No comments about Sony DCR-HC52E MiniDV Camcorder for PAL Systems.

4 comments about Sony Professional HVR-Z1U 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom.

1. Indie Filmmaker here, always looking out for a better camera!
   
   The Sony HDV series is an astonishing technology
   
   Don't let people tell you that the footage is "too compressed" ---- technically, it is, but once it gets on screen, it looks stunning!
   
   I haven't done much filming with this camera ---- but I have seen its footage and edited its footage
   
   Both on television and the computer monitor, I was impressed with its 'look' ---- very detailed and extremely clear
   
   Editing was a BREEEEEZE with this footage! I edited on Final Cut Pro and could composite 5 layers all above each other, each with a different opacity, and FCP's real time engine kept up without having to render! Thus, the compressed footage makes editing EASY - but Sony has managed to make a beautiful picture out of this stuff too
   
   For the Indie Filmmakers out there ---- test one out before purchasing..... I find the Sony HDV to be the most clear look out there --- emulating a beautifully shot NFL game on HD..... but for cinematic looks, I still may stick with the Panasonic DVX100, as there is a more cinema feel to that one
   
   hope that helps
   
   HAPPY BUYING!!!!



2. The HVR-Z1U seems too good to be true. And it is.
   
   It promises a camera with full HD resolution and outstanding features for a reasonable price. In many ways, it delivers. The video quality is superior to the JVC HDV camera. Unlike the JVC, the camera offers full manual control and is a pleasure to shoot with professionally.
   
   Alas - for someone who expects and needs full HD resolution, the Sony is a disappointment. Pointing the camera at a resolution chart while viewing the output on a high resolution monitor (or on a computer after rendering to 1080i or 1080p) quickly reveals that the horizontal resolution is about 1200 lines, and vertical resolution is a little over 500.
   
   The pixel count is thus about twice that of standard video, not four times, as we perhaps hoped. The 1200 lines of horizontal resolution is pretty good - just about the same as 720p. But the vertical resolution is not very good at all.
   
   
   
   A little math tells the story. Sony advertizes 1.1M pixels for each sensor, and 1440 lines horizontal. 1.1M/1440 gives a maximum of 770 lines vertical, not 1080 as promised. The measured vertical and horizontal resolution is distinctly lower.
   
   An extensive web search revealed that the sensor has 1080 vertical lines, but only about 990 lines horizontal. To achive something closer to 1440 lines horizontal the green sensor is offset by half a pixel, and image processing is used to give a possible maximum resolution of 1440 on a black and white image. The problem is that the edge contrast beyond 900 lines horizontal becomes quite poor.
   
   To make matters worse, (or to degrade the vertical resolution to match the horizontal) the vertical lines are read out of the sensor in pairs, so that each field is a mixture of two adjacent lines. This gives the vertical the same poor edge contrast as the horizontal.
   
   It is possible by using the unsharp mask tool in Sony Vegas (or other editors) to improve the edge contrast. I use the maximum effect with the minimum radius in the Sony tool - setting the radius slider to .001 pixels. You must do the sharpening operation using a properties setting of 1440x1080. Slightly better results can be obtained by putting an additional unsharp mask in series with the first, set to half-effect.
   
   A major problem is deinterlace. Most editors (and most display devices) deinterlace by averaging fields, which reduces the maximum vertical resolution to 540 lines. You can add Mike Crash's excellent deinterlacer to the sharpening masks, and remove this limitation. Crash's smart deinterlace for Vegas can be downloaded for free - with patience and persistence.
   
   Sharpening and deinterlacing the image is very compute intensive. It takes me a good fraction of a week to do a two hour movie on a 3GHz pentium 4. But the result can be stunning. With the sharpening the Sony camera can give you a result that is close to a professional HD camera. I render to WMV9 rather than to MPEG2 - remember to keep the properties at 1440x1080. After the render is complete, you can re-render to 720p, adding an additional bit of sharpening to compensate for the re-interpolation.
   
   For best results always use a shutter speed of 60 frames/sec or higher. I have had mixed results with the steady shot option. Keep the camera as steady as possible, and try not to use more video gain than absolutely necessary.
   
