Camcorder Reviews

This was my first wireless mouse. To start off, physically, I didn't really like how the base station was so oddly shaped, hard to fit in somewhere. The mouse seemed a little big. Installation was super quick and easy. I had my mouse running in less than 10 minutes. No problems functioning except when it is low on battery life which seems quite often. It is a quality product, but changing the batteries annoy me. I have to replace my batteries every 3 months or so it seems. Overall, perfermance is excellent, just didn't like how it used up batteries so fast.

That's about it! No more wires all over the place, the wireless joysticks are great for playing away from the chairs! the keyboard never skips a bit! and the mouse is super accurate, best investment in wireless I ever made! Did I mention NO WIRES?!?! The mouse use to need a battery change every 5 or 6 months, then I changed to alkalines... they are still kickin'!

The base station does its job. It doesn't run on batteries as the mouse and gamepad does, but on an ac adapter like most electronics, so no need to worry about the battery dieing on you. The range on this is far, so I have it behind my computer where it doesn't get in the way and frees up desk space.
You only really need in front of you when setting up the wireless mouse, gamepad and/or keyboard for the first time.

I like:
The $500 price is right for the package: small palm handed camcorder size / movie quality / features / battery life. Pictures can be stored on memory card. Wide angle feature is cool. You can transfer old VHS tapes to DVD also.

I didn't like:
Very poor quality in low light (worse than my previous old VHS camcorder) and there's no light (just a flash for pictures) - pictures are 1.3MB but quality is poor and you need to use a switch before taking pictures to the memory card - otherwise it's a "picture-on-tape" - even lower quality.

Excellent performing,and ergonomically correct,and easy to use Camcorder. The 1.33 mg,1/4"ccd,performs better indoors than all others.For low light use,use Indoor AGC in menu.Colors are more vibrant on this camera.Has full manual control set,but auto controls work well.Prints very good 4x6 pictures in still mode.Best little cam out their in this size and price range. THE ONLY REAL PROBLEM WAS MOTOR NOISE. ON VERY QUIET PASSAGES OF FOOTAGE, THERE IS AN AUDIBLE HUM ON OUR RECORDED FOOTAGE. SHOULD YOU BE RECORDING LARGE PASSAGES OF FOOTAGE IN A HUSHED ENVIRONMENT, YOU MIGHT FIND THIS A LITTLE TOO MUCH TO BEAR. "I DID". I will email JVC to see if they will fix this problem. 1/31/2004.

I expected good video from this JVC and it delivers, but what has really impressed me are the megapixel digital stills. I took my memory card to Walgreens and printed out several 4" X 6" prints and they looked great!

The cam is also very comfortable to hold. The strap adjusts to fit larger hands and the controls are all right where they should be. I also like the color viewfinder.

Considering the fact that this is not a new model, the camcorder offers a decent variety of features, clear recordings, and, most impressively, a long-lasting battery.

