Digital-Camcorder Reviews

The B&W viewfinder is better than color for manual focus and contrast. Having both in the package is a plus and not a negative.

The Sony DCR TRV310 works _very_ well as a Windows XP camcorder. Windows XP Professional include Windows Movie Maker. This el-cheapo free-bee isn't adequate. In 2002, Microsoft released a free upgrade: Windows Movie Maker 2. Version 2 ROCKS. With a whole host of new camera effects, a zoo of fades, excellent title and credit control, and very controllable multiple audio tracks, it's possible to do quite a bit of movie editing, without paying a dime more for software. Version 2 even allows you to re-record your finished video back onto the camera!

I bought my Sony DCR TRV310 used (partly broken). Since the input/output connections don't work properly, I just plug my TRV310 into the FireWire port, and use Windows Movie Maker 2's capture mode to control the camcorder -- right on the computer screen!

I sent somebody some video I had shot, stored as a .WMV file on a CD-R. He sent me back a note thanking me for the DVD!!!

This model is aging, and its cost is going down. Since it does everything you'll want, including playing back 8-mm and Hi8 tapes directly into Windows XP in digital format, it's still an excellent buy -- and an even better value than ever!

Windows Movie Maker 2's minimum computer requirements are, CPU 1,500 Mhz (1.5 GHz), 512 K RAM, lots of disk space (20 GB+), and a FireWire port. Since Windows Movie Maker 2 uses Microsoft-specific storage formats, you may want to spend a few $$$ to purchase third-party video editing software, which will record to more formats, or give you DVD authoring capability.

Suggested equipment upgrades for the TRV310: External clip-on microphone for better forward gain & extended bass sound; 8-hr InfoLithium battery HIGHLY recommended.

I bought this camcorder for two reasons:

1) Exceptional imageand sound quality 2) Ability to digitally edit videos on my PC

Thevideo quality is superb, with excellent auto-exposure capabilities. The 20x optical zoom is great -- I leave the digital zoom switched off. Good fades are complimented by some neat SFX modes -- image trails, sepia effect, slow "shutter speed" and (limited) image keying. The standard battery doesn't last much longer than an hour, so you should factor in the cost of an extended battery into your budget.

If size is the most important thing, then you should look at DV format cameras. I found them to be too small -- the Sony camera size and weight make it easy to handle while not being a burden. Hi8 tapes are also much cheaper than DV tapes.

For editing, there are several fully digital capture cards available for PCs and all support this camera You can edit and review video on your PC (in real time on some cards) and render back to the camera for final recording on tape. All without any analog<->digital conversion and therefore without any loss in quality.

If quality is important, or you have any aspirations to editing your videos rather than just taping the kids, vacations and weddings, then this is the camera for you.

I Downloded the User manual (Adobe Acrobat) from Amazon and was able to read all the gory details about the product before buying it.
The big motivator was the price! I looked in Best Buy and the baseline cost for a MiniDV camcorder is Four hundread bucks.
The rebate of 100$ brings it to a very attractive price point.
This was a Fathers Day gift ("Thank you Dear wife!!"). I owned a Hi8 camcorder for nearly 6 yrs and It was time to upgrade. This will last me for another 5 yrs easily, until the next technology (Maybe HDTV quality recording on blue laser discs).
I am very satisfied with how it looks and what its doing.
My dad what impresssed that it looks more like a Camera than a Comcorder. Make sure you order the IEEE 1394 (6pin/4pin) cable for transfer to computer and get MiniDV (ME) tapes. Amazon had good deals on them too.
If you download the user manual which is provided on Amazon - you wiff find out all the technical info you need to know.
I a very happy with my decision. I found out that I can edit my movies on Windows movie Maker 2 (Free program on Windows XP and Me), and transfer it back to the MiniDV.
Just Buy it !! You'll Like It!

This is a really useful little camcorder. For my hands, it's almost too small, but has a lot of very handy features, like the fade in/fade out and single frame capture via SD card. The video capture is consistent with all entry level cameras: it likes a lot of light! The digital camera function is OK, but don't expect the same performance as a 3 Mpixel camera that costs as much as this camcorder. If you really want low-light high performance or a bunch of professional features, you will have to cough up a LOT more money. If you want a handy little gizmo to record casual lifetime moments, this is the one!
I want to make a specific comment about Firewire performance: my WinXP machine recognized this device and loaded the drivers in 30 seconds. I was downloading and editing video in less than 5 minutes. Earlier notes from other correspondents regarding Sharp's non-performance in this arena are misinformed.
I recommend adding a Firewire (IEEE-1394 or iLink)card to your computer (and a lot of drive space), you'll be wondering how you ever did without this!