   Bottom line - this camera produces video that is MUCH better than standard video, and significantly better than DV. But it would be awfully nice to have a camera that delivered the advertized resolution, and did it with a flat video frequency response.



3. I've chosen this camera for my short film after viewing some rough footage at a local studio. The colors that this camera can capture in DV mode are jaw-dropping! It comes with all of the manual controls you could hope for and they're very intuitive. I highly recommend this to independent filmmakers if you're able to rent them in your area. It does not offer the 'truest' cinematic feel but if you do some research on the web you'll find resources for things you can do in pre & post production to get the feel you're looking for regardless of the camera you use.
   
   For more filmmaking resources & sample footage of the z1, visit my website and click 'resources'.
   
   And for more updates on using this camera for my short film, visit my website and click 'films'.



4. I've used my Sony HVR-Z1U HDV camcorder in some very extreme conditions, and it it comes through on a regular basis. I shot Hurricane Katrina video footage during the storm (for StormStock) in driving 100 mph rain. At that time, I had purchased and was using a rain coat for the camera. It never failed. Previously, in Hurricane Dennis, the unit failed in the rain, without the coat. The screen went black. I dried it off with a hand dryer and it came back to life to be called back into action with Katrina.
   
   My HVR-Z1U has shot hurricane video, tornadoes, lightning, and other storm footage, often in the rain and dust. And, it keeps on going.
   
   The unit prefers mid-range lighting. It can shoot good footage if you give it that.
   
   Sony can improve this unit by adding SDI to output to HDCAM. I'd also like to see true 24P added and maybe variable frame rates.
   
   This camera is just a couple options away from being a professional system.
   
   Martin Lisius
   Prairie Pictures, Inc.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS85 MiniDV Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. My five year old Sony CCDTRV87 8mm camcorder quit working so it was time for a new video camera since I have small children. Did a lot of research and although most people are pointing to Sony for the product they like, I just couldn't buy another $600 camcorder from Sony and have to replace it in five years. This was the second camcorder from that brand that I had owned and quit after 5 years and I take very good care of them.
   
   I have owned other Panasonic equipment and am very satisfied with their products so after reading great reviews on the PV-GS85, I ordered one. Very fast delivery from Amazon, only four days and it was here.
   
   The Good: Light weight, great picture for sub $300 camcorder. Not as good in low light as the old 8mm. Battery life is 30 minutes with standard supplied battery. After playing with menus for a few days, it was easy to navigate to any functions needed for record or playback. Built in light is a big plus although only good for short range.
   
   The Bad (atleast for me): During playback there is no date/time stamp on the video. I am used to seeing the date superimposed on the video at the beginning of each new recording session on a new day. The date would flash on for a few seconds so that you would know when the shot was taken. This camera has no such function and I assumed that it did since I have owned other brand camcorders (all the way back to 1986 VHS-C) and they all had that date/time function. I found that the date is available if you use the analog output (not in any part of the owners manual) but it is on all the time and is annoying to see all through the video. So if you edit the tapes and transfer to DVD as I do, you have to find video editing software to manually insert an overlay to display the date. And if the tape was shot over a long period of time, you will have to take notes to remember the dates the events took place. Very disappointing for me.



2. 
   After searching for a while for a ~300 dollars mini-dv camera, i decided for this one and i dont regret it.
   
   Has a very good video quality and a steady shot for photos, took pictures from moving cars or on the move and the optical stabilizers are quite good.
   On top of that has a 32x optical zoom to match, those two allows you to take great pictures or film from very far.
   Has decent low light capabilities.
   That turn on/off function when closing the LCD is quite good.
   
   Cons:
   The light is not very useful.
   Comes with a 45~60 minutes battery, larger ones makes imposible to use the viewfinder.
   You have to remove the battery to access AC power, USB and firewire.
   Cannot charge the battery while you have the camera connected to AC
   
   Resuming, is a very good camera in the fundamentals and im happy with it.



