5 comments about Canon ZR70MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 22x Optical Zoom, Digital Still Mode, MMC Slot, Image Stabilization and Wide Angle Attachment.

1. As a lot of people mentioned, this product has several good features and drawbacks. The most attractive feature is 22x optical zoom. Video quality is not bad. However, it performs poorly when the light is low. I used it for three years and took a lot of videos. Frankly, I didn't use it with too much care. I was lucky that it didn't die for 3 years.
   
   Then, my LCD went black when I was during a very happy journey last week. My camcorder was bought in China and had a different model name: MV650i, but it is exactlly the same as zr70mc here in US. Hopefully I can also repair it for free here.



2. Canon will repair no questions asked.
   It take 2 weeks total.
   That is great support.
   Talk to anyone else about a 2-3 year old product.
   The funny thing is the part giving the problems is Sony.
   
   I love the camera. It will be around 10 years after the repairs.



3. I presume people had problems with this product (ZR70MC).I guess most of them are CCD related.I owned ZR70MC since 2004 and I noticied CCD problem recently (Camcorder LCD went blank even when lens cap is removed) and one year warranty on product had already expired.Canon customer service was efficient and they repaired it free of cost (they even provided shipping label).When I received camcorder I noticied that record button is not working. Canon customer service or repair center again came to my rescue and they repaired it free of cost (they even provided shipping label).
   I rate their customer service as best.But as some one noted earleir this camcorder doesn't perform well in low light conditions.



4. I've had this camcorder for about 2 years now and have used it for everything from backyard footage to filming corporate events. My kit included the wide angle lens attachment, a standard life battery, software CD and an 8 MB SD card. It performs great. It has great sound through the regular microphone. I even recorded a fireworks display and the fireworks did not overdrive the sound. You could still hear nearby voices even while the fireworks were going off. It has a hot shoe for connecting accessories. Although I always intended to add a microphone to the hot shoe, I never did get around to it. I think the standard mic is sifficient for my needs.
   
   When I recorded for corporate events, I ran the soundboard right into the A/V on the camera using a standard RCA to Headphone jack. This was a handy feature since we were in a warehouse environment and the sound system mixed all the audio. I could film from a long distance and still patch in the audio to make it sound great. The recorded video turned out really superb and my customers were quite pleased. I used the included Studio 8 to edit the video and record onto the DVD.
   
   The still camera is around a megapixel. Not great as far as quality unless you're shooting in good outdoor light. Dark lighting definitely looks grainy on the stills, even with the night shot mode enabled.
   
   The camera model, along with some other Canon DV cameras are affected by a recall. It will freak you out when you don't see any video on your viewfinder or LCD. It just goes black. In short, the cable that connects the CCD (which digitizes the video) gets disconnected. Canon will repair the defect (they will also pay shipping both ways) regardless of warranty status. The process was easy and did not take very long.



5. As others have mentioned, this camera, along with a slew of others from Canon have a CCD problem relating to heat. I just experienced this problem and called Canon per their website.
   
   I made the mistake of referring to the "product recall" to which I was endlessly chastised by the customer service rep because it is really a "product advisory." (I originally bought the camera for over $700, now I'm being treated like trash because I used the wrong words... nice.)
   
   In returning the camera for service, I was told not to use the original packaging and that I should bubble wrap it and place nothing around it in a large box. (so it can fly around inside) They pay for UPS shipping, which she said takes 7-10 days.
   
   Once they receive it, they will determine if heat caused the problem or if the CCD is broken. If it's broken, then I have to pay. Considering that they want it to be flung around inside a large box during shipping, I can see where this is going.
   
   I would not recommend this camera for this problem alone and would not recommend Canon products at all due to their customer service anymore.

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.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS35 MiniDV Camcorder w/30x Optical Zoom.

1. I like the camera very much... it serves my purpose.. It was hard to find a camera in my price range that had an external microphone connection... that was a priority... The light is amazing... picture quality good.... not too please with the stability option... when you move the camera around.. like walking while filming... not very good quality... if I had to buy it again.. I would.



2. I bought this camera 7 months ago and used it only rarely. (My total recording time was less than 2 hrs.)
   
   This week I opened the camera to find out that it is dead. No display, nothing. Called the customer service and they asked me to ship the camera to their Camera Repair company. And the fee for that service: 161.5 Dollars. This is a flat fee according to them, no matter what happens to the camera.
   
   I had a Sony 8mm camera for last 8 years and it still works fine. I am going to buy a Sony camera instead of wasting so much money on repair.



