5 comments about Samsung SCD27 MiniDV Camcorder with 3.5" LCD.

1. I purchased this camera for ~$400 and primarily because I thought that it has USB port, memory stick and MPEG4 movie recording capability, but these capabilities are severely limited. You can only record 10-20 sec on the memory stick because it can take max 32 MB. If you use higher mem then it gives format error. The USB, MPEG4 interfaces are limited to recordings that you store on the Memory stick, so not much of a use of these features. The IEEE 1394 port is also 4 pin and would not work with 6 pin, so you got to be careful there.
   Other than that, for recording it has a pretty ok capabilities. I would say it's an ok camera. Maybe I am disappointed that I can't use it with my PC as I hoped to.



2. I got this camcorder for a Christmas present. I have to say its a very good camcorder. It has sharp video, built in light, and night vision. The audio is very crisp, and is good for storing memories. You can take snapshots and record them to video, with sound. You can put in a memory stick and take stills, then transfer them to your computer via firewire, or USB. The battery charges in about 2 hours which is very fast. The only downtime is that it would be cool to have a 20 X optical zoom, but 10 X is powerful enough. I would recomend this camcorder to anyone. You can't beat this amazon price! I hope to keep this for years to come!

   Bill.




3. This camera is excellent on those who are on budget and film mostly outside. Why do I say mostly outside? Because the video quality under low indoor light conditions is very bad. There is lots of noise on shadowy indoor areas. And since most amateurs and home videos are shot without really having a single though on how the light will be, the results will not be good. You'll need tons of light indoor to eliminate the grainyness. Whats even worse is that even in medium indoor lighting conditions look grainy. This grainyness, or color noise, probably has to do with the camera having 1 CCD (Which most consumer cameras have) and the insensitivity of the CCD. So it usually uses electronic gain when shotting with low light, and getting a camera to use electronic gain depends on its CCD signal to noise ratio. This camera has a bit of problems with tapes. I once used Panasonic DVC tapes, and 40 minutes into recording it said tape end! This was unbelieveable. Then once I used Fuji film, and believe it or not it said tape end within 2 minutes of recording and I was surprised. I played it back and stopped where the footage stopped and it recorded normally again. This is probably not the tape's fault but the cameras. The only tape I did not have any problems with is TDK, so USE TDK for this camera. The sound quality is good, and high fidelity sound. Uses standard PCM/48khz/16 bit. The picture quality outside is great, although sometimes it exposes too much and manual exposure needs to be used but generally it does a good job at auto. The features the camcorder has are great especially A/V/S-video IN to capture from other source. Night vision is cool, although short distance. I wouldn't rely on still pix they are low resolution. The LCD is nice although the DPI is low. Another great thing is that it works with my Power MAC and there is stereo microphone input which makes audio sound even better. Nonetheless this camcorder is really good considering the features it has. Simply a little thought in indoor lighting will go a long way. You can buy a cheap 625 watt sun gun on ebay, although inversatile still a good start.



4. I received this camcorder as a gift, and although the footage I've shot has been good quality, I cannot download it on to my PC. I have a brand new PC and it appears the driver that came with the camcorder is not compatible with XP Media Center. I've attempted to contact Samsung to confirm these allegations but they will not return my calls or emails. So I've got hours of raw Mini DV footage that I can't edit on my computer. What's the point??? Needless to say, I'll be buying a new Mini DV camcorder soon, and it will not be Samsung. So far Panasonic has my vote.



5. I bought this camera by all the reviews I read and it seemded like a great buy. I am very happy with it but the extra expense of firewire and capture hardware was $65. Thought I'd be able to upload via USB. Only still pictures upload with the USB> Movies go vai Firewire. It was easy to install and very easy to upload and then you are watching it on your computer and not a TV. Other than the additional purchase of the capture card which I guess all digital camcorders require it is a wonderful unit and fits well in your hand!!

5 comments about JVC GRD90 MiniDV Camcorder with 3.5" LCD, 16x Optical Zoom, 8MB, and MMC.

1. 1) I agree with all the reviews on poor picture quality.
   2) also agree with the reviews on JVC's poor quality.
   
   Lasted a year, to save one or two hundred dollars in this case you don't get what you pay for. I learned my lesson.