I bought my Panasonic PV-D209 when it first came out a year ago, and I absolutely love it! Though I'm very tech savvy (I'm an IS Manager by trade), this was the first camcorder I ever owned, and I still use it. (Hey, it's only been a year!) The PV-D209 is a VHS-C recorder, but it shoots gorgeous, bright, and detailed video. Superb monaural sound (you'll swear it's hi-fi stereo) from the built-in mike. The PV-D209 is a palmcorder - you slip your hand in through the palm strap to hold it - which means that it's a lightweight, comfortable unit that makes for smooth pans and transition shots. The camcorder may be small, but it's packed with goodies. The four-speed power zoom feature offers up to 26x natural and 150x digital zoom, backlight compensation, automatic or manual focus, and digital electronic image stablization (EIS). The built-in special effects include time lapse recording, 7-color fade-in/out screens, Y2K compliant time/date stamp, and titling. It even has a security mode whereby the camcorder starts recording as soon as motion is detected - great for hidden-camera monitoring at home or in the office! This is a great little camcorder for newbies - it comes with everything you need to start taping, and with the menu-driven screens, it's easy to add professional-looking effects. You won't be scratching your head in confusion - an easy-to-understand instruction manual is included. You also get a 70-minute battery, battery charger, cables to connect the camcorder to your TV or VCR, and an adapter for playing camcorder tapes in a regular VCR, and a shoulder strap. The battery charger doubles as an AC adapter, so you can run the camera off AC power for indoor taping and save battery juice. To get the most out of your PV-D209, I recommend recording in SP mode exclusively (SLP mode isn't that bad, though) and using premium VHS-C tapes. Invest in a good 3 or 6 hour battery and keep it charged. The charger provides for refreshing the battery - purging the voltage completely before recharging - which should be done after every 5 recharges to keep your batteries in good working order. If you want to copy your videos to standard VHS tapes for friends, connect the camcorder directly to your VCR. There is a big difference in picture quality - you get superior results if you copy directly from the camcorder. To sum up, the PV-D209 offers great quality video recording and the professional features and effects you would expect from a name like Panasonic. It's easy to use, even for rank beginners, though powerful enough for a pro. [For the money], it's an affordable, high-quality alternative to spending [more on] an 8MM camcorder ... or a digital camcorder. Whether preserving precious memories or just having fun, the PV-D209 is the camcorder for you!

Only two words. Buy it. I mean, it's even convenient in busy Chicago. I'm tellin' ya, if it works here, it works everywhere. It's durable, with awesome quality! It is, as we would say here in Chicago, "Da Camcorder"

Very good camcorder for those looking for less buttons, easy to use and great results. The LCD screen is great for recording yourself and with others, knowing you got the shot you wanted and those tri-pod shots to difficult looking through a view finder. A movement activation option for those who what to see what goes on while their away is rather cool. It works so well in low level light, we haven't used the built-in light source yet. A camcorder you don't have to carry a manual around and with the quality of those you do.

I researched camcorders for 4 weeks straight before deciding upon this Panasonic. It has all the features (LCD screen, built in light, best optical zoom-focus available 26x, 150x digital zoom, remote, digital fades, titling, image stabalization...the list goes on! ) of other quality camcorders, only at half the cost! We absolutely LOVE this camera! My only concern was that is was VHS-C, as opposed to 8mm...BUT that is definately not a concern anymore. The picture quality of this Panasonic VHS-C is outstanding, and has great sound too! Another awesome feature is you don't have to hook up your camera to your tv or vcr everytime you want to watch what you taped (like the 8mm camcorders...ugh!)....this Panasonic comes with the VHS-C adapter tape cartridge the you just insert into your VCR like a regular VHS tape. All you do is push PLAY! If you've been looking for a quality camera but don't want to fork over tons of money....this is definatlely your BEST bet!

Great camera for a first time buyer. It comes with a simple to understand manuel. All the features of the more expensive models at an attractive price. Great value.

for this price, i would recommend buying a Sony Hi8.

Ah, the Sharp Hi-8. You'll feel like Hitchcock, with the weight of Truffuat. It's the everyman's dream for spontaneous and painless camcording. Light and convienient, durable and stellar for evening recording. It's all you'll ever need.

We were in Gatlingburg, TN and used the camcorder at night. The quality of the picture when we reviewed the tape was extrodinary. This camcorder recorded at night just as well as if it were daytime. This is probably why it doesn't come with a light from the factory.

LOve the product, but need extra battery pack
None was available in selection
Why?

This is the best HI8 cam I ever had, dont miss it...

After a while of searching for a camera, I finally found this one. A friend of mine has it, and I have seen her use it. I bought it and am very pleased with how easy it is to use and how much fun I can have with it. This is truly a great camera.

This camcorder is wonderful, anyone who buys it will love it I'm sure. Your fingers soon become familiar to the controls.It is also a good price for its great quality. I highly reccomend this to anyone who is just starting Filming.

I have owned this camera for a few years now and I think all of the features and quality are the best around. The newer Sony hi8 cameras don't even have this many features!

