Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black)

When I first read about this camera, I couldn't wait to get one. Interchangeable lenses, big sensor, tiny size, HD, 14MP stills and more for 2 grand. It sounded to good to be true, and it was.

I will say that the shot footage looks great, if there's adequate light. But if you shoot something with a busy, repeated texture, moire patterns show up very annoying. Other Sony camcorders in this price range show a very useful zebra pattern in areas of blown-out whites, Sony decided to omit that in this camera weird.

Another strange omission is in the still pictures yes it takes great stills BUT doesn't save them in RAW format, just JPEGs. The lesser cameras in the NEX line save in RAW. Why would Sony do this? It makes no sense. If this thing shot in RAW, Sony would have the hottest camera on the planet.

Controls -you can control most of the functions manually, but you have to go through an array of odd menu functions to do it. I understand that an upcoming firmware update will make this much easier, but for now it's just a pain. Another pain you have to leave the monitor door open all the time to access the controls you can turn the monitor off and just look through the viewfinder (thankfully).

Glass the included 18-200mm lens is very nice good quality glass with just enough drag on the zoom to keep it smooth-I don't miss a motor zoom at all. I bought the wide-angle 16mm lens-which I also like and it's a bit better than in low light than the included lens. I probably won't get the 18-55mm lens (it seems kind of redundant). Sony has promised more lenses in the E-mount line. Lens changing is fast and easy.

Mac Users

Sony and Apple what a sad story that is. You can import footage into Final Cut Pro with Log (Lag? and Transfer, but you won't like how it looks or performs. There are conversion and "wrapper" utilities out there that work, sorta. You're better off using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 with files from this camera. I prefer FCP, but files from this camera look and work better in Premiere Pro. If you only use FCP, this camera is not for you until Apple and Sony can settle their differences and FCP is updated. Windows users have more options with Sony's own Vegas program, Avid and others.

Sound-The onboard mic is pretty good, and there is a mini jack for an external microphone (no XLR input) but Sony decided to omit manual level control only automatic levels for sound. Once again Sony omitted something that its other price-class camcorders have. If you have to use the onboard audio, everything sounds OK-until you hit a quiet spot then the auto gain pumps up and whatever room noise there is hits you at multi-decibels which means you'll spend a lot of time in post ducking room noise. If you're serious about sound, you'll have to use an external sound recorder. Zoom makes some good ones)

Camera Strap Holders The designers at Sony did not think this through. Really really bad placement. If you have a $2,000 camera in your hands, you have to put a neck strap on it. Sony put the strap holds in a place where your strap will cover the record button AND interfere with the open monitor door. It wouldn't be as big a deal if you didn't have to keep the monitor door open to access the controls. I've tried putting both strap clips on just the front holder-which is a little better, but still a pain. Why didn't Sony put the holders on the bottom of the camera, where they would not interfere with the controls? A mystery.

No memory card is included with this camera. If you order it, you'll need to buy cards so you can actually use the camera. Buy the fastest biggest cards you can afford. Memory is pretty cheap these days, and it's odd that Sony didn't include at least a 1 gig card. Not a big deal, but odd.

This unit has the potential to be a great camera for it's price. The annoying menus, the lack of RAW file storage, the auto-only audio levels, the moire patterns, no zebra pattern and the strap holders keep it average. Sony could fix many of these problems with firmware updates and perhaps they will. I'll add to this review after the upgrade comes out.

If you buy this camera for planned shoots (like indy films or web videos) and have an external audio recorder-you'll like this camera a lot. You can get beautiful work done on it. The glass and the big sensor can give you some of the best-looking footage possible in a camera in this price range.

If you're a live event shooter this probably isn't your camera, yet.

Event shooters would love to have a great hybrid video/still camera. No RAW files and the menu access to controls just won't make it for those who dream of the perfect camera.

One of these days, Sony or Cannon or Nikon or Panasonic or somebody will put it all together the right way and shooters will literally fight with tooth and nail to get their paws on that camera. The rest of the industry will then rush similar products to the market.

C'mon manufacturers! Which of you is willing sell us what we really want?

FIRMWARE UPDATE

All it does is provide auto-focus for Sony Alpha-mount lenses. Nothing more than that. I don't own any of those. Sony did provide a MAC version of the update, which is nice.

FURTHER THOUGHTS (after a month with the camera)

Another problem: the covers over the various ports (power, USB, etc...) are held on with plastic hinges, rather than the rubber "plugs" used on some other Sony camcorders. Not good. I'm really careful with my cameras, but still managed to rip off the one that covers the power supply port. On my older Sony cameras (some are more than 10 years old with heavy usage) this never happened.

This camera also has one of the loudest shutters I've ever heard (when you take a still shot). I've been informed (by rzero21) that it's a true mechanical shutter, so there's no way to turn off the sound. I hope that Sony can fix this in future cameras. Sometimes the photo/video guy doesn't want to be the loudest person in the room.

I really want to love this camera, I've shot many hours on it now, plus taken 100s of stills. For the most part, it all looks great. I've gotten used to the cranky menus (sorta) but I still don't like them. I use an external sound recorder, but I wish I didn't have to sometimes. If it shot RAW still files and had manual control over the audio, I'd buy another one. If Sony's lesser NEX cameras allowed longer shooting times, I'd buy one of those today. The NEX 3 and 5 also suffer the loud "shutter" problem.)

There are lots of folks out there writing Sony and asking (pleading, begging) them not to cripple their cameras. So far it hasn't been too effective. I'm guessing that some marketing genius decided that customers would be thrilled to pay more for an intentionally crippled camera.

TO SONY'S MARKETING DEPARTMENT:

Take a look at the NEX VG 10 user groups on Vimeo and other sites, plus take a look at the comments your own site. I know you've sold a lot of these cameras, but I guarantee that you won't be able keep them stocked if you just fix a few of the firmware issues that your customers are asking for. You could have the hottest camera in the world! Isn't that what you want? (Maybe you could release a few more e-mount lenses while you're at it?)

ONE YEAR LATER

I've grown more fond of this camera over the year but all of the things I mentioned above are still annoying. I see Sony will be releasing the NEX VG 20 in November, and it fixes my biggest beefs audio control and RAW stills. Plus it will have some manual controls that you can access without having to have the blasted monitor door open all the time. Interesting. When it comes out I'll either buy it or the costlier pro version of the same camera. The VG 10 will become my backup camera or a wide-angle camera for 2-camera shoots.