2. i love the camera, i received it in a timely matter but there were a few things not received with the camera that were suppose to be, but the seller fixed the problems right away and were a great help.



3. I purchased my camera refurbished and already I cannot get a picture from any live source. I only get playback from tapes already recorded. I am not happy at all with this product or purchase.



4. This camcorder worked fine for a little over a year.Then suddenly the "Condensation Error" appeared.I take great care of my stuff so I know that it was not my fault.I contacted JVC and they told me that this problem had not been reported and they would not repair it.They told me that I would have to pay for the repairs.JVC customer support lied about this error problem.I did a great deal of research and found that this is very common among the GR-D series.I wouldn't have minded so much if the cost to repair wasn't so expensive.I was told by the local JVC service center that it would be cheaper to just buy a new camcorder.They also told me that they see a lot of this series and it either has this problem or the "Lens Cap" error.If you don't want to waste your money I would suggest that you stay away from JVC.



5. I am now on my second GRD90. The first one got dunked in saltwater during
   a parasail at Paihia, Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Managed to salvage
   the tape in it and had some spectacular shots. But, I digress, on with
   the review.
   The main problem is the condensation problem that locks up the camcorder.
   Apparently the condensation sensor is a very weak point in this camera's
   circuitry. There is a work-around: [...]. IF you're really handy,
   The "Take your camcorder apart" fix is the best, but be VERY careful
   about those very small screws.
   Apparently JVC just leaves you hanging if you encounter this problem and
   it will cost dearly to put it in the shop. Mine encountered it when I
   was in Singapore, very HOT outside and about 450% (at least) humidity,
   the hotel room's A/C was set on "Ice Age", and when I took the camera
   outside it was all over.
   On the plus side, I got this unit because of it's A/V input, analog
   input from a VCR, 8MM, TV, etc. BUT, some relatively inexpensive units,
   the Canon ZR700, for instance, have this feature. At the time I bought
   JVC it was the only one I found with analog input and I have used it
   extensively to put my 8MM tapes on DVD.
   It isn't too bad, and you might never encounter any problems. I would
   not recommend this camcorder, nor would I recommend against it, just do
   your research and make your buying decision based on good knowledge,
   lots of info available on the web. Overall, I like it and now that I
   have the condensation problem fixed I will resume using it a lot.

2 comments about Panasonic PV-DV901 Digital Palmcorder.

1. This has to be the greatest item I have ever laid my hands on and thats saying alot since I'm a multimillionaire with everything that I want. There is not a better camera available in the world.



2. This camcorder has many good control designs and it is excellent in recording DV footage. However the digital still photos onto SD cards function lacks any High-Res performance. Photos will seem spotty. If you want great digital pictures better buy a 3 mega pixel digital camera instead. The Cam's VCR play back directional pad, the zoom slider, record button, menu button & its switch ...all contribute to the cam's easy functionality. The cam I bought came right out of the box with 5 bad dead red/green pixels on its side LCD panel. I had to sent it to repairs within the week. Panasonic service at Elgin, IL took over a little over 3 months to get it repaired. Some what irratating...and poor service. The unit is repaired now and works properly. I highly recommed to get a service plan on it. Make sure it works right with in 90 days. Its a cool cam but sure wish it had a image motion stablizer.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC46 MiniDV 1MP Digital Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Includes Handycam Station).

1. I have used the camcorder for 5 days and recorded about 45min of video. No problems what so ever. I dubbed several DVD +R through the ILink cable to my Sony RG330 DVD Recorder. Out of 3 DVDs NONE have failed. One camcorder option I did change is the Audio Quality, the default is 12bit and I changed it to 16bit. Zoom is great, but the digital zoom you really need a tripod. Great Picture, I love the 16:9 widescreen. For the price I am very satisfied with the DCR-HC46.



2. I have previously owned Sony and Panasonic camcorders. I bought this one beacuse of its small size. I am impressed with the quality of Video that this camcorder can make. I have made DVD's of my vidoe recordings and people who saw the video commented with a "Woh!!!"
   
   I am giving it 4 stars because it does not have a audio input. I wanted an audio input to record directly from a mic in case of a stage performance.