3. The PV-GS85 is one of many Digital camcorders I've tried in the last two years, and so far the one that has come closest to filling my need for a versatile consumer grade camcorder to replace my old Analog VHS PV-43 which broke after 13 years and 40+ hours of flawless service. Without going into boring detail, the PV-GS85 offers comprehensive manual controls accessible ( with some dexterity ) using one hand, and can even record stills to the SD card "while" shooting video. Low light performance comes close to matching my PV-43 something that was the norm on old Analog camcorders, but very rare on the new Digital models. It also uses MiniDV which uses a tape like the old Analog camcorders which to some may seem a disadvantage, however it provides the least compression artifacts in a lossless form that you can archive and label with a pen just like the old Analog tapes unlike DVDs where the ink migrates into the media. It also has Optical image stabilization, a very large field of view, a battery which will last as long a tape, as well as an external battery charger which is included. All in all a nice well executed camcorder. Panasonic even offers an optional 10 watt video light ( at extra cost ) that mounts on the cameras cold shoe.
   This cameras not perfect, it doesn't have a microphone jack or manual focus ring like my old PV-43, nor are the stills of great quality ( only one of the camcorders I tested took decent, not great stills and had a flash - it's best to stick with a dedicated camera for stills )but it does provide possibly the best compromise available today. As always, do some research an try out different camcorders and have a clear idea of your expectations before deciding to buy and you'll be happier.



4. This camcorder is great for the normal person. It was not made for the sim-pro or pro vedio maker. This is a very good camcorder for the price. It is easy to work, has great Zoom and the OIS is great. I have used this camcorder every where. Please stay away from the PV-GS80, for a few dollars more you can get the PV-GS85 that does a lot more and I had the 80 and had problems with it the 85 is so much better.



5. as mine. but mine possibly seemed to have poor (defective?) cmos sensor. As a result. autofocus was extremely slow and also resolution dropped too low even in the shade, not mentioning real low light. Overall picture quality in SP was worse than with my old Panasonic with same 680kpix sensor in LP. Maybe just my bad luck...
   Great features are: fantastic OIS; VERY comfortable finger controls; webcam capability.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC38 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this camera as I wanted one that was easily carried because I travel a great deal. I read all the reviews prior to buying it and it has lived up to my expectations and the quality of the videos taken is excellent. I had second thoughts about it not having a light but it takes good videos in low ambient light conditions and the "night shot" feature works well.
   It is a very user friendly camera right out of the box. The only negative feature would be lack of a remote control but for a little more money, Sony makes a model with this feature. All around good camera for the price. You won't be disappointed.



2. I have an HC32 camcorder and my LCD display just died without much notice (it flickered one day and became dark with red hue and died). I searched the problem and it appears that a lot of people have shared a similar story on the net. It happened to my when my camera was about two years old. Similar problems have been reported on HC42 model as well. You may want to research this problem. I am not going to buy another SONY camcorder (it was my 3rd Sony Camcorder in 17 years...one of them still works). I was very happy with it till it worked. But, the LCD problem appears to be a widespread problem. Once the LCD display dies, you can't do much as most of the controls are through the touch screen.



3. This is my second Sony MiniDV camera (my dad dropped and broke my first one). It works great and provides good quality.
   
   There are lots of great comments and reviews out there, and I won't repeat all that stuff. Here are a few quick comments:
   
   - It's small enough to fit in a belly-pack or fanny-pack. That means it's easy to bring along. Cameras left at home don't deliver very good results!
   
   - I thought having the 40x optical zoom would be awesome. It is, but here's my caveat - it's virtually impossible to hand-hold the camera at full zoom and get a decent picture - even with the great image stabilization feature turned on. When you get past about 25x, you'll need a tripod or to brace the camera on a ledge or something.
   
   - Night vision (using an infra-red emitter to illuminate in total darkness) is a great feature, which most people overlook.
   
   Great stuff, as expected, from Sony!



4. Great value, easy to use. Good quality video, can't beat the 40X and features. I would recommend this camcorder to anyone looking for a quality, easy to use product on a low budget. But don't be fooled by the price, this camcorder has a better quality picture than my JVC that I paid $700.00 for three years ago.