I read the other reviews and have to shake my head. Only one reviewer even mentioned, and only in passing, what makes this camera so remarkable. It has a huge sensor and creates fantastic images. If what matters to you is the arrangement of the shoulder strap or the layout of the menu, by all means stay away from this camera. If you want interchangeable lens, the ability to shoot shallow depth of field and to create great images, take a closer look. This camera is not for everyone, but it does shoot some amazing video.

Video cameras, because of their typically small image sensors, shoot footage that has a very deep depth of field and a limited color range. In recent years many videographers have taken to shooting on DSLRS which have much larger sensors and can produce footage which is far more "filmic" with shallow depth of field and richer colors. The problem is that DSLRs are much better still than video cameras. They are typically limited to shooting for about 12 minutes. They generally do not have auto-focus and sound can be problematical.

The NEX VG-10 is a DSLR that is designed to shoot video. It has the same sensor as the Sony NEX 5 DSLR. Unlike most DSLRs, it does have auto focus. The quad mike is quite good and it is much easier to shoot handheld than a DSLR rigged out for video. The steadyshot stabilization is really nice. The 18-200mm E-mount 11x Zoom is a very good lens that sells for around $800 on its own. I plan on buying the 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle lens as well.

The real magic in the camera is the 23.4 x 15.6mm Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor. There is simply nothing like it in a video camera in this price range. The shallow depth of field is beautiful. If you are used to a camcorder which is always in focus because the small sensor gives you a very deep depth of field, the VG-10 might take some getting use to. If on the other hand you want to be able to keep the subject of your shot in sharp focus with the background softly blurred, this camera can do it, whereas all the older pro and prosumer video cameras can not. The only video cameras out there now (or soon) with this sort of large sensor are the Panasonic PMW-F3 and the soon to be released Sony FS100 NXCAM Super 35mm, both of which cost over $6,000, without lenses.

I agree that I would like zebra stripes and more audio control would be nice, though I still can use my shotgun mikes with or without a Beachtek adapter. The menu system takes a bit of getting use to but isn't bad. I would like built in ND filters but can live with external filters. The camera shoots a native 30P. 24P would be good but I can do that in post. I am not convinced most viewers can tell the differences in most settings.

The VG-10 can also be used as a 14MP still camera, though it does not have a RAW setting. I was looking to buy a video camera, so having one that can double as a DSLR is a bonus.

Overall the NEX VG10 is a remarkable camera that shoots great video. It is not perfect and it is not for everyone. That being said, I am very happy with the camera and video I can shoot with it.

Buy Sony NEXVG10 Full HD Interchangeable Lens Camcorder (Black) Now

I have used this camera over the course of the last month and I would have to say that in general I am quite disappointed with it. However to begin with I would have to say that there are a number of aspects that relate to this camera that are very pleasing. In relatively low light it has produced an excellent picture and the quality of the microphone is very good. If you use the camera on a tripod it is very good but its use in other contexts is feeling much more problematical.

I think that in some ways I am surprised at Sony. I have had great pleasure from a good number of Sony products and that makes me inclined to purchase more of the Sony range. At the same time I have a hard drive high definition recorder that is a pleasure to use from Sony but does not produce the quality of sound nor is it as versatile in low light.

With the camera you do get the Vegas premium software which is excellent, though I did purchase the Vegas pro which is a superb piece of software.

There are a number of issues with the camera that I cannot even vaguely understand. The balance in holding the camera is very poor and it is very heavy in the front. So that if you are filming and pointing forward and move towards the vertical the lens unwinds itself. Now I was trying to photograph some old photographs and had these on the ground and I had to physically hold the lens to prevent it from zooming out.

My other Sony has the pleasure of a touchscreen and this has an unbelievably awkward system of manipulation to try and get to the screen and activities you want.

The sound system does not allow you to control gain and this means that periodically you land up with other unpleasant noise that gets picked up when the microphone suddenly becomes very sensitive. This simply adds to editing hassle or no conceivable value.

It does not come with a strap and I made the mistake of buying one. It has to be the most awkward placement of any strap that you can imagine. It is right in front of the buttons and if you do have the camera on the strap it has to be the most awkward feel that you can imagine.

As a still camera I would have to say that it is excellent, but I do think that the designers that are very poor quality job in releasing this camera so prematurely. The battery housing in the back is so awkward, and there is a very tacky icky piece of plastic to cover the awkward back. My impression is that they want to produce a video camera did not have the courage to make it the same shape as a still camera. They still feel that people must have a video camera that looks like a video camera. However you now end up with this awkward system that is neither fish nor fowl. It is awkward to hold and not pleasant to use.

I first Sony still camera SLR was a similar premature release of a concept where it was not finished off properly.

Sony in many ways produces many outstanding products. At the same time it does do a number of inscrutable things with products that it does release. This camera has the feel of potential excellence, but has a serious lack of resolve from the developers to produce a proper finished product. My impression that they released a half baked concept that relies on the technology but fails on the industrial design and consumer test side.

For it to be a satisfactory camera it needs to have properly regulated sound, the balance needs to be sorted out and the lens cannot behave as it does. The battery needs to be easily accessible and the back needs to be sorted out. If it does need to look like a SLR, so be it! It must have touchscreen.

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Recently, I went to Disneyland with relatives and shot with both the NEX-VG10 and the HDR-CX550V. While each has its unique advantages, I found I had more fun editing the NEX-VG10 footage. I actually want to watch it over and over, maybe because of the strong bokeh effect, I feel like my work is closer to what we see in movies and TV.

I wanted to support the reviewer before me, that this camcorder isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. Really wish I had this during my film school days... my dream camcorder is the upcoming NXCAM FS100, but not all of us can afford the $5850 retail price tag. Thanks to Sony though, for making the lenses compatible with both models.

Sound quality: I'm very satisfied with the NEX-VG10's microphone. The tiny fur cover is great, I can just leave it on, and the sound isn't muffled at all. One of my main gripes with the HDR-CX550V is that the microphone is too sensitive to wind. The NEX-VG10 doesn't have that problem.

