5 comments about Canon Optura Xi MiniDV Camcorder w/11x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought my Canon Optura Xi two months ago. I almost bought a Canon GL2, until I studied the spec sheets. Both camcorders have the same features: 16-bit stereo recording; f/1.6 lens; 11x zoom; Av, Tv, and manual exposure control, etc. What stands out as different in their spec sheets is their CCDs (the chips that record the image). Digital video (DV) is 640 x 480 pixels, or 307,200 pixels, or one-third of a megapixel. NTSC broadcast video is 525 lines with a 4:3 aspect ratio, or 367,500 pixels. To get color you need three times that number of pixels (for red, green, and blue), or about one megapixel. In the past, CCDs had far fewer pixels, so camcorders had three chips to get enough pixels. The GL2 has three 1/4" chips, each with 380,000 pixels. Three chips demands a lens three times bigger. Splitting the light three ways requires a big, heavy prism. 3-chip camcorders are big, heavy, and expensive.
   
   The Optura Xi takes a different approach. It uses one chip with 1,230,000 pixels. The CCD is between 1/3" and 1.4"; in other words, bigger than the GL2's 1/4" chips, but smaller than the XL1S's 1/3" chips. (Pro video cameras have three 1/2" or 2/3" chips, making them much bigger and heavier.) The Optura Xi has more pixels than the GL2, yet doesn't need the prism. The lens and body are smaller and lighter, and the Optura Xi is half the price.
   
   I've found that my Optura Xi has accurate colors (unlike my old Canon Optura 200MC), and it performs well in low light conditions. The GL2's colors look a little better (more saturated) but only a little. The Optura Xi looks much better than previous one-chip camcorders.
   
   Apparently the size of the pixels make a difference. Imagine a CCD with tiny pixels the size of one photon. The state of such a pixel could be described with a one or a zero (either a photon hits the pixel, or no photon hits it). Imagine a CCD with pixels one million times bigger. You'd need a number between one and a million to describe how many photons hit each pixel. This illustrates that a camcorder with bigger CCDs (and a bigger lens) should produce more color detail, especially in very bright or very dark parts of your picture.
   
   The GL2 is only slightly better than the Optura Xi, and costs twice as much. To get a camcorder substantially better than the Optura Xi you'll have to pay many times more, such as for a Panasonic AG-DVX100A or a Canon XL2. I'm saving my money until HD camcorders are available. (I don't consider the JVC GR-HD1 to be high-def, as it has one 1/3" CCD with 880,000 pixels trying to fill a 1280x720 one-megapixel format!)
   
   My advice is to buy the Optura Xi, then spend your money on microphones, and good tripod, lights, video editing software, etc. You'll make better videos than people that blew their budget on a GL2.
   
   Another word of advice. I did a "price search" on the web and found various places advertising prices lower than Amazon (and lower than eBay prices). When I ordered from them, they were "out of stock" and tried to bait-and-switch me to other camcorders. I found that the lowest prices for camcorders that really existed are on Amazon.
   --
   Review by Thomas David Kehoe, author of "Hearts and Minds: How Our Brains Are Hardwired for Relationships"



2. I recently purchased this camera for $1000 (with the $200 rebate) this was a steal. I had a Canon ZR65 earlier and I wasn't too happy with it's low light performance and hence decided to buy this camera. The other thing I didn't like about the ZR65 was it's inability to reproduce true colors.
   
   This camera is amazing. We took a helicopter ride recently and the pictures of the sky , the terain was stunning. Once we played it back on our TV, the quality was was as good as broadcast quality playback. It was truly amazing!!! I highly recommend this camera.



3. This cameras amazing one of the best canon has to offer (for the price anyways) this camera has great zoom features not to mention it takes great pictures which is half the reason I bought it. I recomend buying this if you have nice video editing software...I dont think imovie will cut it but vegas 5.0 is very compatible with this camera..I have not had a problem yet...



4. Nice features which are included because Canon saved money by using a cheap tape transport. Within very little time expect to be continually exposed to the "Remove the Cassette" which can, apparently, only temporarily fixed at the Canon Repair Center. It appears that the cheap transport is not model specific. Caveat Emptor



5. I've owned the Optura Xi since June 2004 and my experience has been wonderful. I am a novice user in that I have not spent a lot of time learning the intricacies of the many, many features on this camcorder, such as the aperture settings and things of that nature and outside of using the zoom feature, I let the camcorder figure out the best options for what I am filming.
   