5. i own this camera after upgrading from my first sony: a HC21. I like it a lot. It takes clear outdoor videos, Indoors i have to turn on the "back light" features to get a clear pictures. Besides, i edit the video on pc. I love the firewire port for best video quality. I make my home video look like a profesional just with this non-profesional camera.
   i have 2 extra batteries and an extra wall charger, for a serious amateur like me it is worthy ti get what i need. I dont want to run out-of power in the middle of an event.
   So far i am satisfied. I can also do color correction if need it. digital efects and titles, then i burn in DVD.
   I preffer Mini DV than HDD. In HDD every pause you do while recording, makes a thumbnail, when you transfer the video you may get about 200 thumbnails in a 2 hour video. It takes a headache to drop every thumbnail in the storyboard for video editing.
   But using firewire you get just one thumbnail. altought it takes longer to transfer the video, you have to play it to transfer it, and it takes that long.

5 comments about Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder.

1. I am sorely disappointed with this camcorder. Its lighting is not only poor -its erratic !! Sometimes at whatever angle I record, even in bright light, the resulting picture has unpredictable dark and bright lighting. This camera is just not worth it. The rewind and forward operations are plain frustrating. JVC wins hands down anyday!



2. I was deciding what type of camcorder to get and didn't want to spend more than $600 on the good stuff nor $200 on some cheap miniDV. I read about the Canon elura 100 many times but the camcorder was out for 1yr already. I wanted to get the latest and greatest thus I purchasing a basic Panasonic DVD camcorder(D230)...boy was that a mistake...I thought I can record onto dvd, pop it in my dvd player and start watching it, or copy the dvd video(vob) onto my desktop for editing, but NOoo, it doesn't work like that. After you finish recording the DVD you have to finalize within your camcorder while it is plugged in (won't finalize if not plugged in), the process takes about 10-15min for a 30min footage, and the finalized DVD is not recognizable by the PC, so you'll end up with tons of DVD-Rs. (no sure if this is true for all dvd camcorder or just the panasonic one I got)
   
   Anyhow, I decided to go back to miniDV (can transfer to the PC, easier to edit, superior video quality compared to DVD and HD camcorders and more compact) I wanted to get the Elura but it was discounted, and all the new Canon MiniDV's had worst video performance than the Elura (based on numerous reviews). Also, none of them had 2 LED(don't do much but better than nothing) and built in lenses cover. I was torn. After researching some more I found out about the new Sony DCR-HC48. It is about the same price point as the Elura, about the same size, similar CCD, got a sliding lense cover and it can record in infrared (which I thought was pretty cool)!
   
   I end up buying a refurbished Elura online and a brand new HC48 at local store. First thing I did was to test for motor noise since so many people complain about it. I took both camcorder to the bathroom where the echo is loudest and recorded 1 min footage on each. I then played it back on both camcorder with volume turned to the highest, to my surprise the Sony camcorder actually had much louder motor noise than the Canon. The Sony had a loud motor noise while the Canon had a light whirling noise.
   The canon's video performance was also better, with more accurate color and auto focus. The infrared on the Sony was fun for 5min, but I don't see any particle use for it (unless you either want to create some Pariz Hiltxn video with glowing green eyes, or if you want to record someone in the dark without the person knowing, but keep in mind the range of the infrared LED is about the same as a regular white LED, the camcorder needs to be 3feet away from the subject in order to illuminate it in infrared) Anyhow, I kept the refurbished Canon and am happy with the decision. Oh did I also mention that the Elura is the most compact miniDV camcorder in the market? the major downside of the Elura is that is has been discontinued and only refurbished units are available online now.



3. We have had this camera for a year, and have been very pleased with how it has worked. It is easy to operate, and gives great results. Have noticed only a bit of background motor noise when we have recorded in a very quiet setting (interior locations without any conversation.) While we were somewhat concerned about noise because of other reviews, it has not been a problem. Great battery life.



4. I purchased this camera for work and have been satisfied with the results. I interview members of the community for our oral history project and video tape them to record it. The camera is not professional quality, but on our small museum's budget it does the trick. The images are clear, the camera is easy to use and small enough to haul around when doing interviews at people's homes. I purchased a firewire connection so I can upload the images onto the computer and make DVDs of the oral histories. They might not be movie quality, but they are good enough for displaying in exhibits and for researchers to access.
   If you want this camera for home use or other small events I recommend it.