3. I've had this camcorder now for 6 months and it shoots great video. If you are looking for something for family type use it is perfect for that. The zoom is very nice and the image stabilization feature makes a huge difference.
   
   My only problem with this camera is the product support that Panasonic provides. I was able to successfully load two full tapes onto my computer before it simply doesn't recognize that the camcorder is even plugged in now. Panasonic doesn't offer a video driver for this model on their website so for now I am stuck recording to tapes and just storing them until I can find a fix.
   
   Other than that, I would recommend this camera for those looking to capture family type events.



4. For the price the picture is certainy great.
   
   An earlier reviewer had written about a problem with the tape getting tangled. One solution would be to record to the PC directly. As it is quite impossible to decipher the instructions from the manual I will briefly describe the procedure. Hook up the camera to the PC using the USB cable. Then start MotionDV Studio (which comes with the camera). Hit the play button, twice if necessary. What the camera sees should appear in the MotionDV window. Next click Capture and it will start recording directly to your PC, neat!
   
   One serious defect of the camera is that if you use the microphone jack, it records only to the left channel!!! I tested a couple of cameras and they both have the same defect. I wrote to Panasonic, but no reply. I had to extract the video track from the AVI using VirtualDub, then convert to mono and back to stereo using Soliton and finally adding it back again using VirtualDub.



5. Hey there! The camera is great; however, after taking it on a trip with me all my video turned out badly because there appears to be a problem with the head. I won't totally blame this on the seller, but will say that it was quite dissapointing to have a bad camera immediately after purchasing what I thought was a totally refurbed unit.

5 comments about Sony DCR-SR100 3MP 30GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Resolution is very good, sound is acceptable, you don't have to carry tapes, etc. BUT, editing your movies is a nightmare! The software provided is almost useless, I have tried with Ulead's MovieFactory 6 Plus and with Windows Movie Maker with no results, and finally I could do some editing with Adobe's Premiere 3.0, but the final product is somehow jerky, as if the speeds of the PC and that of the DVD player were different,no matter what I do, and the most you can get is a 30 minute or so movie; beyond that you will need a super PC to do it. Should I have known these facts I would have purchased a mini DV model.



2. Took me 3 1/2 hours to get software installed (instructions are BAD - had to fiddle around for a LONG time to finally get software installed). Once installed, I copied movies to computer hard drive. Guess what? No sound. Burned to DVD - put in DVD player - NO SOUND. This camera has sorely disappointed. Its virtually useless.



3. What attracted my wife and I to this is the large, 30GB hard drive. She takes *tons* of movies daily of our twin babies, and we still only have to clear the hard drive about once every three months.
   
   Also, since it uses a hard drive, I love the speed and versatility you get when transferring movies. The included software allows you to burn everything to DVD with literally just a press of a button...it even compensates for when your movies span multiple DVDs. Perhaps the best part here is that you are not bound to buying custom/proprietary mini DVDs or tapes to take your movies...only to spend even more money copying those to a DVD, VHS tape, etc., just to be able to view them or make a backup.
   
   A little tip...when you back up your movies, ALWAYS back up to multiple places, and preferably multiple media. (Because if you are a new dad, the LAST thing you want to do is lose the pictures/movies of a new mom's babies!!)
   
   For example, I have an external USB hard drive that I plug into my computer to make a backup of everything on the camcorder. After that, I use the one-button feature to burn to DVD. (I generally don't back up directly to my computer, since that will just clog up the hard drive rather quickly.) Then, to keep the DVDs organized, I use the Casio CW-100 CD Label Printer...very quick and easy to use.
   
   This "multi-factor" backup approach will give you a comfortable safety net, so that if your kids want to be cute and hold a really strong magnet to your backup hard drive (essentially erasing it), you still have your DVDs. And if they want to see what happens when they hold a lighter to the DVDs, you still have your hard drive backup. :-)
   
   One thing that isn't the greatest is that the camcorder runs ONLY on its battery. Plugging it in just charges the battery, as opposed to charging the battery in parallel with powering the camcorder. (So basically, if your battery is dead, you have to wait until it is charged enough to use again.)
   
   Furthermore, there is no charger for the battery (at least none that comes with it)...it has to be attached to the camcorder to charge...so you can't just buy another battery to have easy, continuous use.
   
   But even with these minor deficiencies, this is still the best camcorder on the market. It is certainly one of the pricier ones, but it is worth every penny since in the end, it saves you money from all the other junk you'd otherwise have to buy.