Exelent camcorder at the best price

Well, after a bit of a wait I finally replaced my Sony hi-8 camcorder with this hc85. It is amazing the amount of features that are packed into this package. I've had it for 48 and here's what I like so far.

Very sharp stills (in still mode) and obviously very sharp video. It works well in low light and the touch screen is very cool. I thought it would show a lot of finger prints from touching it but they're not that noticeable. The ability to do a still capture while shooting video is nice but the resolution is only 640x480 & is kind of lousy (haven't figured out how to change that one's resolution...or even if you can). As for still captures, it has all of your typical controls (red eye, forced flash, etc). I also like that the lense size is the same size as my old camera so I can use my old filters & wide-angle lense. There are a lot of capabilities & features which almost feels somewhat overwhelming when you're trying to capture images so I'm not so sure about the various modes & usefulness. I do like that it has the ability to take in an analog input and convert to digital so I'll be transferring my old hi-8 stuff to digital for storage on DVDs.

As for any weaknesses, I haven't found it yet, and I look forward to several years of use. Some items to note: It is twice the size of the PC line but then again you get a better lense & more features. The memory stick w/ it is useless (8mb) as well as the battery (it has a 1 hr & I have done several recharges already). These last two items are why I'm only giving 4 stars instead of 5. I don't even know why they give you an 8mb stick when they know it'll be tossed as soon as you open the box!? It can only hold 8 pictures @ max resolution!

Good luck & enjoy.

I bought this camcorder about a month ago after I bought the DCR-TRV70 which was not working properly. This Camcorder is so much easier to use than the TRV70 and I like the larger LCD screen. I'm still learning about the camera but, I don't like the still pictures. My 8 month old is always drooling and the stills have silver dots on all his wet spots. Also you have to have very good lighting in a room to make the videos bright enough. the video always seems very, very dark indoors. The only time this does not happen is in the mornings and early afternoon. I'm going to try a video light for 40.00 to see if this will correct the problem. I'm also having problems streaming my video into my computer but the memory card goes right in and it's tons of fun to take my mpg video's and e-mail them to family. Nobody has had a problem opening any of these videos on there end. I love the video but, if your used to really sharp 4x6 or 3x5 from a 3 or 4 megapixal camera you won't like the photos from the DCR-HC85.

I'm quite impressed with the new Sony DCR-HC85. I had been looking at some of the Panasonic 3CCD cameras in this price range as well as the Canon Optura Xi (which is a little more expensive). In the end I chose this camera for the following features:
* very large (and sharp) CCD for the price
* 0lux night shot mode, though somewhat gimmicky. grainy, and green in practice, is very effective for taking sleeping baby shots
* reputedly much higher reliability and better repair services (vs the Panasonic)
* large reflective/transmissive LCD that's highly visible in both dark and light
* many videophile-oriented features (more on that below).
* can operate as a webcam

Upsides:
* Though many online reviews have questioned whether or not the touchscreen-based interface is a good thing, I found it to be more than adequate for my needs. One of the first things I did was rearrange the menus with my favorite features up front. Very easy to do and makes the camera feel "customized". If the camera weren't capable of these customized personal menus, however, I'd imagine the somewhat slow and bulky interface would get pretty annoying.
* True anamorphic 16:9 widescreen functionality works great and is easily understood by video importing tools.
* Nice shape, easy to hold. I have shaky hands and prefer a slightly larger camera to hold onto.
* Its optical image stabilization is amazing. Once again, I have shaky hands and was worried about getting steady video. Exceeded my expectations on this point.
* Setting it up as a webcam was straightforward and the quality was great.
* Nightshot Plus is eerily effective. The video ain't gorgeous, but it sure does do the trick. I'd imagine that the accessory shoe-based IR light that Sony offers would improve the functionality of this feature even more.

Downsides:
* Camera comes with an 8MB card that can only realistically hold 8 photos. Kinda pointless unless one is just test-driving the feature.