This was my first actual purchase for a camcorder. I have experience with other units because of my job in computer technology. My main reason for buying this camcorder was the price. It had all of the features I needed as well. It has Firewire (IEEE 1394) to download the video to a PC, and it has USB to download the still shots to a PC. The quality is very nice. We took it on vacation to the Gulf of Mexico and were pleased with the convenient size and weight. I would definitely recommend this unit for someone to purchase. (By the way, at the time of our purchase, we received a $100 rebate from Sharp since it was purchased on Amazon.com but I don't believe that is currently available).

The Intel PC Pocket Camera has the greatest webcam quality out there IMHO. It is affordable with a simple and nice design. The batteries last long. The USB connection is a fast and more efficient way for this came. Very user friendly and easy to install.
As a digital camera, it is best ONLY for beginners. The quality can be surprising wonderful in the right light. It's portability can let you take quick snap shots of anything quickly. It has 8MB of memory which is about 100 640x480 pics. A great digital camera for anyone starting out and to progressive onto the bigger names, like Kodak and Fujifilm.

This camera is great for quick snaps while out, webcam shots and netconferencing. Great deal!

what i needed was something simple, inexpensive but not cheaply made. i didn't really need megapixels because i post most of my photos on the web, so i prefer them to be a smaller size. the intel pocket pc camera fulfilled my needs.

this camera is a GREAT BUY if you want smaller images @ 640x480. it's compact and easy to take everywhere. downloading the pics is easy as a click away with its software. plus, it makes a great webcam so you can have video chats with friends on the 'net. also, webcam stills are very good quality!!

DO NOT BUY this camera if you want a camera that takes HQ images. there is no zoom and no flash, which is a setback because i can never take pictures at night. also, when objects are not in good lighting, images tend to be grainy and blurry. otherwise, images are usually sharp and clean during the day.

The Intel Pocket PC Camera is a great camera to own. I find the quality to be AMAZING. Sure it has no flash, but that's one thing i can live without seeing as to how i have ANOTHER camera with a flash that i use for backup. Anyhow, the CCD Sensor is probably the best thing about it. CMOS sensor cameras are usually [bad]and you can't see colors in shady areas (non-lit areas). The intel is very easy to operate and anybody could figure it out. The software is wonderful and the webcam is too. This whole camera is a great buy...the pictures will blow you away, just like it did to me. I have the rare black one so it looks less childish, heh. :o)

After an extensive market review, I decided to buy this one. Recording quality is excellent when you have appropriate light conditions, and it works ok with poor light. Excellent zoom, and very good stabilization features. The digital still camera feature takes average pictures (640*480), good enough if you are just sending them to friends/family and the software included is quite easy to use. In order to download your movies, you must have a firewire connection in your PC. Consider to buy an extra battery.

The major problem I found is the fact that the microphone records the camera noises, making your movies have an annoying background sound. This is really unacceptable if you want to have good quality audio. If you are concerned about the sound, I would suggest you either to try another camcorder or wait until Canon fix this model or release a new one. Or, if you have the expertise (I don't have it) edit the film with your PC.

I love this camcorder. First of all, I am going to start this review by telling you about the biggest concern I had when I bought this camera. Many people say that there was a lot of motor hum, this may be the case when the room is TOTALLY silent, however an external mic fixes this. ALL MINIDV CAMERAS HAVE THIS PROBLEM!! People complain that the mic adds extra size, but if you want to spend the same amount of money on a digital 8, with less resolution, much bigger, and heavier, than get a Mic for your MiniDV, then you have some problems. However since I usually overlap music onto my videos, its not such a big probelm for me. The size is great (any bigger and it wouldn't be comfortable, and any smaller it would be difficult to hold). I had the Sony TRV-340 Digital 8 Camera and then returned for only one reason, it was heavy and big (it cut off circulation in my hand when I was filming, and would have to take it out every 5 minutes or it would become numb). The picture quality is pretty much the same as all other minidv's which are better than digital 8's but not enough to make a big difference. Pretty much, this is a good camera at a great price. If you want a MiniDV, go with this no doubt, however if you have hi 8 or 8mm tapes you should probably go with a digital 8. They are pretty good for the price, but big and bulky.

This is one great camcorder! I know because I have one, but have lost the software when traveling. Would anyone know how I can get the software? Called Canon, it's discontinued. Searched the Web, nothing! Help!

After minimal use, it won't play a thing!