My recommended accessories for the NEX-VG10: a high capacity battery (specifically, Opteka's cheaper NP-FV100), a spacious camera backpack (especially if you're going to get more lenses), 16GB SDHC memory card, 67mm polarizer filter, and quality lens cleaner supplies.

Some minor problems: in bright sunlight, it can be hard to see the LCD, which I prefer over the viewfinder. But if you attach a sunshade to the LCD, it blocks the side controls. Also, I find that the autofocus is a tad slow. Focusing manually is much more efficient. I encountered some moire in shooting rooftops and a chain link fence. Since I bought mine used, I had the misfortune of some weird residue on the sensor. Had to take it to Samy's Camera for a professional cleaning, but it was good as new afterwards (for only $35!).

If you look me up on YouTube, I have some sample videos that you can check out. I think one of the best ways to choose a camcorder is to see what it can do and if it fits your specific needs. For me, ultimately, it's storytelling. There are some NEX-VG10 videos out there that impressed me so much... the sheer emotion that you can evoke with its cinematic shots. Looking forward to making sweet, sweet art with this baby!

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i've had a mini dv for the last 10 years, it did a nice job. it finally died and gave me an excuse to buy a new video camera. i love shooting with a digital slr camera, exchanging lenses and so forth, so i love the idea of being able to do that as well on a video camera. i've taking video outdoors and the results are incredible. i recently shot video of my daughters birthday party at a skating rink, low light atmosphere. this camera still managed to take gorgeous video in low light. i've not played around with any of the manual settings, just left it on auto. i've not been disappointed at all so far, it's a huge improvement over my minidv camcorder. i'ts a bit pricey, but if it last me at least 10 yrs while my daughters growing up it's worth it.

Cisco-Linksys WVC54GC Wireless-G Internet Video Camera

With a long history of many failed attempts at IP wireless cams, Linksys creates what others could not; one that works.

Configuration with WEP was pretty easy. It's a little temperamental with distance compared to the tolerances of other G devices, but it works. It does not react well to low light levels and tries to compensate via its own gain. If you are using this in a home without AMPLE light, expect a grainy picture.

Frame rate is about 20FPS and is annoying. The security feature works. It senses movement and mails a captured video file. With only 4 seconds at the medium setting, the video images were over 500Kb. This is not for a dial-up AOL user.

There is a remote viewing option that lets you use their web servers to hit your cam from anywhere. Of course expect to pay about $40 for two years access.

Update: 28 March 2005: Comparing two web cameras. I originally bought the Linksys WVC54G and now have the Hawkings NC320W. Both are very good for senior monitoring purposes. I now prefer web cameras which use Java applets (NC320W) instead of ActiveX (WVC54G). There are situations and browsers that simply can't use ActiveX and thus can't display images. The quality of both web cams is suitable for senior monitoring. Expect image quality to fall off in low light. The WVC54G has a wider field of view. This can be important in situations where you'll have to buy two NC320W to see everything whereas only one WVC54G is needed. I am now using three NC320W and viewing using Firefox browser. Warning: setting up a router to handle multiple web cameras needs a near router expert. The NC320W may soon become obsoleted by the newer and cheaper HNC230G (not released as of this date). I recommend setting up the cameras using static IP addresses so power outages won't cause new addresses to be reassigned.

True Story. Everyday I check on mom to make sure she's ok. While on vacation in Australia, I tuned in at the very moment she fell off the couch in Chicago. Using Skype, I called the senior home to have someone help her get up. Although she could have slid over to the phone and called for assistance, the important thing is that I learned she falls and can't get up by herself, and she hasn't been telling us. The WVC54G works well for this application. I can even see which DVD she's watching. I had to open port 1024 to get it working so it's not plug and play. Once running, it has never gone down, very important. My only complaint is that the auto white balance isn't true. Colors and lighting are somewhat off.

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[EDIT]

Ok, 3 weeks after setting these cameras up, I do have a few negative comments. The cameras will sometimes spontaneously stop working. I haven't been able to figure out why. I'm on the other side of the country from them now so I can't physically see them. Eventually they come back online. All 3 are just sitting there plugged in, in an empty house.

The video is fairly choppy if sound is enabled, even at 320x240.

The lighting plays a huge role in the quality of the image bright sunlight in a window makes the image almost unusable. The image is very poor in dim lighting as well.

The field of view is pretty narrow and there's nothing you can do about it I wish there was a wide-angle option.

I wish the interface to the camera was editable, and that you could show multiple cameras on the same page.

Other than that, they cameras basically work as advertised, but I couldn't recommend them for anything other than a novelty because of the image quality concerns and the reliability issues. It's fairly cheap and is good for casual monitoring.

[/EDIT]

I just set up 3 of these for my father-in-law (all the kids gave them to him) in his vacation home. He wants to be able to check on the house when he's not there. They worked fine, as advertised, as long as I was careful and made sure I had the right firmware. This is how I did it, without using the setup CD (which is confusing and was unnecessary for my setup).

If you've got a Linksys router and you haven't messed with the IP ranges like someone else who posted has, it's really easy to do the most important thing to do is set it up WIRED first! I plugged the included ethernet cable into the router and into the camera. Then I powered on the camera. It booted up and showed 192.168.1.115 or something as the IP address in the little LCD window. I opened up an Internet Explorer window on my PC. Went to The configuration utility for the camera came up. Clicked on "View Video", installed the ActiveX Control I was prompted for, and up it came the camera worked. Clicked on "Setup". Default username and password are admin and admin. Under "LAN Settings" I chose "Fixed IP Address", and assigned it the value I wanted. For my 3 cameras, the IP address I chose were 192.168.1.150, 192.168.1.151, 192.168.1.152. Subnet mask was always 255.255.255.0. Gateway, Primary DNS, and Secondary DNS were all always 192.168.1.1 (the router's IP). Tested each of those by opening Internet Explorer and going to the IP address for the camera (i.e. ) and made sure they worked under the fixed IP address.