   But what I can share is that the video is clear, crisp, and I give it very high ratings. The image stabilization is great and the zoom feature is awesome. The audio is so-so and if you are filming something that requires adequate audio, you may want to invest in one of those boom microphones that can be attached to the camcorder. The low light limitation is also pretty frustrating and the filming in my house did not have very good results more than half the time. I had to turn on way too many lights to get a halfway decent video. I have actually broke down an ordered the VLF-1 auxilary light to combat this limitation. I haven't received yet, but I am pretty sure it will vastly improve my problems when filming indoors.
   
   All in all, it has been almost a year and I still get a thrill when I play back something that I have taped and see the clarity and resolution. I have also made some great DVD's of home videos, with music, cut scenes and narration...pretty cool, indeed!!

1 comments about Panasonic PV-GS320 - Camcorder - widescreen - 2.4 Mpix - optical zoom: 10 x - supported memory: MMC, SD, SDHC - Mini DV.

1. 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 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.

1 comments about Isonic Snapbox HD665 Multifunctional High Definition Camcorder (Black).

1. This camera has been perfect for me. All I was after was something digital to get some practice sessions to the computer. I was expecting poor quality for 150 dollars. What I got was a lot better then what I thought I would get.
   
   The interface has been easy to use even with my large fingers. It attached to my tripod perfectly. I got about 40 minutes of standard def video on a battery charge. The device is extremely light weight and black is a great color. No shiny silver object dangling above the table distracting people.
   
   This camera does not take breathtaking pictures. I takes pictures that are good if things are situated. This camera just doesn't have effective image stabilization or great exposure control. Low light is grainy. Your not going to take great photos with any 150 dollar camera. However, the quality of videos and photos have been perfect for my needs.
   
   This was a great purchase for me. I gave it 5 stars based on its merits as a 150 dollar camera. For 400 I would be disappointed. But I didn't pay 400
   
   It came with a belt loop case software HDMI(custom interface to the camera looks like a mini cable on one end) cable USB cable Battery..... I was impressed with the cable selection.
   
   I have shot 5 hours of video with it and have owned it for a week. So far I am happy with my purchase

5 comments about Sony DCRPC350 3MP MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. Aside from the hoopla over its dock, 16 x 9 "WS" mode and so-called "24p" scan effect, Sony made the biggest blunder imaginable -- it eliminated the headphone jack with this camcorder and with it, a huge chunk of the prosumer/high end consumer camcorder user audience.
   
   Basically, there's no way to gage even basic audio levels with this camera. if you're recording an interview, how do you know the audio isn't peaking? If you want to test playback audio, how can you without hooking this thing up to a TV?
   
   Sony's R&D were flat out stoned the day they overlooked this feature; either that, or completely and utterly naive. They should look at the closest matchbox competitor -- the Canon Optura's -- and learn a thing or two about headphone jacks and audio levels....



2. The main reasons I purchased this camera were its size and its resolution. The camera is small enough to fit in my coat pocket, which means that I have it with me when I need it, and its 3MP resolution means that I can leave my digital camera at home. In fact, this camera has an F1.8 lens, which is as fast as you'll find on most full-size cameras, so it takes decent pictures indoors even without using the flash.
   
   While I've been delighted with the size and still camera capabilities, there are a few other features that I think are great as well. The first is the option to use 16:9 video format if you want. I have a HDTV, and video shot in normal 4:3 format doesn't fill the screen unless it's stretched sideways, making everyone look fat. The 16:9 option of the DCR-PC350 allows you to shoot video that fills the screen like a real movie. You'll probably appreciate this even more in a few years when most TVs are widescreen.
   
   A second useful, though not well documented, feature is the "seek to end" feature. If you've been reviewing what you've recorded and want to start recording again without overwriting something, you can use the "seek to end" to move quickly to the end of the recorded section.
   
   Another reviewer complained about the inability to monitor sound levels during recording. This hasn't been a problem for me as I found I could just plug a set of headphones into the AV jack and hear what was being recorded. In fact, both the AV port and the s-video port are active when the camera's on, so you can watch and hear what you're recording using an external monitor and headphones (or speaker) if you want.
   
   The camera has tons of other fancy features, all of which are accessible through the handy touch-screen display, but those above are my favorites.
   
   The main complaints I have about this camera are:
   
   1) The memory stick. The camera ships with a memory stick that's got a measly 16MB capacity, so plan on replacing it with a 256MB or 512MB stick straight away. In addition, the memory stick is this odd "memory stick duo" format that you have to insert into a larger adapter (supplied) to make it readable by a computer. Using a standard SD card, which is the same size as the duo anyway, would have been a better idea.
   
   2) The software. The bundled video editing software is terrible. Plan on buying Adobe Premiere, or using Windows Movie Maker.
   
   3) The cabling. You definitely want to use firewire rather than USB 2.0 for doing your video transfers if for no other reason than it provides almost 2x the transfer speed. In addition, some video editing software looks for cameras only on a firewire port. So plan on buying a firewire cable as well.
   