I purchased the JVC XV-N50BK DVD Player which plays all formats, including my below mentioned VCD, without any problems. I am very happy with the JVC XV-N50BK, and this is the best in the market. Incidently all my other AV components and TV are JVC, and which can all be linked and interconnected with the JVC Compu-Link control system.
Previously ten days before, I purchased the Panasonic S35S DVD Player because I needed a player to play ALL formats including VCD, WMA, MP3, CD-R, etc. Unfortunately, when playing one of my commercially produced VCD's, the Panasonic S35S Player would play for awhile, and then lock and freeze the screen forever, until I turned off the power. And the Panasonic kept on doing it, repeatedly. Sadly I returned the Panasonic for a full refund. (The VCD was not defective, because it plays fine on my older JVC player, and on my computer.). I then purchased the above JVC XV-N50BK DVD Player which plays everything, works great, and looks fabulous.

I just bought this player a couple of weeks ago and i am extremely pleased. I initially bought a Sony in the same price range (maybe 20 or so dollars more) and took it back because it wouldn't play some of my DVD-R's (although the picture and sound were decent). I'm glad I switched to the JVC. The picture is much better than the Sonys. The colors are WAY more vibrant and the blacks much sharper. Far superior picture quality. I also like the zoom and play at 1.5x features that the sony didn't offer. I have noticed absolutely no stutter. Those concerns seemed to have been adressed. As far as the light goes...I don't like it either so I turn it off by using the dimmer button on the remote. I believe there are 3 different settings for the light. The only problem being (for some) that it also dims the LCD. Personally I like the simple, sleek look (lights out). Also, if you buy this or any other high end player be sure to invest in some good component cables. You get a much better picture. I believe you can get the monster cables for 30 dollars or so. Well worth it.

After about a year of use, ZR 40 started eating tapes. Do a google search on the topic, there are hundreds of people with the same problem. 'Remove Cassette' and 'Eject' (use those as keywords combined with 'Canon ZR' to view message boards postings) will appear on the screen, and that's the end of the toy.

I've had this camera for almost a year now. I'd say that all of the features that I would expect from a digital camcorder meet and exceed my expectations.

Things that I like the most:
1. Perfect companion for my iMac.
2. Great quality analog-to-digital conversion. A must if you want to play with analog videos in digital world.
3. Solid Canon design, made in Japan if anyone cares.
4. Price.
5. No useless features like in more popular brand.

Things I don't like as much:
1. I think indoors quality is reasonable but it's average with low light. I don't really know if any cameras in that price range do well in low light.
2. Some people complained about motor noise? It's possible, I haven't tried to make any silent movies yet. I add music to all my movies that don't already have some sound.
3. Battery life is short but recharges quickly.
4. Shuts off quickly if idle.
5. You probably wouldn't want to use low-resolution Photo feature espesially if you have a good digital camera but this is probably the only "useless feature".

If you are like me and just like to point/shoot/watch on tv/edit on your computer - it's great.

Expecting a baby, I did research for about three weeks before I ended up with this Canon ZR40. Couple of features that I wanted to have were external mic input, analog input, no still images since I already own a nice digital camera, and most of all, affordable price tag. Amazingly, ZR40 had this all! 18x zoom is nice and its compact size is pretty neat. Still, I have minor complaints after extensive tests.

1. As pointed out by many people previously, the picture is somewhat grainy specially indoors. Because this is my first digital camcorder, I don't know if this happens for other high-end models, but I suspect it may stand out somewhat more for ZR40 with only 480K CCD pixels.
2. What has also been noted was the motor noise, which is my primary concern for now. Maybe, I would not been able to tell if I had not read those reviews, but I could certainly hear the noise when recorded in a quiet environment. I tried to use an external microphone to remove the noise, in which case the noise is gone, but the external microphone does not match the internal microphone in sensitivity. (I used a low-end microphone for the test with the sensitivity of -75 dBm, though.)
3. This is a really minor point, but the camcorder automatically shuts down if I don't start recording within 5 minutes.

Overall, I think ZR40 has great features at such a price and is certainly worth owning if you are looking for one in the price range.

This camera may look ultra cool, but believe me, it's not. Unless you don't care much for how your picture quality is, then this camera may be ok, but if you do or eventually will, you are better off getting a better quality camera.

There aren't many options for your pictures that you're taking meaning you can't change the lighting effect (inside, outside, cloudy, snow, night, etc), size, picture type (black & white, etc) or many of the other things that you can on other cameras. I found that when pictures were loaded onto the computer, they looked grainy and dull, and if you used the flash, that also seemed to ruin the effect of the picture. There is also no zoom which is one thing I forgot to check out when purchasing this camera. I was not happy with this camera at all after a couple months when I needed better quality photos.