If you have a non-Linksys router, or have messed with your routers' IP range, it's more complicated. D-Link and Netgear use the 192.168.0.xxx range (0 instead of 1), and I presume to get these working you'll have to plug the ethernet cable from your pc into the camera, use IE to go to the address it shows in the LCD window of the camera. The you should be able to change the IP address of the camera to an acceptable value (like 192.168.0.150) Gateway, Primary DNS, and Secondary DNS would be the router's IP address (i.e. 192.168.0.1). Then you plug the camera into the router and you should be able to access it through IE on your PC at that new address.

Once I was sure that worked, I set up the wireless settings. Typed in the SSID the router uses, chose Infrastructure, clicked "Enable", and hit "Apply". If you forget to hit Apply it won't take. Then I hit "Edit Security Settings" and in the popup window chose the Default Transmit key from the router, and the key from the router. Kept it on "Open System". Then hit Apply and exit.

Now I unplug the power from the camera. Then unplug the ethernet cable from the camera. Then plug the camera power back in. The lights will flash and the indicator for wireless should come up, along with the IP address I chose. Open up Internet Explorer again, type in the address again ( and it works.

Did this with all 3, then placed them in the house where I wanted them, and tested them again. All worked.

Then I went into their configuration utilities and set up the Email Alert feature. This is the only part that gave me trouble. Basically what I figured out is that the 2 cameras that had Firmware version 2.07 worked fine, and the one that had 2.11 never worked. I downloaded the 2.07 bios at ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pub/network/ (the file is called WVC54G_fw2.07.zip) and flashed the 2.11 camera back to 2.07. Then the email notification worked fine.

Oh and another confusing part was the "Outgoing Mail SMTP Server". Turns out you pretty much have to use your internet provider's mail server, which I was able to find on their website. He uses Charter Cable, and I found out on charter.net that the server is smtp.charter.net. I also just set up a new GMail account specifically for these cameras.

To make it easy to view the cameras from the internet, Linksys included this SoloLink DDNS thing which they charge for. I opted for a free option, and made a new dynamic DNS account at dyndns.org. I set up port forwarding on the router to forward alternate ports (I chose 2000 and 3000 and set up the cameras "Alternate Port" to these values) to two of the cameras. So now he can get to the three cameras by going toThat's it works great and I'm happy with them. I give it a 4 because the fact that I had to flash backward to an older bios in order to used an advertised feature is stupid. Other than that, it's great and no more difficult to set up than most other wireless networking devices.

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Hi, I noticed that a lot of people are having difficulty setting this product up. I just wanted to offer 4 pointers.

1: Configuring your router: In your router's configuration, you should assign this device a fixed IP outside of the range of DHCP addresses. This is so that, the next time you reboot your router or cable modem, DHCP doesn't assign the camera a different IP. Remember, DHCP hands out IPs on a first-come, first-serve basis unless you tell it otherwise. So, if you defined your router's DHCP to start with, let's say, 100, when you set up the camera, you can give it a fixed IP of 192.168.1.99 (or whatever) and know that it will persist.

2. Opening your port: Be sure to choose a port number greater than 1024. Also, check your port forwarding page before deciding so that you don't conflict with other applications/services you have installed. When you pick your port, enable it to forward TCP requests to the IP you've specified, in my example 192.168.1.99.

3. Accessing from outside: You will need the external IP address, which you can get from your router's status page. DON'T FORGET TO APPEND THE PORT NUMBER TO THE URL! That's a common mistake. If your public IP is 60.99.60.100, then your camera's URL would be ://60.99.60.100:9999. NOTE: If, when you look at your router's status page, you're confused because your WAN (external) IP begins with 192.168, then the next step probably applies to you...

4. IF YOU USE VONAGE or some other VoIP, there's an EXTRA STEP! Don't forget that the Vonage box sits between your cable modem and your router, acting as its own little firewall. Not only do you need to open the port here too, but also this is where you'd go to obtain your external IP! For Vonage subscribers, the configuration tool is accessible via > Advanced Configuration. In this menu, forward TCP requests to the desired port number at your ROUTER's IP address (Vonage customers: 192.168.102.100), NOT your camera's. Your router will then proxy the request to the camera, so it's like this:

-> Internet -> your VoIP -> your ROUTER -> your camera

alright, that's all I got. Good luck to you all, happy WebCamming!

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If you don't know too much about computer network, it could be difficult. Been using little more than 3 month so far, no problem. Used D-Link, Hawking, Axis, and Panasonic, but based on my experience, linksys had more funtions that was availabe than any other camera, plus, image quality is good if set it as best quailty picture, with best pixel. (Default is not set as best). I was able to remotely access my camera from Korea, Camera was in U.S., had about 3 seconds of delay on still images, but 3 second is good enough with today's technology. I'm not using Sololink to remotely access my camera (since it requires membership). Currently using 6 cameras in my C-Store in U.S., and all are viewalble at the sametime remotely, without any chopping or losing frame actions. People could complain due to customer serivce issues, and installation issues, but if you check on Linksys Forum, other users are far knowlodgeble than customer service, and their response is faster than customer serivce. BTW, WPA is possible if you upgrade the factory firmware to european firmware version.

Canon VIXIA HG21 AVCHD 120 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

Let me start by saying that I've been using camcorders for 20 years, way back to the full sized VHS days. Canon and Sony have been my favorites for many years, starting with their 8mm days. Since consumer HD seems to have stabilized in its second generation, I decided to upgrade from my six year old Sony 8mm.

The Canon Digital SLR cameras are second to none, I own three of them (Digital Rebel, Rebel Xti and an EOS 40D) and they blow the competition away. I fall into the "prosumer" category for digital categories, and the Canon Digic processor is one of the things that has separated Canon from its competitors. So certainly the second generation HD Canon Vixia 21 with the Digic II processor would be a no-brainer, right? Not exactly.

The good:

120GB hard disk drive you can record up to 45 hours of video in LP mode, and about 11 hours in the best HD mode the camera has. The storage capacity will, by far, outlast the battery that comes with the camcorder.

SDHC slot Unlike Sony and their proprietary Memory Stick, Canon has and continued to use SD and now SDHC memory. SDHC cards are available from numerous vendors and they are easier to find and less expensive than the Memory Stick.

12X optical zoom this works extremely well, as advertised. Digital zoom takes away from the quality of the recording, so I prefer to stick with the optical zoom. The controls for the zoom are very fluid and smooth.

