shutter speed, still I can't seem to get what I want. Bear in mind though that almost all camcorders have this issue, unless you spend much more money and buy the high-end ones.
   Good luck with your purchase. Fot this price, you won't regret it!



5. I haven't had the camera for very long, but my experiences with it thus far have shown it to be an excellent lower-to-middle range Mini DV cam for the money. It captures image and sound excellently, is lightweight and very easy to use.

No comments about Sony Handycam HDR-HC5E - Camcorder - High Definition - widescreen - 2.1 Mpix - optical zoom: 10 x - supported memory: MS Duo, MS PRO Duo - Mini DV (HDV).

5 comments about Sony DCRHC40 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Over the past 35 years that I have been shooting video, it has come a long way. Comparing this to the RCA TK-76 "Minicam" that I shot tv news with on 3/4" in 1977 is fun: 1/100 the cost and double the scan lines. Oh, and 1/80th the weight not including the 40 pound recorder. At first, I didn't think something this size could work this well. I needed something quick and inexpensive to do video cuts for inserting into PowerPoint. My boss was too cheap to buy equipment for the department and I needed training tapes. So I just bought a HC40, shot the material, edited it on my HP a622n and inserted into the PP. And then did it about a dozen more times on other training material. It looks surprisingly well 10' tall through a 2000 lumen projector. A handheld or wireless mic is a must. At least a key light, if not key, base and fill are a must. My Lowell Totalight kit works perfectly with a few scrims. Not broadcast quality of today although surpassing broadcast quality of 30 years ago. Just border line for industrial or PP if lit well with good sound. I am satisfied with it and it travels well.



2. The Picture Package software that comes with these Sony's is terrible - incompatible with most DVD/CD-R writers, meaning that you can't get your video off the MiniDV cassette tapes onto either your computer or a DVD or CD-R. I spent over 10 hours on the phone with Sony and Picture Package tech support, and ultimately learned that it is incompatible with my DVD/CD-R writer (in my Compaq Presario computer), and now am having to try to find some other solution for getting my videos off the cassettes to some other medium. The manuals are no help, and tech support is extremely time-consuming and ultimately found no solution other than telling me to use Microsoft Movie Maker - which takes FOREVER and I'm not even sure it really works. Before you buy this model - I highly recommend you seriously research whether it is compatible with your DVD/CD-R writer, and get some certainty about how you will be able to transfer the video tapes to computer or DVD or CD-R. I WOULD NOT buy this camcorder knowing what I now know.



3. if you think SONY is a quality brand....YOU ARE CORRECT
   
   too bad i dont know how to use all the features....and you will use a camcorder less than you think....so dont spend too much....and buy a good still camera...the stills on this is low resolution



4. I just purchased this camera about a week ago and I received it a few days ago.
   
   The camera is absolutely wonderful. Even though people say the bottom loading tape is bad, I think it is actually a good feature. It makes the camera less bulky and it is so easy to carry around because the tape isn't top loading.
   
   I love the size and it's so convenient. I'm used to bulky cameras and this is way better.
   
   The touch screen feature is great. People say it is inconvenient, but I don't think it is. I think it's because I'm used to having cameras with the controls in the LCD itself. The touch screen is neat, and it means you don't have to press a gajilion buttons like some cameras to control the camera.
   
   Although people say the LCD screen looks "washed out" if you mess around with the LCD brightness and stuff light that, it'll look less washed out and it will look pretty good.
   
   Also, I learned that if you used your middle finger to use the zoom toggle, you have more control over it and it doesn't make the "zoom toggle noise" that gets recorded if you don't control it.
   
   The fact that this camera takes pictures is cool. Although they are not "digital camera" sort of pictures, what do ya expect? This camera is mainly used for recording, not pictures. But I love how you can take pictures with the nightshot on and it looks pretty awesome.
   
   I bought this camera primarily for its analog through digital passthrough and its amazing. Its so easy to transfer your videos to the computer. (via firewire, it doesn't come with the camera, but you can find some on amazon that are under five bucks) The software that comes with the camera isn't that great when it comes to transferring. I recommend ArcSoft ShowBiz and its really easy to use. I haven't used Microsoft Movie Maker for transferring it yet, but it will most likely work.
   
   
   It doesn't do well under low light, but that's what the super night shot plus is for. The supernight shot plus feature is awesome. I've never had a camera like this before that could do that. I went into a dark room to test it out, I could see almost everything that I couldn't see without the super night shot plus.
   
   The problems I had with this camera is its instructions on using analog through digital pass through. I never used a camera with this feature, so I didn't know how to use it. I spent 2 hours trying to figure it out through the manual that came with the camera, which didn't help much. I was so frustrated that I looked on the net on how to do it. Guess what? In less then five minutes from looking, I found the instructions and it worked. If only I had looked on the net first instead of wasting 2 hours of my time on how to do it... But, when I finally digitized my old analog tapes, they came out perfect.
   
   Another thing that I don't like about this camera is that the viewfinder doesn't tilt up, even though it pulls out.
   
   Other than that, this camera is amazing. I like the the zoom because I've used it to watch and record a play. With the zoom up all the way, it was very clear and it felt like I was sitting close up to the stage with this useful gadget.
   
   Sony is such a great brand and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another camera from them in the future.



5. I just needed a small camcorder for making video game movies and this fits that. My laptop recognized it right away. Transfer is good and I have not had any problems with this DV Camcorder. The only complaint that I do have is the touch screen. I prefer actual buttons, but the camcorder is still easy to use.