The video recorder of the camera was also a disappointment to me. The recording was very choppy and colors again were poor. On the bright side, it recorded the sound well.

I had no problem with the MP3 player or audio recorder, they both worked fine and were the quality that one would expect.

I now own a Sony Cyber-Shot camera which I am VERY pleased with. Basically you really need to think about what type of pictures you will be taking with your camera and if you want them to be the best quality possible, or if it simply doesn't matter to you to decide if you will be happy with this camera.

I bought this gadget for it's many functions although I mostly used it to take video and pictures, sometimes record audio. I really did like it, but after a while I couldn't justify the cost versus the quality... The video quality was ok, about what you get with a medium resolution avi file, but nowhere close to divx quality. Picture resolution at 640x480 was decent, but you'd definitely want better if you want quality pictures. Sound recording was good, but I could only playback on the unit. With SD cards you don't have to worry about memory. My main gripe about this gadget though is the absence of a zoom. I was using it one time when a friend asked me if it had a zoom feature. I told him "this is the zoom" and ran up closer to the subject. If Panasonic added a zoom feature I would definitely recommend it, but overall it doesn't excel in any area. You're probably better off picking up a megapixel digital camera that also takes video.

Ok, it may not take pictures/movies like professional digital cameras can, but it's still a good camera if you looking for something to do for fun. It's small enough to carry in your pocket, you can operate it on the fly when you need to, so its pretty reliable there. You have to mess around with the software a bit, and experiment with the camera a bit too but once you get the gist of how it works, you wont regret buying it. However, this camera is NOT worth paying full price for($200-$400). I bought a used one at Circuit City for only $125, I've had it for about a year and it still works great!

This camera may look ultra cool, but believe me, it's not. Unless you don't care much for how your picture quality is, then this camera may be ok, but if you do or eventually will, you are better off getting a better quality camera.

There aren't many options for your pictures that you're taking meaning you can't change the lighting effect (inside, outside, cloudy, snow, night, etc), size, picture type (black & white, etc) or many of the other things that you can on other cameras. I found that when pictures were loaded onto the computer, they looked grainy and dull, and if you used the flash, that also seemed to ruin the effect of the picture. There is also no zoom which is one thing I forgot to check out when purchasing this camera. I was not happy with this camera at all after a couple months when I needed better quality photos.

The video recorder of the camera was also a disappointment to me. The recording was very choppy and colors again were poor. On the bright side, it recorded the sound well.

I had no problem with the MP3 player or audio recorder, they both worked fine and were the quality that one would expect.

I now own a Sony Cyber-Shot camera which I am VERY pleased with. Basically you really need to think about what type of pictures you will be taking with your camera and if you want them to be the best quality possible, or if it simply doesn't matter to you to decide if you will be happy with this camera.

I bought this gadget for it's many functions although I mostly used it to take video and pictures, sometimes record audio. I really did like it, but after a while I couldn't justify the cost versus the quality... The video quality was ok, about what you get with a medium resolution avi file, but nowhere close to divx quality. Picture resolution at 640x480 was decent, but you'd definitely want better if you want quality pictures. Sound recording was good, but I could only playback on the unit. With SD cards you don't have to worry about memory. My main gripe about this gadget though is the absence of a zoom. I was using it one time when a friend asked me if it had a zoom feature. I told him "this is the zoom" and ran up closer to the subject. If Panasonic added a zoom feature I would definitely recommend it, but overall it doesn't excel in any area. You're probably better off picking up a megapixel digital camera that also takes video.

Ok, it may not take pictures/movies like professional digital cameras can, but it's still a good camera if you looking for something to do for fun. It's small enough to carry in your pocket, you can operate it on the fly when you need to, so its pretty reliable there. You have to mess around with the software a bit, and experiment with the camera a bit too but once you get the gist of how it works, you wont regret buying it. However, this camera is NOT worth paying full price for($200-$400). I bought a used one at Circuit City for only $125, I've had it for about a year and it still works great!

This camera may look ultra cool, but believe me, it's not. Unless you don't care much for how your picture quality is, then this camera may be ok, but if you do or eventually will, you are better off getting a better quality camera.

There aren't many options for your pictures that you're taking meaning you can't change the lighting effect (inside, outside, cloudy, snow, night, etc), size, picture type (black & white, etc) or many of the other things that you can on other cameras. I found that when pictures were loaded onto the computer, they looked grainy and dull, and if you used the flash, that also seemed to ruin the effect of the picture. There is also no zoom which is one thing I forgot to check out when purchasing this camera. I was not happy with this camera at all after a couple months when I needed better quality photos.