   The need to immediately drop another hundred or two on accessories is the main reason I gave this camera 4 stars instead of 5.
   
   Lastly, I'd also recommend getting the "BCTRF Compact Battery Charger for F Series Batteries" and the "Sony HVLS3D 3 Watt Video Light" The charger is only slightly bigger than the battery and saves you lugging the AC adapter around on vacation. The light is tiny and despite being only 3 watts can make a significant difference indoors if you're close to your subject.



3. I have had this camera for about 2 months now and really have had no problems with it. I love the size. It is small enough to fit in my jacket pocket while skiing. Takes awesome pictures movies, even during extremely bright conditions while skiing. I have used this camera indoors as well and find it to do a great job. I love being able to film in widescreen mode and play movies back on the widescreen tv. The pictures are extremely clear. My only problem is with the whole docking station / charging the battery issue. I would suggest buying an extra battery charger / ac cable or a travel charger so as not to have to unhook all of your cables from your computer every time you travel. Overall, I am very happy witht his camera and would definately buy another one if the need arose.



4. Okay, so I don't have a lot of prior experiance for comparison but this camera was easy to use right out of the box and the more I learn how to use it the better it gets. Some people have faulted its small size but I love the fact that I can slip it in my pocket. It takes good quality video and the stills have been okay. As long as you don't blow them up too much the stills are fine, as good as I've seen on a lot of other 3MP cams.



5. I have had this device for about two years, and I am generally happy with it. The camcorder specs for video resolution are excellent (at least for one that was designed a few years ago). It is small enough to fit in a coat pocket or even a pants pocket of baggy pants, so it can go places another larger camera would be left behind.
   The digital stills have disappointing quality. They seem to be better in good sunlight, or in a closeup indoors, but they are not comparable to what most people get from a digital still camera. One person told me that, although the stills are supposedly 3.0 MP, their quality is closer to what a 2.0 MP still camera would give. As explained to me, the problem apparently is the imaging device -- what works well for video does not work well for stills, and vice versa. Even as of August 2007, there are no combination cameras that do a great job on both video and stills.
   My solution was that I eventually bought a Nikon Coolpix S10 6.0 MP digital still camera for taking stills where I want really high quality stills. The Nikon will also take video, but it is poor quality.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS29 MiniDV Camcorder with 30x Optical Zoom.

1. I like the camara and the zoom was good. I returned it because I was very disappointed with the resolution. In todays world, I expected better.



2. I bought this camcorder recently and am very happy with it. It is very easy to use and has good recording quality. The low light indoors isn't great but no camcorders in this price range are. I've used it several times and it works fine. I recommend this and the price is unreal.



3. This is very nicely built, simple features, takes still pics as well.
   As long as your not a professional filmer that needs HD, go for it.
   Video & sound quality is great.