Picture quality in daylight and indoors with good light, the picture quality is exceptional. Playing the video on my HDTV is just as good as any broadcast HDTV quality you'll ever see on TV.

Image stabilization very few people can hold anything completely still. With the image stabilization feature, you don't have to worry about it the camcorder handles it for you and does a great job of it.

The bad:

Short battery life the battery that ships with the camcorder (BP 807/808) will give you no more than 80-90 minutes of operation. If you don't plan to use it any more than that on each outing, then it is not a big issue for you. If you plan to use it for a day of on and off shooting, you need to get another batter. The BP827 will give you almost five hours of running time, for a steep $144. Adding to this, you can only charge the battery while the battery is in the camcorder. The external battery charger is another $60 or so. In short, if you plan to use this camcorder for longer than an hour, buy an extra battery and the external charger so you can charge one battery while using the other. This is not a Canon specific problem, every vendor, including Sony, has its limitations with batteries and charging. They also have the "optional" longer life batteries and external chargers for a steep price as well.

Low light shooting The picture quality is grainy and unimpressive. After seeing what the daylight shots looked like on the TV, then watching the low light shots, you will be somewhat dissapointed. Perhaps there is some special low light setting I do not know about I've only had the camcorder for a week. Another reviewer indicated better luck in low light. I will report back if this is resolved.

Despite the additional battery and charger purchase, I think this is a very good camcorder. I hope to resolve the low light issue. Daytime and good lighting recording is breathtaking on replay. Given that this is a consumer grade camcorder, I doubt you'll find any better for the money.

Update:

As promised, I've worked with the camcorder for a couple of weeks now, and not much has changed. The daylight and well-lit room video is broadcast quality HD. Low light is still somewhat grainy. I also purchased a longer life battery and external charger from Amazon, which comes in very handy. I would still purchase this camcorder.

First of all, this is my first camcorder. We do have the ability to use our small Canon digital camera in this mode but this is a far cry from that. I was excited to get one of the first even though I figured I would be taking a slight gamble as I am not exactly that informed on the subject and wonder about the wisdom of getting a product that is not yet proven.

So far, so good...Our grandchild had a birthday the very day this thing came in so I was determined to figure things out in order to capture the event. I figured that we paid a premium price to have the high HD quality so of course I shot in the highest mode. I only had time to charge the battery and skim through the book but I am happy to report that the quality of the videos was simply outstanding. In my opinion, the easy part is taking the pictures...set it to the quality and mode and fire away. Then, the question is, what to do afterwards...This is the hard part.

I have an Intel Mac and IMovie 08 so I read other reviews of similar cameras and figured out how to move the shots from the camera to the computer. No problem. In my opinion, and that is what these reviews are all about, if you are shooting at the highest quality, you better have a lot of room on your hard drives, and, or, prepare to spend a lot of time on the back end moving your videos off the camera and on to disks or the drives. I did not have much hard drive space left on my Mac so perhaps that fact made things seem very slow. On the other hand, because I wanted to shoot in the highest quality, the wait and trouble were worth the investment...Remember, I am just at the edge of knowing what I am doing so you must consider that my skill level is still very low by comparison.

The great thing about this camera, in addition to the fact that the HD videos are breathtaking, is that the built in hard drive is 120 gigs...wow! that is equal to 82 of the smaller 3 inch DVDs! About 45 hours of recording time on lower quality and near 11 hours or so in the highest quality...so, unless you get nervous about hard drive failure, you can go for a long time without having to move them off the camcorder.

After doing a little reading and fiddling around, I hooked the camera up to our HD TV and was pretty much able to use the little remote device and see the videos. Simply outstanding...most shots were taken in the house with average lighting. One of my concerns was reading that low light might cause grainy videos but I did not find this to be the case....I suspect this could be the case when shooting in extremely low light but I cannot see this ever becoming an issue. I was too impatient to actually link into the HD ports of my TV so we settled for using the ports at the front and went to the game port...I do not think this was actually in HD but it still was just incredible. Later, when I played back some videos on our HP Vista computer and just was blown away with the quality...I had gone outside and take videos of the hummingbirds on our feeder and could not believe how crystal clear the shots were.

The 12X optical zoom is very close to walking up to the subject...very nice. The image stabilizer works great as I never used a tripod and still saw no real shaking. I did notice that you can negate image stabilizer when using the camera on a tripod so that was something I was a little concerned about.

One addition thing that may concern some...apparently these hard drive camcorders could suffer damage to the drives if used at an altitude of 9800 feet and above. If you are a serious mountain climber or plan to be above 9800 feet, you might consider other options.

I am very interested in reading other reviews. So far I am very pleased...no camera will ever be perfect and do all things so, regardless of the quality or cost, there will always be some element of compromise. I have already ordered another battery as well as an SD card for it. The battery life is short of two hours so trips out in the wild pretty much would demand more power. Most may not feel the need to have another battery but I cannot imagine missing any great shots...you pay too much for these things not to be able to use them to their fullest extent...maybe another review when I actually know what I am doing!

Buy Canon VIXIA HG21 AVCHD 120 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Now

HG21 is probably the best HD Camcorder out there. I say this because I have tried another high end camcorder from Sony with a 120GB harddrive, which (the Sony) was unbelievably disappointing in both color and resolution. Fortunately, we bought it at Costco, and just returned the Sony within a day.

The Canon HG21 has amazing High Def pictures for daylight scenes. The color is very rich and eye pleasing. If you do a good job shooting, it can fool the untrained eyes as if it's professional HD video. I have a Pioneer 50" 1080i Plasma, and the pictures from the HG21 are so refined, the colors are beautiful.

Night scenes are grainy. This is very disappointing. I also have a Flip MinoHD. The $200 little Flip out performs the Canon for night scenes. Canon should be a bit embarrassed by it and catch up on this front.

The Mac/Apple compatibility of HG21 is a big plus. Canon has shipped a software CD with the camcorder, however, the software doesn't work for Mac, and Mac users really don't need it anyway. It was a pleasant surprise to open up iMovie'08 and the HG21 was automatically recognized on the USB port, and the Camera Import Window within iMovie popped out immediately to guide you through the importing of videos. Previously, everyone said AVCHD editing tool is hard to find. The Mac has it built in. Hats off to Apple. Select "Large" setting to import, "Full" resolution will cost you a lot of hard drive space.