5. This camera is everything I hoped it would be. I wanted a mini-dv tape format, and there is a dwindling number of those available. I wanted it to include a port for converting my analog videos to digital, and I wanted an external-mic port. Few current camcorders in the under-$400 price range contain these options. The Elura met all these criteria, but I had concerns about its low-light capabilities, since I film a lot of family events indoors. I also had concerns from reviews that slammed it for having a high amount of motor noise.
   I'm pleased with the quality of the Elura's low-light images. As for motor noise, my experience for comparison was only with a large VHS format camcorder; it had no problem with motor noise. The motor sound of the Elura 100, while alarmingly noticeable next to my ear when recording in quiet settings, is not a significant problem on the recordings. It might be a factor if it were recording a silent scene in a still room, but it has not hurt the sound in any of the situations I have yet used it.
   The manual is organized pretty well, and is usually quite clear in giving instructions.
   
   CONS:
   Reviewers sometimes mentioned the flimsy port covers, and I have to agree. Everyone who handles my camcorder is instructed to deal very gently with the port covers, and they have held up so far.
   The toggle switch for selecting menu options is quite short; it takes a more precise touch than others I tried, but after extra time practicing with it, the user can navigate quickly among the options.
   The hand strap is positioned so that the camera flops sideways in the hand if I release my grip on it. It should rest more stably in the hand.

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

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



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



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



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



5. I have a hc21 camera that my son dropped and broke. I cant find that one any more, I assume this is the upgrade or the replacement in the line for that one. My hc21 was excellent for the video quality I took. Mostly vacation vids and kids videos. I am not that much of a snob that I need to have the DVD type. I actually like this idea better because I admit I have not researched the dvd type recorders, but I know that DVD's always seem to get scratched around my house and if my only video was on the dvd and its scratched then your stuck right? You don't have that problem with a tape. I was not thrilled with the mike in windy weather, but if I covered it a bit it was better. Anyway this is only 99 bucks at circuit city and the batteries for my 'old' one fit it so I don't need to buy anything new. If this is as good as the other camera I had its way worth 99 bucks. Go get yourself one today like I will!

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

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



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



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



4. This camera is okay. The picture quality is a little blocky and it is shaky. Overall, though, it is pretty decent. It's comfortable to hold and the options are fairly simple to figure out. It doesn't do real well with brightness in the background, e.g. light reflecting off a mirror or window, but it does have an option that helps. Mostly a good value and possibly better for people with actual video skills.



5. This is a great Camcorder. It is easy to use and is great for videoing sports. We use this a lot to video our daughter's soccer games and we get a great quality image and the sports feature helps keep the image steady. This Camcorder will hook up to your TV, VCR or DVD burner by AV cables. We connect ours to our DVD burner and transfer our video to DVD. I would recommend this for anyone that is looking for an Camcorder that is reasonably price and easy to use.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC36 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom.

1. Shortly after I purchased this camcorder (within hours), I returned it to Best Buy. I think my old Hi8 Sony camcorder had better picture quality then this one. It has good features, and I liked the sleek design, but in the end, the quality of the video is ultimately what I am looking for. The video it recorded was very pixelated and grainy. I have been told there is other options to make the picture better by a best buy customer service rep, but there is none. I had reservations about buying another Sony product, but everyone was telling me Sony leads the pack with their camcorders. Those folks were wrong. I bought the Canon Elura 100 and is much happier with that products video capabilities. I think my experience with this Sony product was the final nail in the coffin, I won't be buying anymore Sony products. My advice is, stay away from this unit. You will regret it, just read all the other customer feed back on CNET and you will understand.



2. We replaced an older JVC miniDV camcorder with this one. I'm impressed with the Carl Zeiss Lens it comes with. It is pretty small but I'm getting used to that. I'll get another Sony when I'm ready to upgrade this one but it won't be for awhile because this one is more than adequate for what we're using it for. (Family movies).



