Digital-Camcorder Reviews

I was thinking it won't work in my Pentax Optio 330GS digital camera, but it work, I ordered all the way to colombia trough my suite in Miami, works perfect

I bought this adapter to accompany my new Olympus digital camera because it was much less expensive than the Olympus brand adapter.

This adapter is versatile; it comes with 4 different plug-ins to fit an assortment of devices.

I have had no problems using the adapter and highly recommend it!

I am a television video producer, I deal with professional video equipment every day and knowing what good video looks like is part of my job. I have been using the AG-DVC80 as my personal video camera for about half a year now. I am 100% satisfied with it. I use my video camera almost every day to take video of the same events in my life that everyone else with a home video camera takes. I use it for birthdays, weddings, parties and so on. I will occasionally use my AG-DVC80 for video production, when a full sized ENG camera is not needed or available. To the majority of the population, the quality of the video and audio that this camera produces can not be distinguished from the video and audio of the DVC-PRO cameras we use for production. I occasionally see this model and the DVC100 being used in TV shows. Trading Spaces, Wild Boys and MTV Cribs are a few of the shows that I have noticed these cameras being used.
My best friend uses the Cannon XL1 (not the XL1 S) and we personally do not see much of a difference in video quality between the camera images. The AG-DVC80 cost less than half the price of his XL and it is smaller and lighter. His XL1 does not have an LCD monitor, great for above head shots.

The Good:
3 CCD, a must for professional video
2 XLR plugs with easy to use volume controls
LCD monitor (not found on the Cannon XL1)
Half the price of a Cannon XL1
Solid constructions
Optical stabilizer
Good looking and intuitive design
Small and light weight

The Bad:
Built in microphone is fragile
Plastic guards for plugs are cheap
Strange joystick for VCR control

The Panasonic AG-DVC80 is kind of a little brother to the fantastic, 24p-shooting DVX100. Most of us who aren't planning to convert video to film probably don't need 24p, and the DVC80 offers just about all the same features as the DVX100 for a thousand dollars less. The only thing I miss (so far) from the DVX100 is the ability to shoot time-lapse images. The DVC80 delivers great video, has a fine Leica lens that goes wider than most without an adaptor, and has a vast array of image control features. The manual is a little thin on the use of the various image controls -- this is not a beginner's camera. Yet it is a great camera for documentary filmmakers, commercial users, and the like. I'm shooting several independent film projects (docs, shorts), and so far this camera offers everything I need.

This battery got me though many shoots for my many DV Films. It does last about as long as it specifies. Too bad I had to sell it as I am about to buy a new Canon as my Pana died. It's a great battery though, and a great price from J and R.

If the CGRD16A/1b doesn't have enough battery life for you (3 hours, approx. 1.5 if you use LCD screen), then this is probably the battery for you.

You will get about 5 hours of battery life out of this battery, or 2.5 if you use the LCD screen a lot. I like this battery much more than the CGRD53, which I think is much too large for the average user (it has 9 hours of usage, but it is very large compared to the small size of the digital camcorders).

This battery holds its charge well, and is a good size.

This is my second camcorder in 3 years. Panasonic includes many features inside this DVcam with a very cheap price. Compared to a similarly configured SONY DVcam, this Panasonic wins hands down. You can save up to $300! The videos are sharp, the rotating flash works wonders and often I had to explain to my curious friends about the flash as they were fascinated with the design. The still pictures are very clear and the best thing is that you can take night shots in color! SONY can't do that! Definitely a good buy.

I purchased this camera in August 2002 and have used it extensively for the last two months. Fantastic! About me...I own a digital camera and this is my first digital video camera so I needed to do the research to spend the $. You can read the tech info here and the tech reviews at other sites (zdnet.com, bizrate.com, etc.) so I'll keep my review simple:

PROS:
- Compared to several sony dv cameras it has better/more responsive zoom, much better focus, and better/sharper/clearer LCD
- JVC and Cannon reviews left a lot to be desired and hands-on Sony didn't compare although they are a little smaller
- Very comfortable to hold/use -- buttons are well-placed and easy to understand
- Very simple to hook up to TV or computer to review (I recently got windows XP and it works like a dream using firewire *must purchase separate* and the associated software)
- Battery that comes with camera has lasted w/o fail...ran out of tape first!
- MPEG capability is great and all you do is hook up to computer, download and email...super easy
- Still shots recorded on tape do record about 5 sec of sound then camera continues filming

CONS:
- Instruction manual is easy to use for basic camera operation but was no help in advising on downloading to computer

You will find lots of reviews on the 252 but 352 is better resolution, comes with a flash, and a few other extras (compare closely).

I suggest getting a UV filter for lens to protect it (352 comes w/Leica Dicomar lens) a nice camera bag to protect your investment, a firewire to download, and if you don't use windows XP & aren't computer savvy, research hooking up & downloading...my desktop has windows 98 and I (novice) couldn't get it to work (too many periphials etc I think).

Last 2 suggestions...1)buy online and shop around b/c there are cheaper prices out there (I challenged Amazon on their price today b/c I got it much cheaper so watch their price the next few days); and 2) go to an electronic store first to touch/feel/examine the hardware before you buy...many online stores (esp w/cheaper prices) have a shorter return period.

Thanks for reading!

I recently purchased the TRV103 (which is nearly identical to the 110) and it is a fantastic camcorder. It also connects easily to iMac and the new PowerBook G3 via FireWire and, with no extra hardware, allows capture and editing. This is the perfect camera for us as we have a newborn and want to share pictures/movies with distant relatives. A great purchase.