4. I WANTED A NEW CAMCORDER. I DO LIKE THE VHS-C VERSIONS, BUT THE QUALITY IS NOT AS GOOD AS A HI8 FROM SONY WHICH I HAVE. I DID NOT WANT TO SPEND ALOT OF MONEY. I KNOW A NEW CAMCORDER WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE. I FIGURED, IF I CAN FIND A USED, BUT IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH A GOOD PRICE, I WOULD BUY IT. AFTER LOOKING AROUND ON AMAZON, I FOUND THIS GREAT LITTLE CAMCORDER. I WAS SO SURPRISED HOW SMALL AND COMPACT IT WAS, WITH FEATURES OF A VHS-C AND A HI8. IT USES MINI DIGITAL TAPES WITH A 90 MINUTE RECORDING TIME. IT HAS A BUILT IN LIGHT, LARGE LCD SCREEN, A JOYSTICK TYPE OF CONTROL, WHICH IS VERY EASY TO USE. YOU CAN PLAYBACK ON YOUR TV WITH THE RCA CABLES, OR USE A PC WHICH I SEE IT CAN DO, BUT I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, CAUSE I USE MY DIGITAL CAMERA. IN FACT, YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES ON THE CAMERA MODE. YOU HAVE TO PRESS IT LIGHTLY, CAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN GET MORE THAN ONE PICTURE OF THE SAME THING. YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THE SHUTTER WHEN YOU ARE TAKING THE PICTURE. THE ZOOM AND VOLUME CONTROLS ARE ONE IN THE SAME. WHEN YOU PLAYBACK WHAT YOU RECORD. ZOOM FOR RECORDING, VOLUME WHEN USING PLAYBACK. IT SAYS STEREO ON THE LOWER FRONT OF THE CAMCORDER. THE BATTERY LASTS A LONG TIME, BUT YOU ALWAYS NEED ANOTHER ONE, WHICH I ORDERED FROM AMAZON. IT COMES WITH A BATTERY CHARGER LIKE A VHS-C, SO YOU CAN USE THE CAMERA, WHILE CHARGING ANOTHER. IT FITS RIGHT IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND, AND THE CONTROLS ARE GOOD FOR A RIGHT HANDED PERSON, IF YOUR A SOUTHPAW, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS, I KNOW, CAUSE MY SISTER IS A LEFTIE AND IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY. IF YOUR RIGHTHANDED LIKE ME YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM. THE ONLY THING I DID NOT LIKE WAS, THE PLAYBACK IS NOT AS CLEAR AS A HI8, AND YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE CAMERA SLOWLY, CAUSE IT GETS BLURRY. ONE GREAT PLUS IS THE VIEWFINDER IS IN COLOUR WHEN THE LCD DOOR IS CLOSED. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE, IT'S VERY HELPFUL. OF COURSE, IF YOU WANT A BETTER PICTURE QUALITY, YOU NEED A MORE EXPENSIVE MODEL, OR A HI8 WHICH I FIND HAS THE BEST QUALITY WHEN IT COMES TO USING TAPE CAMCORDERS. IF YOUR GOING ON A TRIP, IT'S FANTASTIC. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CARRY AROUND THE OLD-FASHIONED CAMCORDERS, WITH EXTRA TAPES AND LARGE BATTERIES. EVEN THE BATTERY IS VERY SMALL, BUT DOES NOT LACK QUALITY. THE CAMERA IS SMALL, THE TAPES AND EXTRA BATTERY ARE SMALL, HOW CAN YOU LOSE.... I'M GIVING IT A 4 RATING FOR THE BLURRY PICURE YOU CAN GET IF YOU ARE MOVING AROUND TOO FAST WHILE RECORDING. I HAVE YET TO RECORD OUTSIDE CAUSE I JUST GOT IT. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I HOPE THIS HELPS. THANK YOU.



5. I have been using panasonic camcorders since the last 6 years. I have found the Panasonic pvgs29 to be very impressive. I wanted an economical camcorder that had a high optical zoom (very important - not digital zoom) and this was the right piece. I often use it for family videos and i am impressed with the video quality that this camcorder produces. It comes with a AV cable that i use to connect to TV and watch...awesome clarity in my 1080i TV. If you are looking for a not so expensive that give great recording quality there is no looking further.

5 comments about Canon Optura 40 MiniDV Camcorder w/14x Optical Zoom.

1. I will give 5 stars for the Optics - just amazing pictures, especially in daylight. I shot a few pictures under a 60 Watt (yellow) light and the picture quality was surprisingly good.
   
   What I liked most about this Camcorder:
   
   1. Great image quality, especially in daylight (comparable to the panasonic 3 ccd model which is much more expensive)
   
   2. Very sleek and compact. Love the look of it
   
   3. Robust. My 3 year old has already dropped it twice and the camcorder has taken it very well.
   
   4. Very good Mic. Audio quality of the recorded movies with the built-in mic was amazing
   
   5. The LCD is big, bright and has crisp images
   
   What I did not Like (complaints):
   
   1. The manual sucks. It is just a little more than a complete listing of all the menus that the camcorder provides. Not much explanation and no good flow.
   
   2. The camcorder "automatically" chooses between optical and digital zoom. There is no way you can manually control that
   
   3. The battery lasts for just 30 minutes (at least in my case). I had to buy a high capacity battery seperately to make it meaningful.
   
   4. The camcorder provides a 12 bit and a 16 bit audio mode. But if you choose 16 bit mode, then later on, you cannot mix audio with the movie using the Audio dubbing feature. The audio dubbing just stops if it sees a 16 bit clip, it works only with 12 bit. Very annoying and very nonsense. I think the reason is that the camcorder stores both, the original as well as the dubbed audio and needs the extra bits for this. But nevertheless, annoying.. (In my enthusiasm, I recored two tapes in 16 bit mode and now am stuck, I cannot mix in audio without first converting them to 12 bit and there is no easy way of doing that).
   
   But overall, this camcorder is a champ.



2. I received Optura 40 as a gift about a month ago. This is my firs DV camcorder.
   The quality of movies is amazing, colors are just perfect, and it performs quite well in a low light condition. The are also night modes that turn night in a day (not too realistic, but would be great for recording a wildlife at night for example). Quality of pictures is also great - I do not have to buy a separate still camera, 8X10 enlrgements came out fantastic, and combined with 14X optical zoom you can make it a spy tool. The camera is quite easy to use and intuitive. I really enjoy using this camera. The ability to record 16:9 picture is according to some specialists the best solution on the market unless you want to spend big money on 16:9 CCD camera.
   