4. This is a great camera, I have had it a couple of years now and it has been great. Battery life is outstanding, sturdy build and great options. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is (a) it does not have a manual focus button on the case (its buried in menus) and (b) it does not have a memory card slot. I believe the new models have addressed both of these issues.



5. I bought this video camera because I desired a neat, tidy way of storing digital videos. It is very good for that. And I also used it to copy a VHS onto DVD. Didn't know I'd appreciate that capability as much as I do. The microphone is exceptional and the video quality even in low-lighting is pretty good. I struggle getting great stills with it though - the delay between clicking the button and actual capture is too long for my liking. Maybe there is a setting to address that - I'm still learning my camera. I also find that with my hand under the safety strap, using the buttons is awkward and not comfortable. Red-eye has been a chronic problem for me. There is a way to prevent it, but you have to remember to set the setting for it first - and I never do until it's too late. Great product over all. Software does the job but not with any sophistication.

5 comments about Sony DCRTRV38 MiniDV 1Megapixel Camcorder with 3.5" LCD.

1. Same problem has been occurring with ALL Sony camcorders TRV19 through to TRV38.
   
   Sony will repair the problem free of charge.....
   
   http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowArticle.action?section=en_GB_Support&articlesection=3&article=1128075116465&site=odw_en_GB



2. I, too, experienced the dreaded blank screen on my TRV38 after only a year and a half of moderate use. I did some internet searching on the issue and discovered a site that mentioned Sony has acknowledged problems with the CCD chip in certain models built before 2004, the TRV38 being one of them and are offering to fix them for free, including shipping to and from a location of your choice. I then went made use of their excellent sony.com online chat support service and asked the moderator about the free repair deal. After a few troubleshooting questions, he acknowleded I appeared to qualify for the free repair service and provided me with the following site, http://esupport.sony.com/perl/news-item.pl?mdl=DCRTRV38&news_id=95. They appear to be making good on a known defect in their product and are to be commmended. Now, if only the local service centers would inform customers of this deal when they bring their cameras in for repair of this malady...naw, that's asking waaaaay too much!! By the way, aside from this problem, we've been very happy with this camera and actually bought a second one as a back up in case we had problems with the first one. With 2 kids, ages 2 1/2 and 4, to record precious moments of, it sure paid off in this case.



3. Was very pleased with the Sony TRV 38 until I got to about the middle of the 3rd tape. I had not used it in over 6 months and the next time I went to use it the recording screen and viewfinder was dark with a few gray streaks in it. It seems to play back o.k. On researching this problem I was staggered to find so many similar complaints. This is my first Sony (and it will be the last) I had a Panasonic for 8 years before this and it is still working. I have never abused this camera, never been to a beach with it, never used it in the rain etc. In fact it still looks like brand new!



4. I, too, am very, very disappointed in my Sony experience. I have always treated my cameras with care and respect. (I still use my 30 year old Canon A-1.)
   My DCR TRV38 was excellent until 2 months ago (and 7 months out of the 2 year warranty that I purchased...). I now cannot view anything recorded. I get a blue screen with icons. It acts like it is recording, and maybe it is, but I cannot view anything in playback. A Sony tech told me that this is different that the class action/ recall that Sony is offering on these units. But c'mon! 2 years on a $700 camera is just horrible.
   I also own a Sony W-1 digital camera. Lens mechanism stuck at 1+ years. Lots and lots of others reporting the same problem. Still under warranty, thank goodness, but I cannot trust it for a photo shoot, so I bought a Canon A540.
   My daughter owns a Sony P-41, not even 2 years. Guess what? Bad LCD once again. She cannot view or play back at all.
   I love digital photography, but to have a thousand dollars worth of equipment fail in four months is a crime. When I would read the postings and ranting of others, I never thought I would be one to have problems. I just thought that those with problems complain alot. But it's WAY too many, on every message board, everywhere. I am so sad and I feel like the victim of a crime.
   SO DON"T BUY ANY MORE SONY PRODUCTS!!!



5. The picture quality on the Sony DCRTRV38 is the best out of any of the 10 comparable cameras we tested... We bought one of them several years ago, and like it enough to buy a second. It's ability to capture sound is also superior to any other camera in its class (we film a lot of live theatre, and we have perfect sound even from the last row in a non-mic'd show). The only cons are that we've had to have 2 repairs over the last 5 years, and the bottom-loading is inconvenient when using a tripod.

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

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Canon XL1 Digital Camcorder Kit.