3. I just bought this because my panasonic minidv broke (tape insert would not open). I thought this would be cool, because of the built in night vision. However, this is a totally useless feature. It turns everything into black & white, and makes everyone's eyes look like big white dots like a deer staring into a headlight of the car. Certainly not a way you want to remember family events, which is what I purchased this for. If I can do it over again, I would buy something that has a light mounted on the front of the camera. This nightvision feature is useless. Overall, the camera records moview, so I guess it works fine.



4. The image quality is good (just as any DV camera). Connecting the cables directly to the camera with no need of any base or cradle is also very good. With USB connection you can use this camera also as webcam when at home, and you can even show recorded images on your tapes through as if it is a live image. The audio quality of the microfone rocks! (really really good) And it can also be used as USB microfone with the webcam.
   
   Perhaps, I got disappointed with some important features:
   - It does not have any led light that shows if the camera is recording of not (VERY BAD!).
   - It can not take shots if you are recording in widescreen mode.
   - If you don't want to mess up your battery, you have to take it off from the camera, because it does not detect that the battery is already charged. This is terrible when you are using the camera at home with the AC adapter: always remeber to remove the battery.
   - Night vision is badly placed, so when you attach an extenal lens, the light is covered. Also, when not using an external lens, it only works when very close to the subject.
   
   The last point i think is a general DV cams problem: don't waste your money with a 1GB or 512MB memory stick to store pictures. The picture quality is terrible, it's only 0.3 megapixel (640x480). An old 64MB memory stick is enough, unless you want to store videos on it, but why you'll want to do that if you have DV tapes???



5. I purchased the Sony DCR-HC36 last December(2006) and while the picture quality was just 'okay' for us, we were content for a year. Recently though when we try to capture the video on any one of our computers (via USB)the picture is broken-down into digital squares and unlegible as well as there is no sound. I downloaded fresh drivers and installed them but nothing worked. We have only used the camera a total of 25 times and it has never been dropped or banged around but it is putting garbage now and we can't seem to figure out why. The Sony site does NOT have a troubleshooting link to help figure this out and we refuse to put a dime into getting it repaiered since it really is not that good of a deal anyway. We do NOT recommend this camera to anyone. Do your research.

5 comments about Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. Actually I'm looking for this Canon HV-20 Camcorder with PAL recording system. Please help.



2. I used to own a Canon GL2 (prosumer SD 3CCD camera with Canon L lens) but got tired of carrying it around to take travel video which I rarely ended up editing. So I sold it and purchased this, looking forward to HD quality and 24P framerates.
   
   The HD quality does not disappoint in any way whatsoever. Hook this up to a 1080i/p HDTV via HDMI and the quality of the image will be indistinguishable from what you see on any of the HD channels. I was blown away.
   
   Build quality wise, it seems a little cheap, the tape loading door on my has a little play in it. It's extremely light, which makes it hard to hold steady; however, the optical image stabilization is surprisingly good. Attempting to hold the camera steady at full zoom results in nearly shake free video.
   
   The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars (and it may not matter to you) is that recording in 24p mode, doesn't actually record 24 progressive frames per second. Instead it records 18 progressive frames and 12 interlaced ones in succession, inside of a 60i stream. There are also no markers embedded in the video to signal to applications e.g. Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas, etc. the correct way to process the stream. In order to get a real 24p video you need to perform a pulldown. There are various ways to do this, but none of them are trivial (search the Internet for "Canon HV20 24p Pulldown").
   
   All in all, though, this is an amazing little device. The video I recently took of Upper Yosemite Falls looks better on my TV than I remember it. How often does that happen to you?!



3. La HV20 esta muy bien, todo lo que se escribe sobre ella es cierto. Tiene una calidad de imagen excelente pero recuerden NO ES PROFESIONAL. Aún asi se le puede sacar provecho con practica. Lo único en contra es que en condiciones de poca luz pierde puntos, ah, y la batería no es la gran cosa. Por lo demás muy bien. Y con algunos accesorios como el lente angular y una bateria con mayor capacidad mucho mejor.