   The downsides:
   MANUAL!!! I was close to returning the camera to the store after getting frustrated with it. Just sucks.... everything is actually in there, but it as readable as a phone book.
   
   Software - Why there is not a single software for DV capture to a PC? I realize that a lot depends on the card controller, but there has to be a more or less universal solution. So far, Windows Movie Maker 2 fails to properly record sound in DV quality, Ulead has a similar problem and the only one working properly is Adobe Premiere 7.... But maybe it is my Firewire card, who knows...If thre is anyhing more frustrating than recording DV onto a computer, I have yet to find it. I feel Canon could include a simple capture utility and editing program.
   
   Still picture quality with low light is too grainy, looks like the camera tried to go to the highest ISO settings, the results are not too encouraging.
   
   Battery life is about 1 hour without the LCD (elongates somewhat when the battery goes through a couple of initial charge cycles).
   
   Because I am left handed I also use my left eye to see through the viewfiner, but occassionally I start and stop recording with my nose. Fortunatelly the left handed are a minority.
   
   I also had an impession that the camere motor become a bit more noisy recently, but it could be due to a very quiet scenes.
   
   Overall, I love it!!! I think that the quality far outweighs some minor quirks.



3. Canon Optura 40 MiniDV
   
   My family just bought the Canon Optura 40 MiniDV Camcorder w/14x Optical Zoom; it is a digital video camera. I fell in love with this camera as soon as my mom charged it up and turned it on. I immediately wanted to take the camera out and start taping the first thing that came to mind. I started with video taping my house just like I was on MTV's cribs. I went in all of the bedrooms of the house, then I went to show off the cars, next I went into the back yard and taped the pool and all of the extensions that we've added on to the back yard. There were three excellent features on this camera; they were the readable buttons, flip-out side panel-viewing window, and the long battery life.
   The best part about the camera was the simplicity of the buttons. The buttons on the camera are located on the underneath the flip out screen. The buttons had their symbols on them and also had the function written above. After messing around with the camera for a few hours, I had remembered the order of the buttons. A slight down side to this camera is that it is for right handed people in general, which allows you to have your fingers on the buttons at all times.
   The next item is the viewing window on the camera. The camera has a flip-out, rotating, side view panel. This panel has crystal clear imaging that is amazing. Looking at a tape that I had taken a few months prior; I was amazed of how the crystal clear images of the tape place me back in the moment. The tape was of a parade in North Dakota. With me living in Arizona, and to feel as if I were back in North Dakota is truly breathtaking. The reason why the picture on the screen is so realistic is the vivid colors. Even in low light the picture quality is superior.
   Battery life is another huge plus with this camera. The battery on the camera can almost last one tape; however, this isn't continued use. If the battery is used continuously it will last about an hour. The battery takes approximately fifteen minutes to charge up. This is a huge plus, if you are in a hurry and need another battery right away or even if it is a back up battery.
   There are several other wonderful qualities to this camera: compact, lightweight, comfortable eye piece, clear voice recorder, extraordinary playback, and exceptionally easy to travel with. This camera has a high rating from most of the people that own it. It is definitely worth every penny spent. It is highly recommended by most to go take a look at one soon.



4. After doing a great deal of research I purchased the Optura 40. It was highly recommended by Consumer Reports and reviewers on this and other sites. I also purchased the Video Light since most reviewers mentioned poor low light performance as the main drawback to the camera. First of all, the light created red eye in my child, the main subject of my recordings. Without the external light video of indoor events, my main place of recording, was grainy and dark. Second of all, the automatic zoom was terrible. It was almost always out of focus. Third of all, the noise when the camera is recording is extremely loud. I had to look up tips online for how to adjust the camera so the noise wouldn't show up on the actual tape. I have a Sony analog with low lux and 16x zoom which I held side by side with the Optura and used to record the same things. The Sony was far superior. For the price of this camera you would think you could expect good low light performance and zooming. Canon can't manufacture a camcorder that doesn't make loud mechanical noise? I don't understand how everyone could say this is a good camcorder. Needless to say we have returned the item and are going to start looking at Sony digital camcorders.



5. Wonderful! I don't know much about video, but I just plugged it in and it worked. I am really pleased with the quality of the video and the nice way it connects to the software that came free on my computer (iMovie).
   
   Yesterday I took video in falling snow. I set the camera to Snow/Sand setting, and it took care of everything. Nice feature.
   
   The manual is minimal. I hope to find something better online.