3. Sony DCR-HC46 MiniDV 1MP : Amazon delivered this product flawlessly. The camcorder is pretty good value ($399)and delivers very good images for the resolution which is, for me, fine despite the 3-4MPs around, and good sound (-comparable with an earlier Sony TRV 33 at double the price which lasted 4 years before failing). Build quality appears good, though much lighter than previous. The only quibble is that the eyepiece is small and only extendable; this is less comfortable than I expected and one has to peer into it... but liveable. This is Made in Japan, and not in China....Note that the battery size is different from TRV33 range models...Arrrgh!



4. My wife and I purchased this camera for the upcoming birth of our first child and have been nothing but pleased with it. Although not the most expensive camera on the market I have found it to be very sutiable for family engagments, indoor and outdoor events. Setup and easy of use has been a big plus (even my wife who is technologically inept has been able to jump right in and use it effectively). I did purchase an extra battery which was a smart move, battery life has been good, but hey you never know. I also purchased Sony's Movie Studio 7 to put my video's together and to music. The software and hardware has worked seemlessly so far. I recommend using the firewire connection for transfer between the camera and computer, it's very fast and effective. Overall we have been very happy with our purchase and look forward to capturing all our future memories.



5. you need a memory stick to transfer data to a mac
   everything else is great

3 comments about JVC GRDX95 Pocket Camcorder with 3 LCD.

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



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

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

   To sum it up :

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

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

   A satisfied customer from France




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




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



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



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

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

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

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




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



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



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



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

5 comments about RCA CC9370 AutoShot Compact Digital Camcorder.

1. I purchased this camera in July 2001 and generally it has worked very well. It took great movies and I had no trouble connecting it to my firewire card to download movies. However, since we purchased it we received intermittant e04 errors that we could not always correct by resetting the camera. The RCA website is no help, in fact it will not even allow you to register a camcorder as a product! Overall the it did take great movies, however I have been very dissatisfied with the camera's reliability and with RCA's support of it.



2. I just got one of these camcorders off of this same site. When I got the camera there was no battery pack and or charger. its been about six months and I still cant find one anywhere not even on this site. Ive wasted about a hundred dollers on differnt chargers that dont even work. now the camera sits in my room with no use to it because I cant find a battery. also its to late to return it so now im stuck...... ...............THANKS TO WHO EVER I BOUGHT THIS FROM



3. I picked this camcorder up for a song. I've had it 3 years now and it still has not given me any problems. It is solid for the light use I give it without sacrificing quality.
   I have yet to be disappointed by anything other than the still photo function. No built in memory makes for a weird playback sensation as a still shot stops the video and then fades from a still shot to the moving video again. My recommendation is to use this as a dedicated video camera and buy a good still camera.
   All in all, this camera has been a good buy. I have used it in the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and across the USA with none of the pesky dew problems panasonic has or the mechanism problems of the jvc.



4. FYI, the two cameras the RCA 9360 and RCA 9370 are the same, only the 9370 comes with a battery charger (A cost saving idea). Causes some grief because with the 9360, you actually use the camera as a battery charger. Not really obvious. It is also important to remove the battery if you are not using the camera (you can charge the battery and forget to remove it, and it will be dead when you need it). Recommend buying a battery charger for the 9360.
   I really like the camera. It has a lot of abilities. I use Pinnacle studio, and it works great. Had a problem with Ulead, it doesn't seem to work - The camera doesn't connect. Once the Pinnacle downloaded the movie, it was simply amazing. Of course, then you are in another world of editing. Wow. Then, you get to buy a bigger hard drive and DVDs, etc, etc. Expensive, but totally wonderful.
   I also got a Panasonic digital video camera at the same time - It is really wonderful, too, but has no video light. The RCA requires you to then figure out how to work on a movie with a video light, but with the Panasonic, you need to stop.
   The manual for the CC9370 can be used for the CC9360, and the 9370 manual is available on Amazon at:
   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004Z583/104-4032710-9364765?v=glance
   Thanks Amazon...
   Do a google search for the 9370 or 9360 by searching "rca cc9370 manual", to find batteries, the manual, and accessories.
   I think it is great.
   Using the firewire with the RCA camcorder was a learning experience also. If I remember correctly, there was a $50 firewire cable available, but then I found a firewire card at FRYs in Anaheim with a free cable for $20 on sale. Using the cheapo cable, I was able to do my movies. What fun. Was using my HP laptop with no built-in firewire, but with a firewire card stuck into it. Then USB 2 came around, and ruined it for the firewire guys, but the camera has a firewire port anyhow, so use it. Gotta get with it, guys, you don't want to get lost. Buy, buy, buy.
   Anyhow, just want to say that the RCA camera is really a great unit, and I have had a lot of fun with it.