1. The Canon XL1 is an amazing camera to shoot with. The picture quality is awesome and the audio is sweet. The camera is sleek and professional looking, people take you serious when you go out on a shoot with the "Big Boys." You get the same respect! If I had to buy another camera it would be the Canon XL!!



2. I have owned one of these for over a year and a half and love this thing. I work at a full digital TV station with a the latest equipment and the first thing I did was do a side by side comparo against a ...Panasonic DVCPRO broadcast camera. The technicians and cameramen were shocked at the image being equal to their cameras. When we explored the camera further and found the ability to also use the ANTON BAUER battery packs it only got better. They looked at the lens quality and lens swapping ability, plenty of manual setting available for video and audio, hundreds of accesories for the proshooter, and the frame mode made it shine brighter in their eyes. The general manager and chief engineer evaluated the camera and said at the same time "imagine what this could do for our budget!". I use this camera for personal use and have also used it for news gathering, Many requests from the news department have come my way to go on a shoot due to lack of cameras. If you are looking for a camcorder to have many bells and whistles, this is not for you. This is a serious tool. I have read reviews where it dosent take very good still pictures, it lacks the LCD viewer!, It wont shoot in total darkness or see through womens clothes. They forget serious shooters have a main priority in their camera and that is the choice of different lenses. No current consumer camcorder has a interchangable lens system. Something to remember many tools have the ability to do many tasks but they never exceed at one. The Canon XL1 EXCEEDS at shooting video to a professional level....



3. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PRO to use this camera. But shop around for the best price and don't buy from grey markets. Be sure the dealer is authorized by Canon.

   This camera is super. There are some features that were added to the XL-1S which make this camera stand out over Sony. There are web sites that teach how to use the camera and how to get around some of the XL-1 problems.

   This has been the camera of choice for most news organizations that travel the world. Add the EOS adapter and you have a camera that does more than any other camera made in its price range. Before you buy listen to the pros that use this camera, do a search at google.com for tips and tricks and the XL-1 web sites. Then decide between the Sony and Canon.




4. Beware of anyone selling these cameras at below retail price. I just got screwed out of $2100 as a result.
   
   Check Seller Reviews, and DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT send payment through any service outside of Amazon.com. I was told to Western Union the payment to Spain. Western Union does not accept credit cards as payment over $1000, so there is no way to dispute the charges or get your money back.
   
   Beware of anything that seems suspicious. Check return email addresses (especially the domain names, i got one from yahoo.com, and consultant.com), both free anonymous servers...
   
   Please, do NOT get involved with this. Buy from REPUTABLE sellers with positive feedback. Only handle your transactions through amazon.com. Don't get screwed out of the money like I did.
   
   I have reported this to various law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. Amazon, and Western Union are both aware of the situation, as it seems to happen pretty regularly. Maybe someday they'll do something about it to prevent it.



5. Hi...
   
   I am confused because why..the camera have first price US1750 and now 2400...I want to buy the camera without this new price.
   
   Please think about it..thank you

5 comments about Sony DCRPC109 Compact MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. I replaced a 7 year old Canon HI8 camcorder with this one. I've had the 109 for a couple of months now and here are my comments.

   GOOD:
   Size: It is really small and compact. Well built and solid.
   Motor noise: My camera has no motor noise. Absolutely none. I have seen some reviews that say their camera has motor noise. My suggestion is, if you get one that does, replace it. Perhaps you got an early one or a gray market?
   Battery life: I get about 2 hours with the standard, tiny battery. Interestingly, the same reviewer that said he had motor noise claimed to get less than an hour with his battery. There must be something wrong with his camera.
   Low light: Seems to be pretty good and better than competition.
   Simplicity: It is very easy to use as a point and shoot. There are only a few buttons. The LCD screen doubles as a touch screen for the menu.
   Docking station: Makes it convenient to plug-in to the computer because the docking station is always connected to the computer, and to a wall outlet for charging.

   BAD:
   Small LCD screen: I guess this is a tradeoff with the small camera size (but if you have seen Sony's new T1 still camera, they know how to put a large LCD on a small camera). Also, the LCD can wash-out in sunlight, like most other cameras.
   Docking station: Although convenient, the only way to recharge the battery is to plug the camera into the docking station. This means, for trips, you have to take the camera, the cord, and the docking station with you. This is inconvenient and bulky. Sony could have easily made the cord plug into both the camera and the docking station for recharge, but Sony instead has elected to release an optional "compact" battery charger for around $70. Typical Sony. Similarly, the camera itself has analog video outputs. To get digital outputs, you have to go through the docking station.
   Microphone: It is placed on top of the camera, so it does pick up some non-directional noise (from places other than directly in front of the camera). It seems to be somewhat directional though because it doesn't really pick up noise from the shooter.