Overall, I would give this HG21 a "A-" for great daylight performance, working with iMovie'08 which is a wonderful consumer movie making tool, but has lackluster grainy night scenes.

Read Best Reviews of Canon VIXIA HG21 AVCHD 120 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Here

This is best HD camcorder on the market. It takes amazing pictures. The clarity is similar to watching a blue-ray movie. I love the huge hard drive. It takes hours of video without any worries. The best part is the quick and easy transferring of video clips to my computer. I used to spend the whole day uploading DV tapes. Now, through the USB is 10 times faster. The editing software is very easy to use.

Want Canon VIXIA HG21 AVCHD 120 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Discount?

I was using a MiniDV camcorder and decided to up grade. I'm not a big Canon fan, mostly because of price but I sure do love this camcorder. There is A LOT of great features on the HG21 and yes it does have a viewfinder (the HG20 does not). Its very simple to use and you have a lot of storage with the 120GB hard. I love shooting in the 24p cinema mode. I definitely would recommend it! If you don't need a huge hard drive or viewfinder than go with the HG20 its exactly the same and you will save some $$$.

Save 46% Off

InFocus IN2112 Meeting Room DLP Projector, 3D ready, SVGA, 3000 Lumens

We have used this projector in an open space venue during day time. The images were clear and crisp. We are very satisfied with this product.

This is my first digital projector, and I'm impressed with its design and image quality, but there are immediate things I've encountered that frustrate me. First, the product is clearly marketed as compatible with both PC's and Macs. I have Macs, and because of this a special cable is required to connect the projector to either the iMac or (more typically) my MacBook Pro. This cable is not included, of course. It is, apparently, only available from InFocus (I checked 2 local computer stores), and costs $59 plus $10 shipping. The remote does not come with even marginal Chinese batteries; the pair of AA's must be purchased separately. The projector's menu is not bad to use, but is touchy to maneuver on the projector top controls. There is no way that I've found to increase or decrease the size of the image on the screen without moving the projector closer or further away. Finally, it's not as quiet as would have liked despite the marketing claim for "quiet operation". Other brands must be very loud. I'll likely get used to it, and when my M1-DVI cable arrives I'll be able to use it as I'd like, but I didn't expect the frustrations I've had so far.

Buy InFocus IN2112 Meeting Room DLP Projector, 3D ready, SVGA, 3000 Lumens Now

I've used an InFocus before and liked it very much so when my pastor asked me for a suggestion, I recommended an InFocus. It is bright, crisp images and excellent for the price. I will definitely recommend this model and brand for years to come.

Read Best Reviews of InFocus IN2112 Meeting Room DLP Projector, 3D ready, SVGA, 3000 Lumens Here

My church purchased two of these projectors in January 2011 and are completely satisfied. Our auditorium has windows and it has always been difficult to watch videos in the morning with the sunlight shining brightly on the stage. We bought these projectors because of the 3000 lumens brightness, and they have paid for themselves time and time again. The picture is crisp and clear, and super bright as well. Easy menus to navigate, and super easy to set up. I have been purchasing InFocus products for quite a while now, and have never been disappointed. I will continue using InFocus products as long as I can.

Want InFocus IN2112 Meeting Room DLP Projector, 3D ready, SVGA, 3000 Lumens Discount?

I used the InFocus IN 2112 a couple of times; then it died. I was not impressed. Sent the unit back for a refund.

On the positive side, the unit comes with a very nice carrying case and cables tied up neatly with velcro straps.

Optoma ML500, WXGA, 500 LED Lumens, Mobile Projector

I ordered this product on the day of release (not from Amazon, wasn't released yet). I am seriously impressed by it and will post a video after I clean up my place. It will also be with a cell phone camera so if it's not good enough I won't bother to upload it.

Fan & Brightness

Ok first, right out the box it is very bright and vivid. The colors really pop and are saturated, but in a good way. 500 lumens doesn't seem like a lot compared to bulb projectors but this holds its own. I have about a 90" screen right now with my light on and even on Eco mode (lower in brightness to save power everything is easily viewable. I don't even use regular mode as it makes the fan louder. The fan is not that loud but can easily be heard if the room is perfectly quiet. It sounds like a desktop computer with no dedicated graphics card. On Eco mode you can barely hear it. On regular, it's audible but nothing that would bother you. I sleep right next to it and it doesn't bother me one bit if I fall asleep watching a movie. In other words, don't worry about it. Some projectors have a problem with warming up and causing the picture to become out of focus but I leave this on all day and never have to focus it.

A recommendation, tape a piece of cardboard (or something that doesn't look as cheap) to the ceiling in front of the light that shines on the wall you are pointing your projector at. It will make a huge difference in brightness and won't affect the lightning in your room one bit. You will be able to watch TV with the lights on while only the wall with the picture on it will be dimmer. It works great and I don't even notice light is being blocked.

Keystone Correction

This projector has auto keystone correction as many projectors do these days although no one who uses projectors would recommend taking advantage of it. It distorts the picture because it needs to display a lower resolution to make up for the angle the projector is at Again, this is with all projectors. For a 90" screen my projector is about 4 feet off the ground and I use manual keystone correction set to 0. The image looks absolutely fantastic and I suggest you use manual and find where you can put the projector where you can set it at 0 in the menu. You will notice the top of the screen's image quality become dramtically better

Settings

Although I use eco mode all the time there is no quick setting on the remote for it. You have to go into the menus to turn it on and off. Play around with the color settings on the remote but you will find PC and Cinema look by far the best. Leave it on the best setting you find because it doesn't matter if you are watching TV or using your computer, those two will always be the best. Turn off auto source! It's super, super annoying. The second your computer or set top box does something and loses the connection for 1 second it will start cycling through trying to find a connection. I don't see anyone using anything but HDMI. Even if you did use another source just use the remote to change it. Trust me, its' really annoying. Now that I have it set on HDMI all the time I never have to change it.

Remote

The remote is very simple and I didn't expect much from it. I suggest you just get a learning remote and program the codes into that. It's too small and you will easily lose it. I just programmed a learning remote and kept the real one in a safe drawer.