4. this is my second camcorder and i am very glad with it, the image is amazing, if you watch in a high definition tv, the diference is high.
   I recommend use mini dv HD, you will see the diference



5. Terrific camera with fantastic features. It was easy to learn and so easy to use. The video quality is great and I use it everywhere. I especially like that it is light and easy to hold. I have been using it nonstop for the past few months and have already got a lifetime of memories.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS320 3.1MP 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

1. I have the Panasonic PV-GS320 for about 3 weeks. Took it on a trip to get some practice with it. Easy to use and set up. Make sure you have an extra battery. The one that come with it is good for about 25-30 minutes.
   
   Best results are outdoors and in bright light. It has a camera feature to allow still pictures to a 1 GB storage card, which is kind of neat. Cassette tape goes in and out easily.
   
   Single worst feature is the lack of good quality sound. It has no audio jack, so the sound is a bit garbled if you don't speak loudly and into the mike. Otherwise, for the money, it is a good camcorder which is fun to use.



2. This is a great camera. I bought it a few months ago for an rv trip and the moment the battery was fully charged i hooked it up to the camera, put in a tape, and walked around the house experimenting. On the trip, it performed excellently. When properly exposed, the camera's three CCD chips reproduced colors surprisingly well. The microphone has a neat wind-cut function that works very well.
   
   Pros
   -great image and sound quality
   -10x zoom
   -color electronic view finder (which is becoming very rare in consumer camcorders now)
   -very simple menu navigation
   -photoshot feature
   -nice joystick navigation for menus
   
   Cons
   -Poor low-light shooting
   -no hot shoe
   -no manual focus ring
   -manual/auto switch inconviniently located
   -no firewire input
   -you have to remove the battery and go through a messy process to hook the camera up to a computer
   
   
   
   
   I highly recommend this camera for beginners or even enthusiasts with a low budget.



3. Great camcorder, watch for the color settings, It would help to point it at something neutral, like a hand befoe using it in extreme sunlight. Excellent product for the price!



4. I bought this camera for two purposes: 1) to replace an older VHS camera and 2) to use for converting my VHS tapes to DVD's. I give it 4-1/2 stars for #1 and 0 stars for #2. (In my research before buying the camera, I managed to miss the fact that the GS320 does not have AV input, so can't be used to convert analog to digital. Rats!)
   
   However, for everything else I wanted, I was very satisfied. Other reviewers have pretty well expounded on the pros and cons. I'll just say that the quality of pictures (both video and still) that we get with this camera is really great. When I first got the camera, I handed it our son who is studying Film Production and works with professional camcorders. After fiddling with the controls and looking over its features, he expressed great delight with my purchase. (Yesss!)
   
   It took me a while to figure out the menus and I haven't enough experience to handle the manual control options well, but overall, I would highly recommend this camera.



5. Choose this camera if you want quite good picture quality but don't care about extra features.
   
   (I've owned this camera for six months and use it fairly regularly.)
   
   The Leica lens and the 3 CCD's are normally in much more expensive cameras (often called "prosumer")
   
   The picture quality really does look great -- the video picture is sharp and the colors wonderful (not so much on the still pictures, though). I am totally happy with the quality and, for me, that's the main thing.
   
   It DOES have a few "extras" that I use:
   
   1) The still camera. While not a good quality as my dedicated digital camera, it is adequate. It solves the problem of having to carry two cameras.
   
   You can also take "web quality" frame grabs from footage as you review the tape. This is pretty useful if you are posting trip photos to a blog.
   
   The photos conveniently go onto a card which can easily be removed and put in a card reader.
   
   2) A/V out
   You can hook this up to your TV and it works nicely. This is one of the few feature for which you don't have to remove the battery.
   
   3) "Quick Movie Magic" software
   This is very basic software to get the footage onto your hard drive. It works nicely and allows you to fairly easily divide the scenes up and the like. I then use the clips in the editor of my choice.
   
   4) Manual focus
   5) Back light
   6) Find end of tape, search
   
   (All these items are easy to find and turn off/on)
   
   Honestly, that's about all the extra features that I use.
   
   FEATURES MISSING:
   
   I don't care about bells and whistles and I like basic "do the job" equipment.
   
   However, I miss:
   
   1) Plug for an external mic.
   2) Plug for headphones
   3) A proper shoulder strap
   4) White balance