* Camera comes with just a single FP50 lithium battery which doesn't hold enough power to record an entire 60min DV tape (unless, possibly, you turn off the LCD, use just the viewfinder, don't use anything on the accessory shoe, and film straight through without stopping). I guess that's what keeps the price down.
* Camera doesn't come with a FireWire cable. I was not able to use Windows Movie Maker 2 using just the included USB cable (although USB streaming with MSN Messenger worked great with that). I had plenty of FireWire cables in my bin of extra computer parts, but just don't see how you can get professional results without one.
* Though the camera supports both progressive scan and true anamorphic 16:9 widescreen (both features helpful in acheiving a film look with a digital video camera), you can't use them both at the same time.
* Some default settings are questionable (but easily changed). Why default to 4-track 12bit audio vs 2-track 16bit? Why default to beeping melodies on key presses? Some odd buttons on the default Personal Menu (which is what you customize).

Overall, I'm a big fan of this camera and would recommend it highly.

We bought this camcorder to record our children. We went with it based on reviews we'd read here on Amazon. It has lived up to our expectations. It's easy to use and takes really nice shots. The best part is being able to hook it up to our iMacDV with firewire and edit the footage.

This camcorder is an excellent product, as are all of the Sony range. Basically, it offers easily accessible and professional features in the guise of a consumer Digital 8 camcorder. The Picture and Digital functions are amazing and offer a discernable edge to home movie making. The Digital 8 format is fantastic, as it allows you to utilise existing Hi-8 tapes, and reduces the cost of tape purchases, given that the new Mini DV tapes are significantly more expensive. My only criticism of the product is that aside from not being the current model, it seems that the primary extra feature that this model offers over the lower models is that it has a larger sized LCD screen. Aside from that, this is an excellent product and quite possibly one of the best Digital camcorders on the market.

This is the first camcorder I've ever owned, and I love it! I looked at camcorders in several price ranges, but this one had all the features I could want with a price tag less than $1,000. The LCD is crisp and bright and the picture quality is nearly flawless. I've taped two family weddings with quality that is as good as professional work. Because it is a Sony, I look forward to many years of high-quality performance.

I purchased this camera in Singapore last May and I paid $1100. I compaired this camera to literally hundreds. If you have ever been to Singapore you would know its the electronics super center of SE Asia. This camera didnt simply out perform other models like JVC, Sony and Canon. It destroyed the competition. Night vision on this camera is fantastic compared to the long list of others I tried. This model is user friendly with easy to follow directions. The Samsung website has fabulous tutorials of how to work this camera too. This is selling for a way lower price than I paid. Its a steal at this price. Get the camera and you will know what I mean by performance. The guy that wrote the 2 star review.. he must be writing about a Sony.

This product is great. It's a DIGITAL video camcorder and is just so smartly designed (controls on the back within easy reach, remote control can snap onto/into the camera, etc), for the price of a poor analog camera with less features. Everyone I've talked about the camera is nothing less than enthusiastic about the quality and value for the money. It even has an effect (unfortunately called Make-Up mode) that will only highlight one color (like in "Schindler's List", as CNET noted).

I do have to say that I'm very creeped out by the "Ray Chan" negative review here, in which he copied negative reviews from the CNET boards, and then pasted them (all put together) as his own negative review here on the Amazon site. On CNET, he's known as the "Sony freak", because he goes to all the Samsung products and gives them bad reviews in really bad English, while pushing Sony products. He's managed to bypass the bad English here on Amazon by taking other people's reviews as his own. You can see the negative reviews he copied at: http://reviews.cnet.com/Samsung_SC_D590/4852-6500_7-9879939.html?tag=box
Creepy ...

I first purchased a Sony IP5 and was very disappointed. I hesitated to purchase the SCD590 due to some negative reviews... but I also felt that the reviews may have been staged. Anyway... I bought the camcorder... and we love it. QUALITY is GREAT... and that means picture, features, ease of use, and mechanical. We've had our SCD590 for about 3 months.