Picture Clarity

Honestly, I hyped this projector up a lot and have been waiting for an LED projector with an acceptable amount of brightness. It definitely lives up to it. I can't wait to get home from work and play video games on it (which look incredible). I didn't play around with any color settings except the pre-chosen ones which I set on PC and left it (I feel it looks the best). Football looks amazing and walking into my roommates room who has a 37" LCD made me feel like I was watching it on a cell phone. This will ruin other screen sizes for you. I used to have a 50" plasma before I got this which was more expensive and I'm much happier with this. Sometimes when I use it I feel like I'm in the future (not kidding). The contrast ratio is a little low when the lights are on but don't let it discourage you, believe me, it's no plasma but it will not at all take away from the size and color of the image. Besides, anything that you want higher contrast ratio with you will turn the lights off anyway (even if you were watching on a TV) so that's not something to worry about.

Overall, I would give this 6/5 stars. I absolutely love it. If they come out with a 1080p version next year I'm getting it the day it's released. I seriously doubt I will ever buy another TV again. Feel free to post questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them. Hopefully I can get a hold of a real camera to do a video review because I'm not sure how well a cell phone will work.

Edit: Ok time for an update. I've had the projector for about 3 months now. I still love it and still won't buy another TV again. Here are things I came across over this period of time. These will be negatives that came up over time because I still stand by my original positive review so take that into account when reading this.

There isn't a way to split the audio at the projector. A commentor asked what to do when he wants to play something from flash. You would have to use the speaker in this case. I use my computer and a Ceton InfiniTV4 so it's like an all in one system (I never have to change the audio source so I never came across this). While I think playing from flash is worthless if you have a phone, laptop, or computer to hook up to this I guess it's a down fall for someone who does want to only play from the source

The projector, probably once every two weeks will turn itself off if I leave it on for a very long time (I'm not sure if it overheats or capacitors are overloading). YOu have to unplug the projector for a few seconds and turn it back on. I googled this and it happens with other projectors as well so I'm guessing it's a heat issue. It happens so rarely that I wouldn't worry about it. It's just something I wanted to include in the review. The projector can stay on for easily 12 hours, or even more. On the weekends I leave it on pretty much all day and night so I'm not entirely sure what is causing this.

Here is a funny problem that isn't an issue with the projector. It's actually impressive but it's sort of a downside due to the controller. There is an option on the remote that shows a bright lightbulb and a duller one. You would assume this is switching to eco mode to full brightness mode but all it does is change the color settings. I find it strange that someone would want to change the color settings MORE often than changing from eco mode to full brightness. At night when I'm going to bed, sometimes the projector is so bright it's like the light in my room is on. This is NOT a downside to the projector at all. It's just what happens when you have an 80" screen on your wall. You have to use the remote to go into the menu, go to LED mode, and change to eco mode (which is much more tolerable at night). I honestly leave it on eco mode most of the time and forget since it looks good enough most of the time anyway. It's just something I found weird that there isn't a quick switch on the remote.

Since the projection is 80" you can easily read text but it may be a little choppy. This isn't the projector's problem either. It's just the nature of stretching an image to 80". It's basically not as clear as a monitor (you wouldn't expect it to be). When you move the projector closer to the wall it looks VERY clear so I assume when a 1080p version comes out I'll be selling this and buying that.

So those are my negatives which really shouldn't deter you from getting one at all. I just wanted my final thoughts on it on here. Every single day I look up at my giant screen coming from this tiny box and laugh a little. It's seriously impressive. LED projectors are very young and I didn't expect such new technology to impress me so much. I can't wait to see the next 1080p version because I'll be getting it.

--Start of update on 1/22/2013

For the past few months, i have noticed that the video randomly goes blank, it displays "searching..." and the video comes back again. At first i thought it was not the projector. Later, i contacted customer rep and they said it's a HDMI bug (i should use shorter cables). But, i see the problem continues with all types of HDMI and VGA cables with different sources (laptop & cable box).

I am waiting for customer service to respond.

--End of update on 1/22/2013

This projector is worth buying. I am difficult at liking anything but this is a good projector.

+ Fan noise does make noise. It is not much and you don't hear anything when playing a video.

+ Video clarity is good. I don't see distortion or fuzzy pixels at all.

BIG issue : Using SD/USB disk option is good as no wires, but no audio outpput makes this meaningless (inbuilt speakers are meek)

When watching cable, if channel's resolution has changed then it tries to re-detect. Sometimes, it never finds, screen remains blank.

solution is hit HDMI again on the remote.

There needs to be an option to buy warranty to protect this investment

My Laptop --> USB --> Projector option to display laptop video didn't work. Customer Service is not able to solve this problem.

Note: Attached youtube video is a bit misleading. Projected video does not have any fuzzy pixels.

It is damn clear picture. I think the low lighting makes my Sony camera to creates a bit of fuzziness.

Note: Light coming from the projector illuminates the entire room

Note: Best results are when room is dark. Video is watchable is semi-dark / afternoons with blinds closed too.

Buy Optoma ML500, WXGA, 500 LED Lumens, Mobile Projector Now

::::.. I've been waiting for a decent led powered portable projector for a long long time. In the past the specs and performance of a led powered projectors were downright toyish. 30 50 lumens were way too dim, resolution was a new low, and the best connection you got was so 80's s-video. In the age of 1080p, over few thousand lumens, hdmi, HDTV, up conversion, and every other bragging gimmick the past "pico" led powered projectors ended up in gizmo crazys trophy stash, quickly forgotten, and I could see why...

::::.. Well this projector will change all that... There are other led powered projectors out there, some cost over $8000 that are focused on home theater, and there are comparable portable projectors like the LG HX350T (Only 300 lumen 1024 x 768 not even a true 720p), The NEC NP-L50W which has the same specs as the Optima, but costs over $750 and gets complaints on focusing issues, there is the ViewSonic PLED-W200 which is only 200 lumens,. The only one comparable to this projector is the ViewSonic PLED-W500 which is little more expensive. There are handful of others that won't get your attention as the ones that I've mentioned.

Most of them have some onboard memory for storing images, music, office files, and videos, and some have usb connection. I won't get into that because these are just added bonuses in which there was a small budget in developing, so the performance is very low at best (even dedicated media players have playback issues). Same goes for internal speaker which is ridiculously low and cheap!