5. I just purchased this camcorder and so far am pleased. There is a port on it called a service port which is labeled in the manual but does any body know the purpose of this port and what connects it to what?

5 comments about Panasonic PVGS70 MiniDV Ultra Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 3CCD, and 8MB SD.

1. When you consider all the features of this really tiny camcorder that weighs just a little over a pound, there is no question that it is the best mini dv product out there. The picture clarity is just incredible. Sharp and colorful video in almost any situation.

   I live near Washington DC and I go with the kids to the National Mall and to the Smithsonian every couple of months or so. The other day I finally bought this little camcorder and it gave me an excuse to take another sightseeing trip downtown DC (ok I really enjoy looking at what my tax money stands for...). Anyway, i basically used the camcorder all day long and it is the best quality video I have ever taken. I have bought an extra battery pack and I still had plenty of power left on the second battery at the end of the day. I also bought a 256 mb SD card for stills. I used the camcorder outside on Pennsylvania Avenue, the Capitol, and the Washington monument. Then inside the National Gallery of Art, the Air and Space and the National History. It is just fantastic. I think I am going to throw out all my old video tapes of the same stuff and start a new collection. I am thrilled.

   If you are looking to get something really good get this one.

   Merry Christmas.




2. Nice camera for all of the above stated reasons. One serious flaw for a highly portable camera, DURABILITY. This camera can not tolerate humid / moist environments. I was overseas and used the camera sporadically. Some of the environs were misty weather (NOT raining). Upon returning state-side, I discovered the camera was dead. Panasonic repair returned the camera as a total loss, stating that there was water damage to the mainboard, which was irreparable. A total loss, NOT COVERED by warranty on a camera that is otherwise in immaculate condition and 80 days old. A tech person at Panasonic confided that all that needs to occur is a drop of condensation to form on a ribbon cable. If it does, it will track down the ribbon cable to the board and kill it. They did offer to give me a new camera at a price that was more expensive than what I paid for it (at Beach Camera).

   Other commentors have complained of problems after minor drops of the camera. For a highly portable camera, this really isn't acceptable.




3. I'm new to the world of video but have a lot of experience putting complicated technology into people's hands. The GS70 is very nice to use out of the box. However, as you grow into it over time, it also has quite a bit of manual control for optimization. I agree in principle with most of the previous reviewers except that I havn't had any breakage or problems. This camcorder has great spectacular color. It may also have slightly lower resolution than some of the single chip Sony's I've compared it with. I prefer the overall quality of the Panasonic because of the beautiful color. It also held its own when I taped a stage performace at our church in low-light mode. If you read forums, you can do even better with manual settings. The GS70 also has both microphone and a headphone stereo jacks -- features absent from comparable Sonys (new 04 models) and very important to me since I use remote mics. Tape-Toploading is also very nice. I have uploaded the video and edited in Premier without difficulty. Sound is good to my ears. I think this is a great option for a hobbiest in the 500$ range. This camera is also small and light so you can take it with you anywhere. Batteries are small and last several hours. The manual is a bit on the arcane side until you catch on to Panasonic's format. The macro mode is very impressive. Bottom line -- Great color and useability with possibly slightly less detail in the images.



4. I would recommend this product over the pv-gs120 as they took this camera and stripped it down to be able to market it at the $700 price point, you will not lose anything by getting this camera. As for the image stabilization, the newer models are not any better. The trick is that most of the time it will not work unless the following circumstances are met, the camcorder must have a direct light source (indoor rarely works for me) and the unit must be able to focus on an object. When the light is present, it engages and does a good job; otherwise, the display will just blink at you. Most reviews say "use a tripod," yea right! I did not buy this to put on a tripod or it would be a larger unit. I found outdoor use to be great (manual white balance as much as possible or you may get a Tele-Tubby world effect.) Pictures are average at best, but I did not buy this for the pictures (the flash is awesome, however.)

   I bought this for less than half MSRP because it was last years model.