The video recorder of the camera was also a disappointment to me. The recording was very choppy and colors again were poor. On the bright side, it recorded the sound well.

I had no problem with the MP3 player or audio recorder, they both worked fine and were the quality that one would expect.

I now own a Sony Cyber-Shot camera which I am VERY pleased with. Basically you really need to think about what type of pictures you will be taking with your camera and if you want them to be the best quality possible, or if it simply doesn't matter to you to decide if you will be happy with this camera.

I bought this gadget for it's many functions although I mostly used it to take video and pictures, sometimes record audio. I really did like it, but after a while I couldn't justify the cost versus the quality... The video quality was ok, about what you get with a medium resolution avi file, but nowhere close to divx quality. Picture resolution at 640x480 was decent, but you'd definitely want better if you want quality pictures. Sound recording was good, but I could only playback on the unit. With SD cards you don't have to worry about memory. My main gripe about this gadget though is the absence of a zoom. I was using it one time when a friend asked me if it had a zoom feature. I told him "this is the zoom" and ran up closer to the subject. If Panasonic added a zoom feature I would definitely recommend it, but overall it doesn't excel in any area. You're probably better off picking up a megapixel digital camera that also takes video.

Ok, it may not take pictures/movies like professional digital cameras can, but it's still a good camera if you looking for something to do for fun. It's small enough to carry in your pocket, you can operate it on the fly when you need to, so its pretty reliable there. You have to mess around with the software a bit, and experiment with the camera a bit too but once you get the gist of how it works, you wont regret buying it. However, this camera is NOT worth paying full price for($200-$400). I bought a used one at Circuit City for only $125, I've had it for about a year and it still works great!

We purchased this camcorder in October of 2003, and by June 2004 the pause button has already quit working. We have only had light to moderate use of this camcorder since purchasing it. It is still covered under the one year warranty, but we have to ship it all the way to California from Arkansas (and yes we have to pay for the shipping and handling), and it will not be back before our vacation. They will not cover it unless it is shipped to them. I would think twice before purchasing this product.

I've had my camera for a few days now and spent the weekend really putting it to the test. First thing is you need to change the default settings to accommodate for the low light problem. Here are the settings you should use (I read this on digital camcorder forum):

* Program AE: Auto
* AE Shift: <= -1.0
* Shutter: 1/60
* White Balance: Indoor.

With these settings indoor filming is quite good, still not perfect, but according to everything I read, these type of cameras (mini-DV) are never going to be great low light performers. When I filmed outside or in my workshop (which has ALOT of light) the quality was amazing.

I love the 18x zoom on this camera. There are many different fading options as well as other effects (Black&White is cool). It also comes with a remote control that comes in handy. The LCD screen is a good size as well as very functional. Manual is good as well.

I have not downloaded it to my computer yet, but from what I read it comes with good software which makes it easy.

Bottom line, I do not feel you can get a better camera in this price range with all of the options as long as you do not use the default settings for indoor filming. Supposedly the Sony's are better indoor performers but they only come with 10x zoom (I really like the 18x) and they do not have any manual control buttons and the LCD screens are suppose to be pretty bad, plus they are more. Also, the battery that comes with this one only last approximately one hour.

I bought this camcorder when my daughter was born after I saw a short video my brother made. I had been thinking about getting one, but wasn't sure what I would be able to do with it. Six months after getting it, and recording hours of tape, I sat down to author my first DVD. After two days of working in the basement, I came up and showed my wife 5 short (3 - 5 min) videos (complete with transitions and music). She was crying. It was worth it. I burned several copies and sent them to family members who were equally impressed. All that was made possible by using this camcorder.

O.K. Now to the camcorder review.

This is a great camcorder. It is small (palm sized) and light. The controls are all easy to use/understand. I opted for this model instead of the ZR65 and up because of price, and I didn't need the ability to take stills (I have a Canon G2).

The picture quality is fine. I have used it primarily indoors and in low light. Admittedly there is some grain, but it is totally acceptable when you look at the benefits of going digital. In better lighting conditions, the grain is not noticeable.

I have opted for the next size up battery (Canon BP512) because the one supplied only last about 30 minutes. For $45 I can get close to 1 1/2 hours of recording time. Plus I have the original as a backup.

The fully functional remote is also a nice feature. It does everything for the camera.

This camcorder feels like it is a quality piece of equipment. It never feels flimsy, or weak. It has a solid feel to it.

Canon makes great digital optical equipment. I have the G2 digital camera, and a flat-bed scanner, and I have no problems with quality (image quality or build quality). I highly recommend this.