5 comments about Samsung SCD107 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this camera about six months ago (June 04) for $429.00 and have used it extensively both outdoors and indoors.
   I looked at many cameras in the $450 price range with similar features. The one thing that stood out on this camera was the 3.5" LCD display. It was so much easier to frame a scene with this than with the 2.5" display on competing models that I decided to buy the Samsung.
   I found it easy and comfortable to use; the electronic stablisation works very well; the battery life is fine for recording a single 60min tape. Playing back recordings on the LCD screen is a pleasure. The image looks great and the sound is clearly audible on the builtin speaker. I was initially very happy with my purchase.
   Imagine my disappointment then, when I got home and played back the recording on my TV - it was no better than my old analog Canon ES50. At first, I was sure I had hooked it up incorrectly. But alas no: I was correctly using the s-video connection.
   Not willing to lose faith, I then hooked it up to my PC using a 4-to-6 pin firewire cable (purchased separately). Well, the picure looked fine in a small window but soon as I went full screen it was pretty grainy and pixalated. It's not even VGA quality.
   My number one reason for buying a DV camera was to get a sharper picture than with my analog camcorder. I'm afraid I made the wrong choice and, despite some nice features, I cannot recommend this camera because of the disappointing picture quality. Incidentally, I notice that the specifications page in the manual says nothing about lines of resolution and the size of the CCD (according to camcorderinfo.com it is 1/6").



2. if you went onto [...] and looked this camcorder up it says that it is one of the worst camcorders ever, well i am never looking on that website again because it is all lies. i got this cam for christmas and i really like it, i think it is one of the best camcorders that u can buy, it has cool features, nice zoom, a 3.5 lcd screen (really good), it is a small camcorder, and it has night pix (night vision). many other reviews complain about the color not turning out, well, you can adjust the color so it matches, duh!, you may be thinking "oh this is just a kids review, dont listen to it" but trust me i have been getting information on this camcorder for a year and know what im talking about. if you are planning on getting a good camcorder for a good price, try this one.



3. I'm not sure how people are giving this camera 4 and 5 star reviews but I was sadly disappointed with it.
   
   The only reasons I'm giving it the two stars are: 1. The screen size and 2. The price.
   
   I own a Samsung TV and DVD player and have found them both to be excellent values for the money so I decided to ignore the negative reviews that I had seen and pick it up anyway.
   
   The picture looks great on the LCD screen assuming that you're at a good angle to view it but as soon as you put it on a tv or pc you will see the lack of image quality. The manual was poorly written especially in regard to transferring video via the Firewire/IEEE 1394 connection. The software it came with doesn't suppport the Firewire though it doesn't mention this at all in the camera manual. Also the camera's driver isn't verified for Windows XP. When I hooked it up via the USB the camera was dropped from the device list after about a minute due to driver.
   
   After much hassle I returned it to the retailer that I bought it from who was nice enough to waive their 15% restock fee specific to camcorders and similar items so that I may purchase a Sony DCR-HC30 which I am much happier with. The store mananger explained to me that they had complaints from at least 5 other people with the same problem.
   
   Some other things to note:
   The SC-D107 has one of the biggest screens out there but also one of the smallest viewing angles.
   It has one of the largest optical zooms for the price, which isn't much good if the recording quality is low.
   Lastly, it has one of the largest digital zooms out there(900x), again useless because anything past about 100x is so grainy that you can't tell what you're looking at (you'll note that Sony doesn't make a camera with greater than 120x digital.)
   
   Try to avoid this one if you can afford something better.



4. The Samsung SCD107 offers average-to-good video quality in a flexible, feature-laden package. If you are looking at camcorders south of $400, read on. Good engineering and rational design tradeoffs make this more than the sum of what came out of the parts bin.
   
   PICTURE QUALITY
   You can find better video quality (especially by paying a couple of hundred dollars more), but most people will find the picture satisfactory. If your research thus far has taken you deeply into the world of pixels, scan lines, VGA vs. XGA, and CCD numbers, this won't get on your short list on picture quality alone. That said, the camera works particularly well in low-light situations, and there is a "NITE PIX" feature for very low-light applications.
   
   The "Digital Image Stabilizer" feature doesn't do much - if you have shaky hands, you should try a tripod (usually not a bad idea anyway). There is no manual focus, though you probably won't miss this because the auto-focus works so well. The 20X zoom is plenty, and the 900X digital zoom is overkill - the limiting factor is resolution, so don't expect to see footprints on the moon.
   
   SCREEN
   The first thing comparison shoppers notice is that the 3.5-inch color TFT LCD screen is bigger than most in this price range. This helps you frame a shot, gauge picture quality, and review just-taken film, all advantages over tiny screens. It is bright, clear, and rotates through 270 degrees (not 210 as stated in the supplemental info above). The color LCD viewfinder reproduces on-screen info and is a useful way to conserve battery power in the field.
   