5. There are a lot of features about this camera that I like (alluded to in other reviews), but the vivid colours due to 3ccd technology is not one of them. I did a side by side comparison with my buddy's 3 year old Canon single-ccd and guess what? When played back thru his tv, my tv, my video projector, etc. his looked better. First of all, the resolution of the image seemed much better, and the colours were more accurate than my PVGVS70. For instance, we both shot a yellow sign -- it came out orange with the Panasonic.
   Mind you, it all looks good on its tiny lcd screen (providing you're looking at it absolutely directly head-on.)
   Also, as mentioned in the other reviews, the image stablizer is next to useless. Try full optical zoom and see if you can hand hold it -- hah! Makes the tele-macro function a waste of time, unless you're on a tripod. And furthermore, I see no point in the digital zoom function on any camera, let alone the PVGVS70 digital zoom which goes up to a whopping 700 X!! Even on a tripod, you can't get a decent picture at full zoom. It's all video pixel mush. Completely, utterly useless.
   I am so disappointed, as I was hoping to buy quality at $1000 (Can.), and the 3ccd held out a lot of promise. Also the good reviews I've read here and elsewhere... but I think the positive reviewers haven't done a true comparison. Believe me, it doesn't hold up and I intend to return my Panasonic today.

5 comments about Canon Optura S1 2.2MP MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. I'm not a professional videographer. Still I might well be the pickiest man in the world when it comes to video quality. I'm the one who keeps noticing MPEG artifacts in TV transmissions all the time, because I've been doing my own DVDs for 5 years. In short, I can judge video quality at first sight.
   
   This said, you'll never see me with a big professional camera over my shoulder, because I don't film for a living in the first place and also because I already had many experiences where I had to leave my camcorder behind because it was too bulky to carry. And I'm not talking about big VHS cams, I'm referring to the "small" Hi-8 cameras from Sony: great image, excellent sound, yet too bulky to carry to many wild adventures or long trekkings.
   
   At this point in my life, I came to the conclusion that comfortableness proved to be more important than top-notch quality, especially for a backpacker like me who can't afford to choose between carrying a camcorder or two extra bottles of water. This mini DV camera the size of a digital still camera was worth a try.
   
   So this is the reason why I bought the Canon Optura S1 in the first place: the smaller available camcorder in the market in October 2005 ( FBI/CIA gadgets don't count here ;) and manufactured by my favorite still camera brand. So I bought it with all this in mind. As you will see (and I really knew this before purchasing, so I'm not complaining) such small size has its trade-offs limitations, and it's up to you to decide whether it's worth to buy it or not. What follows is my personal opinion on the camera.
   
   Pro's
   
   * Small as hell, that's my baby!!! Can fit in a still-photo case and attach to the belt.
   
   * Colors are *in-cre-di-bly* accurate. Now, this is a tough one when dealing with NTSC!! By far the best color-matching camcorder that I ever owned.
   
   * Excellent image quality in daylight, and I mean it.
   
   These 3 things said, the camera paid itself and that's enough to make me happy with my purchase. But for the sake of this review, let's move on:
   
   Could be improved's:
   
   * The device can act as a 2 Megapixel still camera as well, but do not expect "Canon quality" at all (and this has nothing to do with the 2 Mpx limitation). The still shots are maybe acceptable for the occasional user, probably could compete side by side with many generic brand 2 Mpx still cameras, but nowhere near a 2 Mpx Canon point&shot still cam.
   
   * There's an included light for night filming. This certainly isn't an halogen lamp, but for something that looks pretty much like a "led", it gives a decent ammount of light, useful to illuminate faces no farther than 1.5 meters (45 feet) and that's about it.
   
   * 10x Zoom: Actually, it's a miracle that such a small device can accommodate as much zoom as 10x. Sure, that's low compared to today's standards, but each of us knows the weight (importance) that assigns to this feature. My Hi-8 Sony TRV-66 has 20x and unless you put it on a tripod it's quite a challenge to obtain a steady frame at the full 20x. For the few occasions that you may be using the full zoom, 10x is fairly enough.
   
   Con's
   
   * Quality degradation is too noticeable when light gets dimmer. I'm not speaking about a dark room illuminated by a birthday candle, I'm referring to an average room at night illuminated by regular bulbs: The picture won't necessarily be dark, but the noise (video noise, for those who dominate the matter) is more noticeable than I would like.
   