2. I've owned so many Sony products, this one is a dud. Someone already mentioned the horrible placement of the power in, the little rubber flipper gets in the way of everything. The PicturePackage software is a complete joke. SonyCopy.exe crashes every time I try to open my pictures. The lens cover is not automatic, and needs to be open no matter what you want to do. If its not open, it screams 'cover not open' at you until you MANUALLY open it. The device shows up as Camcorder 2 in Windows XP, you cannot browse your memory stick thru windows explorer. The resolution of the still shots is HORRIBLE. Do not buy this camera. Ugh. I'm stuck with it because I bought it at a retailer that won't take it back after 14 days.



3. I've had this little guy for about 9 months now, and I have no major complaints. While this camcorder suits the needs of those who want good performance in filming normal activities, it may fall short of higher expectations.
   
   I bought this camcorder because it is small, compact, good-looking, and has a touch-panel feature (highly amusing and useful). The 1.0 Megapixel picture quality becomes pretty obvious during playback, though. Again, for those who just want to film family, school, and random events, I doubt anyone would complain about this small setback. But for those who want to make quality movies or semi-professional documentaries, the features and pixels may not be enough.
   
   I use this camcorder recreationally and it is a blast to use. I guess one word to describe my experience with it is: Complacent. If you want to film on a more professional level, I recommend the Sony DCR-HC85. It has 2.0 Megapixels, a built in flash, a 3.5 inch touch-panel LCD, and among other great features. It is slightly bigger and heavier, but it is nonetheless an excellent camcorder for more demanding purposes.
   
   Recreational: Sony DCR-PC109. More serious filming: Sony DCR-HC85.
   Overall, you can't go wrong with the DCR-PC109.



4. After I recorded a few tapes using this brand new camcorder bought from Amazon, it got snowflake-like noise all over LCD screen. Since I did not use it for the first month after I got it, I could not return it and had to send it to SONY repair center for service. After I got it back, it constantly complains about dirty video head and I have to use a cleaning tape each time it does that. My worst experience with any electronics I ever had.



5. I found this on clearance today on the Sony website.
   Limited quantity. $ 549.

5 comments about Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

1. Easy to use, setup and convert videos to PC. The problem is regarding battery life... Average rate is good.



2. this camcorder is a good product, have a good zoom, for the pictures the quality is low, but is a good device.



3. My SCD353 worked OK in first 6 months or so ( less than 10 hrs recoding). Then the picture quality become more and more blurry. I purchased a cleaning tape trying to fix it but no use.



4. I bought the SC-D353 in 2006 with budget in mind, since recent graduates like my wife and I have lots of debt and not much in the way of spending money. This camcorder was essentially the least expensive video option I found at the time that did have an external mic input.
   
   For the price, the camera does the things I am looking for. I'm looking for acceptable, not great, video definition, and it does deliver reasonable video quality when there is adequate lighting. It falls short when dealing with low light, or when a single subject is lit but the rest of the frame is dark. The lens system and autofocus are not well-integrated; once one zooms more than about 2/3rds of the way to the long end of telephoto, the autofocus hunts for several seconds before regaining focus. I suspect that the lens design is not a zoom lens, but rather a hyperfocal lens. A zoom lens retains the same focus through the range, but a hyperfocal lens changes focus distance as focal length changes. At least, that would explain why the autofocus hunts if a fast zoom occurs.
   
   About the audio... the built-in microphone is reasonably sensitive, but, and it is a large but, the camcorder self-noise while using the tape drive is excessive and simply renders the built-in mic unusable. I don't have Memory Stick memory cards, so I don't know whether that problem goes away when recording to the card. It is a good thing that this camcorder has an external mic input, because it badly needs it. I've used small dynamic stereo mics up through a Sennheiser shotgun mic with this camcorder, and as long as one either puts enough distance between the camcorder and mic, or has a mic with a good rejection of local noise, it does OK for audio, though its automatic level control tends to run a bit hot.
   
   The other reviews are correct that the provided battery delivers just about an hour of operation if one only uses the viewfinder, a chunk less if one uses the LCD screen. This limits the utility of the camcorder, since, as the other reviews also point out, the camcorder itself is the only provided charging solution, and the camcorder must be switched off in order to charge the battery. One can operate the camcorder via the provided adapter, though, so some use indoors near an electrical outlet would not be impossible, but who wants a power cable dragging along with them while taping video?
   