I bought a Sony DCR-DTV110 in December of 1999 (it is essentially the same as the 110P) and brought it along with me on a trip to China. The Camera survived my two week journey and was able to capture brilliant pictures. Even though the manual stated the camera had an operating temperature above freezing the camera worked perfectly in the sub-freezing temperatures in Beijing. The steadyshot feature noticeably improved picture quality. It makes a great match for a new Apple PowerMac G4 or iMac DV since they both include a firewire interface that lets you digitize video quickly and easily. PC users will need to shell out a couple hundred dollars for a firewire card. Home users that aren't interested in editing but just in capturing quality pictures should be impressed as well. The digital recording makes the picture sharper and the colors look brighter. You can easily hook the camera to your TV with the included RCA cables. Another plus - This camera uses standard 8mm tape, saving you money over buying expensive MiniDV tape. Enjoy!

I bought this battery to have as a backup for the identical one that came with my Canon Powershot G5. The battery is fabulous. I've always been very displeased with the shooting capacity of digital cameras in general - they would run out of battery in a very short time. This battery was one of the deciding factors for me buying a Canon Powershot G5. According to a test on dpreview, it's the best performing battery (when used in the G3) out there for any digital camera (at the time of testing).

I've taken a few thousand pictures with it so far, and I'm very pleased. When using the LCD display for a mix of movies and pictures (on my G5), I get around 600 pictures out of one fully charged battery. I've never completely "emptied" the battery with the LCD screen off (preview only), but based on my experience so far, I would think that you'll get somewhere between 600-1000 pictures out of one fully charged battery - maybe more - when the LCD is not on all the time. If you take a lot of pictures (I can easily take 500 on a weekend trip), I would still recommend buying an extra battery though. I'm panicked about ever running out of battery (or memory) while I'm shooting.

Should you buy a cheaper non-Canon brand equivalent battery? I've not tried an equivalent for the BP-511, but I've got a DigiPower equivalent for my Canon Powershot S200 (Elph II), and it's crap. I would never buy and equivalent for my G5 camera, because in my experience, it's quite apparent that you get what you pay for.

Pros:
* Extremely good capacity - 500-1000 pictures on one charge with normal use.
* Charges relatively quick in my G5 - about 90 minutes

Cons:
* Very heavy. It'll weigh down your camera, but for the capacity it provides, I personally think it's worth it.

Conclusion: It's a very good battery - capacity is fabulous. I've had no problems with it - it doesn't overheat, it doesn't stop working, and so far after about 6 months of operation, I've noticed no drop in capacity. I give it an unconditional 5 stars!!!

We purchased the Elura 65 for our new baby who is due in one month. This camera is small and sleek with a very nice look to it. We just received it a few days ago and have done several tests in different lighting. The quality is BEAUTIFUL outdoors and indoors with the lights on or with the natural sunlight coming in. However, the picture was very dark and grainy when we filmed at a wedding the other night. Keep in mind that the lighting in the place was very dim...there was little to no light. I've done a lot of research on Mini DV camcorders recently and I've yet to see one that takes good pictures in low light areas. I'm wondering if there is an external light that I can purchase for my new camera. This is not reason enough to return the camera, since the reviews on all the other brands and models state the same problem. I just think it's something that needs to be fine-tuned on ALL mini DV cameras in general.

The 16x optical zoom is fabulous on this camera and there is NO motor noise (or at least none that we can hear) as the Canon ZR models claim to have.

One drawback which MAY be a problem is that since this camera is so small (smaller in height than the Canon ZR models), it seems like it can be hard to hold steady...but I'm hoping that's where the image stabilization will come in.

Overall, it's a great little camera!

I was glad to find out about DIGITAL CONCEPTS SP90 Universal Video Camera Screen Protector.I have had two other Digital Cameras in the past and the LCD on the cameras look used and scratched.I have two kids that run cross country and I have used every thing to wip my LCD.Shirt tailes and such.Lets not forget screen glare and enhance view.IT realy workes.

This Camera is great its got cool special effects great color great zoom Ive used it for countless movies like movies with like a story line and then some home movies. Its light long battery life has a when you shake like we all do when its filming it dappens it so its not as noticable that your not useing a tripod. If you have a video capture card itll be perfect to put on to your computer and edit. If you like makeing movies with plots, scipts, actors and so on this is the camera for you.

This is the first camcorder I have ever used that looks good on an HDTV. No... Let me correct that. It looks great!!!

Have you ever wondered why a normal camcorder looks so bad on an HDTV? It's because an HDTV is very high resolution. When you connect a traditional camcorder (even a Mini DV), the TV sees a much smaller, comparatively low resolution picture and must scale it (digitally enlarge it) to fit the screen. It doesn't matter if you have a $400 low end cam or a $4000 high end cam... Scaling the picture on virtually any HDTV will ruin your camcorder picture.

JVC solved this on the GR-HD1 with the world's first consumer HD camcorder. Basically, it's the first consumer camcorder ever that makes a picture which correctly fits a widescreen HDTV. It records a picture with 720 x 1280 dots, compared with 480 x 720 dots for a normal camcorder.

The result? The detail & resolution is simply phennominal! The colors look great! The video is much more appealing to watch in widescreen because it more closely matches your natural field of vision.

The only thing you need to be careful of is the frame rate. This shoots 720/30P. What that means is it takes video at 30 frames per second. As a result, if the camera uses too fast of a shutter speed you may see a "jitter" in things that move on-screen. The fix is really easy: Simply take the camcorder out of the "auto" mode and lock in a 1/30th of a second shutter speed. This eliminates the vast majority of the jitter. What you are left with is a superb high resolution video with a subtle "film-like" quality.

You don't have to be Stephen Speilberg to appreciate this. This is the ideal camcorder for any type of family video. Think about the great stuff happening today that you'll want to be able to watch 10-20 years from now, and still be happy with the quality.

If you own an HDTV, no other camcorder else even comes close!