   EASE OF USE
   Using the camera for the first time is fairly straightforward, even for the non-technical. The most commonly used controls are top-mounted (zoom, camera shutter control, NITE PIX feature on/off, slow shutter), where you would expect them. Other controls are located thumb-side or flush behind the LCD screen.
   
   Getting more than the basics from the camera requires a steeper learning curve, as you must navigate through acronym-rich menus and sub-menus. Even if you pride yourself on NEVER reading instruction manuals, a word to the wise: Pick up the manual. Open it. Read it. If you don't, you will miss some non-obvious functions and features you're paying for. This may seem worse than, say, stopping to ask for directions while driving, but tough it out.
   
   BATTERY
   The lithium ion battery pack included gives you 90 minutes of continuous recording time with the fold-out LCD screen, or 120 minutes using the viewfinder. It takes two hours to charge. You might want a second one of these, or even the upgrade battery (SB-LS220), which goes 190 minutes with screen, 250 minutes with viewfinder, and takes 3 and a half hours to charge. A red LED on the camera blinks to let you know how charging is progressing (e.g. one blink/second means less than 50% charged; three blinks/second = 75%-90% charged), which is a nice touch.
   
   RECORDING MEDIA
   There are two ways to record moving pictures: Onto Mini DV tapes (60 or 90 minutes on a DVM60), or onto a memory card (SD/MMC or Memory Stick/Memory Stick PRO). Using the memory card in this way has huge limitations; you are better off just using the tapes and saving the memory card for still pictures.
   
   STILL PICTURES
   You can use the SCD107 in still camera mode for casual snapshots, but it is not a replacement for a multi-megapixel digital camera. The 512MB SD ("Secure Digital") card I bought separately holds 2,997 stills in "super fine" mode and a truly absurd 9,000 in low-rez "normal" mode. Stick with super fine.
   
   AUDIO RECORDING
   Audio recording quality is excellent through the built-in top-mounted stereo condenser microphone. Many built-in microphones pick up mechanical noise from the tape mechanism, but I didn't notice any, even in quiet settings. Use the money you might spend on an accessory microphone and get a tripod or a memory card instead.
   
   MISC
   The remote control is useful, but much more directional than a typical TV remote. It won't work unless you aim it right at the camera - maybe it just likes to be seen in your group photos.
   
   CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
   If you need the sharpest picture available, you should probably spend $200 more. There are necessarily tradeoffs at this price range. However, if you just want a well-rounded, feature-filled camera that is a pleasure to use, by all means consider the SCD107.



5. There was a great review written up above that listed everything you really need to know (the first one that had a series of titles and then review). But I belive they gave too many stars and was too positive about this cam.
   
   This is not a very user-friendly camcorder. The MANUAL MUST be read over and over. It has so many steps to just do one action that by the time you have re-read the manual and adjusted the camcorder the shot is over with. Quality of pics and such was very poor once sent to the computer. The large screen wasn't much good in lighted scenes. I was forced to use the small lense to see what I was recording.
   
   I do not recommend this camcorder unless you are not picky about quality and have a photographic memory to remember how to work the camcorder.

5 comments about Sony DCR-HC32 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Sony HDR-HC1 2.8MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. First of all, let me say that I am a 16 year old aspiring filmmaker. I used to use a little cheapo 1CCD camcorder that I got way back in 2002. The picture quality sucked, and last July it finally went caput and died on me. So, I went camera shopping for about 3 or 4 months.
   
   Finally, late last November, I settled on the HDR-HC1. Considering my price range, and the fact that it shot in HD (and TRUE widescreen, for that matter), it seemed like the perfect camera for me at this stage in my career. So far, it has delivered for me even better than I expected.
   
   Pros:
   1. Finally! A camera with true widescreen!
   
   2. Excellent picture quality. Sometimes I have to convert the HD video so it will fit on a DVD, but even then it looks absolutely stunning. It almost looks like film. I was extremely impressed.
   
   3. It's small and lightweight. Easy transportation.
   
   4. Manual focus ring works great. This is another thing that I was somewhat peeved on with my old camera. I like to make a lot of short films. Because of the zoom ring, I am able to put focus on certain aspects of the frame (an old movie technique that still works great). The only way that the ring could be better is if they labeled it with some markings.
   
   Cons:
   
   1. The battery life is pretty bad. 40 minutes doesn't do justice for a camera like this. For compensation, I bought the Sony NP-QM91D. It delivers me about 4 hours of battery life. Granted, it takes a while to charge, but it's worth 4 hours. The only drawback is that this battery will cost you an extra $100 dollars.
   