   * The "wide" angle is too narrow. Again, a consequence of the small size and lens diameter. To capture an entire scenario in the frame I would have to walk a couple of meters back that otherwise wouldn't be necessary with other camcorders.
   
   * And this last one is really unforgivable: It doesn't include an option to stamp date/time in the frame during recording time. So you either do this during edition time in your PC (most people don't edit their videos BTW) or you have to keep saying e.g. "today is November 29th..." if you want your videos to keep some historical reference 10 years from now.
   
   Well, I tried to be fair enough in my review. As I said, I'm very happy with this purchase because it exceeded what I expected in some aspects, but I also added the not-so-good things for you to judge objectively if this is the right camera for you.
   Happy filming!



2. I don't usually purchase things sight unseen, but this camera was an exception. I had only my past experiences with Canon to go by, which I had been satisfied with.
   
   I wanted something compact, so the size is perfect for me. I like the widescreen mode. And the camera is fairly intuitive, although I've had to reference the manual on a couple occasions.
   
   The boxey shape reminded me of an elph still camera I purchased sometime back, so I naturally assumed it was encased in metal as well. Nope. Cheap plastic feel that I'm concerned I'll end up breaking.
   
   But my biggest gripe is the video quality when shot indoors. Even with the light on the picture is really grainy. I'm going to put it up against my old Sony Video8 camera as a test, but I swear the old camera took a brighter picture.
   
   We purchased this to take shots of our new baby girl. I've been really dissapointed with the indoor shooting since that's where new parents spend a great deal of time.



3. I purchased this through an online wholesale membership site for $399.99 plus tax and shipping (total $459.00) and couldn't be any happier.
   
   As soon as I had the battery charged up I started shooting in and out of the house. While there is remarkable difference between lit and dark background, the S1 did take good videos inside the house. I set the camera to SCN (screen mode) and chose NIGHT mode and it did the trick: less graininess compared to shooting in AUTO mode and video was bright. My PC has firewire and it picked up on the S1 right away as soon as it was plugged in.
   
   I didn't care too much for the bundled software on the driver disc but it worked pretty good as well. My wife and I have been looking for a quality camcorder at a non-exorbitant price tag and we found it all in the S1.
   
   Yes, there is a 10-SECOND DATE STAMP on the Optura S1. Set your camra mode to "P," press menu , press Display, choose lcd and tv....voila!
   
   One other drawback I found, by surprise, was that the S1 takes mini-SD, not the standard size. Oh well, I guess I'd have to fork out another $50 to upgrade the 16 MB that came with it to 1 GB.
   
   Now we can document our kids' growing years.



4. This camera produces excellent image quality for the price, it's very compact, and ergonomic. It's packed with features. If you are a mainstream user, it is more than adequate. There are those who will compare it to $1000-$2000 videocams and it will naturally fall short. But the fact is, it's reasonably priced, has sufficient features for most users, and can be taken anywhere because of its size. I would recommend getting an extra battery since you will only get 45 minutes - 1 hour energy if you use the LCD display and do a lot of zooming, etc. Speaking of zoom, some people think that a 10x optical zoom is less than ideal, but face it -- if you are trying to zoom much beyond that level, you are going to need a tripod. Overall, this is an excellent item, and delivers the quality I would expect from Canon.



5. I will not repeat all positive other reviewer have said about the camera's video quality. It is noticably better than 1/6" cameras I compared this camera with (JVC, Panasonic) in both dark an lighted conditions.
   
   However I have the same problem many other people had with other models of Canon camcorder - motor noise. Honestly, it is not very loud itself - about the same as in other cameras, but Optura's michrophones tend to record the engine noise much louder than other cameras. You can hear annoying high-pitch sound all the time during playing back. Using a graphic equalizer I figured out that the noise was aroung 8000 Hz, and theoretically it can be efficiently removed using software without harming voices too much. This approach won't work if you recoded a music concert though.
   
   BTW, a word of advice. If you have the same problem, switching the michrophone from A (automatic mode) to M somewhat helps to reduce the noise because in automatic mode the system increases the ambient noises including the motor noise when there is no other (louder) sound signal.
   
   So, in my oppinion, if picture quality prevails over the sound, or you don't mind spending time and fixing sound with all kinds of software - this is a very good camera for you.