   The menu system provides a number of features, most of which I'm too occupied to use in the field. It also does not store settings, so every time you remove power, leave time to set up your favorites again. The one feature that needs a button, the Digital Image Stabilization, only provides that button with several other automation choices. The "EasyQ" button does turn on DIS, but it also turns on autofocus and a couple of other "amateur" features. If you want DIS and, for instance, manual focus, you have to go through the menu to do it. I've never made use of the "digital effects" settings. If I need effects, I can apply them later in Vegas.
   
   Here's what I've done with my unit to make it more useful for me. First, I invested in a third-party Li-ion 2250mAh battery and external charger, which cost me about $20 plus shipping. I can use both batteries, but I've found little need for the original, since the new battery lasts for well over two hours, even mostly running with the LCD screen active. It does, unfortunately, interfere mechanically with getting one's eye up close to the viewfinder, but I can use it with the viewfinder pulled back as one does to access the diopter adjustment and the LCD screen is generally more useful for monitoring anyway. Second, I bought a 30mm to 52mm step-up adapter. This, also unfortunately, could not be installed with the camcorder in mint condition. There is a raised ridge of decorative plastic on the front that comes up to just under the lens, preventing the flange of the adapter from resting perpendicular to the lens. My solution: use a Dremel-style motor tool to take off the 2mm or so of plastic so that I can actually screw in the adapter. I took care not to go deep, and there is still a point where it looks like I've opened a small hole to the interior. I'm not so much worried about what may get in afterward, but rather whether I was generating any plastic bits that fell in. Forget about a warranty if you do this, too. What the 52mm adapter gets me is the ability to use the high-quality accessory lenses that we bought for our Canon S2 IS camera, specifically the 0.66x Raynox wide-angle lens. (I used to have a Century 0.8x, but that weighed a couple of times what the camcorder and the new heavier battery do.) With the wide-angle accessory lens, I can get a much better view at the wide end with no vignetting, and the zoom works fine without excessive AF hunting when zooming even out to the extreme telephoto end. Third, I bought a HTDZ HT-320A microphone, a "uni-directional electret condenser" mic. I'm used to cheap audio equipment sucking badly, but the HT-320A made for a pleasant surprise. Its self-noise is actually not too bad on the unit I got; though not in the Sennheiser shotgun mic class, it also costs about a tenth of what the low-end Sennheiser costs. It is certainly an adequate microphone to pair with the SC-D353 camcorder. Between these accessories, I'm much happier with the camcorder than with it as it came out of the box. I plan to deploy this, minus the wide-angle accessory lens, on a bracket over my Nikon DSLR this summer at dog agility trials, where people often want video of their dog's performance as well as still photos.
   
   Bottom-line: If you are on a budget and only need recognizable video, not great quality video, this unit can do the job. It's certainly a contender for putting together YouTube video compositions. One should also plan to use an external microphone. I'd recommend the purchase of a higher-capacity battery and external charger. If you want to expand your view with good quality accessory lenses, you may need to perform surgery on the camcorder case.



5. Bought this camcorder at Best Buy a year ago. I made the purchase based on a long standing faith in Samsung products. The image quality was terrible. There is no light, so it is very hard to keep a focus unless you are outside in bright daylight. Sound quality was okay. But after one year of very light use, the LCD display quit working. I'll never buy another Samsung camera. I called Samsung they charge $160.00 to fix it. Brand new one is $200.00. It happened with a lot of people. BAD BAD BAD.

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

1. I ordered and returned this item. Although the image quality wasn't as bad as the Canon ZR830 (which I also ordered and returned), the Panasonic was clunky to hold and had some odd limitations - which you learn all about if you read the reviews. The second I ordered it I wished I could spend $300 more for something HD...and that's what I ended up doing. If you're going back and forth trying to decide what's the best of the worst - this is it. But if you're going back and forth between SD and HD, stop wasting time and tell the old lady you're going to have to spend a little more for the quality of HD. Seriously.



2. I am very happy with the Panasonic PV-GS85 MiniDV Camcorder,considering the price is around $250.00. I used it on vacation and was happy to have a digital tape for archive (as opposed to a compressed video to be transfered to the computer). Editing quality should be better. It is too bad MiniDV tapes only hold one hour of quality content. It would have been better if the camera came with a higher capacity battery and a firewire cable.



3. 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.



4. 
   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.



5. 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.