   2. Yes, the camera is a little front heavy, but the extra extended battery will fix this.
   
   3. The viewfinder. This is something that really ticks me off about this camera. I was really disappointed with Sony over this. With the big battery that you will need to purchase, your viewfinder will basically be rendered useless. The battery sticks out so much that, if you want to use the viewfinder, your nose and the battery will be spending a lot of time together. The least Sony could have done would have been to allow the viewfinder to extend out, but, sadly, this is not the case.
   
   4. This camera doesn't perform the best in low light conditions. When you shoot in low light, the image becomes very grainy. This kind of disappoints me as I shoot a lot in very unpredictable lighting conditions.
   
   5. The tape deck is located at the bottom of the camera which means that you have to turn the camera upside down to load and unload the tapes. In other words, you can't change tapes if the camera is on a tripod or connected to anything else while filming. This normally isn't a problem, but if you're shooting live on a tripod and your tape starts to run out, the only way to change it is to disconnect the camera from the tripod, change the tapes, and then reconnect it. This is a fairly time consuming process that will make you lose a substantial amount of footage, so be careful on how much tape your camera has left while filming.
   
   Overall, I would definitely give this camera some consideration. For the price range, it works great.



2. Save your money. I've owned this camera for a little over a year and, quite frankly, I can't wait to put it on ebay and try something else.
   
   The biggest challenge with the camera are it's little quirks that, over time, get in the way of filming. For example, Sony for some reason has chosen to put the button that switches between video, still photos (which are awful) and video playback right next the the record on/off switch. It is *so* easy to toggle it when preparing to shoot. And the next thing you know you're scrambling to get it back into video mode. And you've lost your shot.
   
   The video camera has a an exceeedingly long start up time and a seemingly random length transition from standby to record. It could take a second or it could take ten seconds. And since this thing chews through battery life, I've always been reluctant to leave it on, for fear I'll end up with the dreaded "blinking battery" and no spares. So I struggle to capture the events (mostly high school games) that I bought it for. It pains me to think of how many times I've pressed record and then missed the great catch or kick- watching the word "Standby" flash in the viewfinder as the camera struggles to enter record mode.
   
   Finally, the colors, even in bright light, look washed out to my eye. My old 3 CCD panasonic G4 looked *so much* better. I've tried adjusting the white balance, color balance... you name it, with limited success. But why does it have to be so hard just to get decent color? And the low light performance is even worse.
   
   I could go on... I was sucked in by the idea of cheap HD and a leading edge product. Yes, the picture detail is better than standard DV, but that only matters if you can actually get the shot.



3. After reading that this was the "best of it's class" camcorder at camcorderinfo.com, as well as reading all the reviews I could find, I bought it. Now that I've had it for many months, some comments: It's a great camera, HD is awesome, and it has alot of features. Nothing to complain about other than 1) auto focus is problematic, especially in low-light, and 2) low-light quality isn't even as good as my 1999 Digital8 Sony was. Taping in Night Vision is almost useless as it goes out of focus so easily.
   
   I'm still blown away by how great the day video looks when imported into my iMac. HDV is a pain on older computers (my 1.8 Ghz iMac G5 took 2-4x to import, but my Core 2 Duo imports realtime). Note, importing in iMovie involves reading in the HDV and converting it to an intermediate format -- higher end apps can import real-time and edit that (converting on the fly).
   
   I do like the camera -- few complaints -- but I'm still irked that Sony uses a non-standard hotshoe. All my old Sony add-ons (IR lights, etc.) could not be used on this. But, the active hot show has great benefits (like the bluetooth mic that plugs up and gets power and audio from the hotshoe -- nice).



4. First let me just say, this is NOT a pro camcorder!!!
   
   WIth that said, this is one of the best investments I made for making memories. I had HDR-HC1 for about a year and used it moderately, and have been very happy with the results.
   
   Pros: 1. Great picture.
   2. Very light. Your arm will not get tired.
   3. Easy to use. Just put tape in and you are ready.
   4. Easy to connect to MacBook. Plug and play.
   
   Cons. 1. Needs more zoom.
   2. Build in mic not too great.
   3. Short battery life.
   4. Small view angle.
   
   There are some drop outs on the video, but i think that is because I use "the" cheapest tapes I can find. Even so, I only noticed one drop in 12-14 tapes.
   Good luck.



5. This model has been succeeded by newer ones; however, I found the quality of both movies and still photos to be superb. Transferring the video into the high definition software on my Mac was easy (the camera is one of relatively few with Firewire, IEEE 1394, or iLink - all the same - output that the high definition software requires), and the results are superb. Although I don't have a high definition DVD recorder, the quality of the standard DVDs I burned from the HD source were absolutely great.
   
   Even the built in microphones were good. I recorded a brief concert by my brother, a Cathedral organist, using only the camera - the sound was marvelous. Yes, a studio could have done it better - but I had all I needed in the palm of my hand.