::::.. Let's talk about this projector. This unit comes with all the connecting cables, but not the HDMI cable. HDMI connection is full sized, so you don't need a adapter. There is a VGA connection, S-video, full sized HDMI, mini USB, full size USB, full size SD, standard rca video and AV-in (3.5mm headphone type which feeds standard RCA video and analog audio). The unit comes is a really nice carrying bag, with front and internal pockets for all cables. The unit lacks lens cap which is odd knowing that it will be handled quite often. Built quality is really solid, all buttons are placed around some black brushed aluminum top, and have a good click feel.

There are tri rubber feet, front one can be raised, others are stationary. Focus ring is a little stiff causing you to play around little more..

::::.. Video, reason you buy a projector is for viewing things, not audio, or file storage, and you know better that for presentations you use a tablet or a laptop. Video on this thing is amazing! 500 lumens may seem tiny compared to a 2000 lumen projector, but this is a led light source. Colors are more vibrant, white is more white, and dlp helps to keep pixels unnoticeable, and blacks black. With any projector if you introduce some ambient light into the viewing room you end up with diluted image; black become grays, and dynamics go down significantly. Believe-you-me this projector copes very well with some intruded light. If you keep the image around 100" or lower the image is just right, it is sharp, saturated, good contrast ratio, and bright. Anything over that size will diminish sharpness , and black become gray. It will blow away LCD tvs, and plasmas due to the size of the image, yet keeping things crisp, and vibrant, of course in a well controlled lighting environment . I wish this unit had better blacks, but with tweaking its pretty decent... There are few image presets like PC, theater, user, vibrant. Pretty good starter presets, but NEVER assume they are the best presets! There are so many variables, image can always be improved, in my case a huge deal! Settings are limited, contrast, brightness, hue, sharpness and wall type. Wall type are presets made for different surfaces you can project your image on, It is really handy !

::::.. Unit comes with a small remote that has all functions. Had no issues beaming the remote signal to the unit from both the front and the back.

::::.. This unit runs very cool, fan noise is not that noticeable, very impressive. It amazes me that this little guy produces such gigantic bright image. I think that alone is stunning!

Startup and shutdown is quick. On my tests startup took 6 seconds, shutdown around 11 seconds.

::::.. This unit has a 60hz processing, and any other 90% of all the LCD, dlp, led, plasma tvs on the market. Yes newest models have 120, 240hz processing, but no one is amazed by them!

::::.. Led projector is Eco friendly in many ways! It consumes less power then conventional light source ( this unit consumes less power then a typical 40" LCD tv, yet produces over 100" image!), and the materials that are being used to make led is less abrasive on the enviroment using less energy to produce them, and less chemicals. It also outlasts typical projector light bulb by thousands of times! Typical projectors bulb lasts 2000hrs that declines in performance, led bulb 20,000hrs! It is THE main reason why the industry is switching to this technology.

So what and where can you use this unit for? Great for presentations, enough brightness for lit rooms, easy to read text, portable and light.

::::.. But this unit shines in home theater settings! 780p is stunning in a dark room with good projector screen with a good grain ratio. More importantly it can be used as your main tv for everyday, not worrying about bulb life or daytime situation.. Its fast enough for gaming, you will never look back again playing your favorite game on a 100" screen, it is amazing!!!!!!! No doubt this unit is a game changer, a new benchmark on portable led based projectors. It can only get better from here..........

Pros/Cons

::::..PROS

+ Brightness (500 lumens)

+ Led bulb/life (20,000 hours)

+ True 720p (1280x800)

+ Built quality, solid feel (hard plastic, some brushed aluminum)

+ Image quality ( solid vibrant colors, sharp, good blacks, good video response)

+ Portable (comes with great carrying bag with pockets for all cables)

+ Handels intrusive light very well (can be used for main tv with daytime light)

+ Cool operation, low fan noise

+ Variarity of connections (full HDMI, VGA, S-video, RCA video, AV 3.5mm video audio, mini USB, full USB, full SD)

::::.. CONS

No lens cap

Focus ring tight feel

Room for improvement of black level

Room for improvement of video processing (60hz)

Limited video controls (brightness, contrast, focus, sharpness..)

Limited media playback

Speaker is a joke....

Read Best Reviews of Optoma ML500, WXGA, 500 LED Lumens, Mobile Projector Here

UPDATE: January 29, 2012; I have posted a youtube video showing the focus at startup. As you'll see, it isn't that bad. It is slightly fuzzy but still readable and the videos don't seem to be affected (although I'm sure they are, if you look hard enough). With the price of this projector, the longevity of the lamp, and the quality of the picture, a 10 minute period at the start shouldn't be a huge problem for anyone. But to each his own. I still stand by my five star rating. I will update again if I come across something else. Good Luck!!!!

UPDATE: March 26, 2012; I continue to add videos to youtube. (optoma ml500 user review) I am 100% sure the focus at startup is because of the room temperature. Now that I am in warmer weather, the focus is clearing up in about 2 minutes. Once in the winter, I had the wood stove pretty hot, which made the livingroom warmer than normal and the projector started up completely in focus. So once spring and summer temps are up, there won't be a focusing period. One other small issue I have noticed is that the projector seems to need a system reset every 120 hours or so. I have over 800 hours now and it still works and looks great. However, every 120 hours or so it will shut down. I have to unplug it for about a minute. Then I plug it back in and it goes back to normal. Everything is still great quality. For picture quality and performance I still stand behind my 5 star rating. But because of needing a type of reset I would bring it down to 4 1/2 stars. This could just be my projector. I will update again. If you have questions, be sure to ask. It is amazing as I am writing this review on my 100" screen, sitting comfortably on my couch. :)

Update: May 6, 2012 Everything is still great. I have over 1200 hours now. Still shuts off every 120 hours (approximate). Quality is still great. Crisp picture from corner to corner. I have noticed that with Blu-ray the image is the best this projector will put out. So, if you have a Blu-ray setup, your movie nights will be outstanding with this projector. HDMI is the best input to use, VGA is very good as well. You will notice with the RCA video cable that the image looks very much like standard definition (which it is). But it still looks great. Let me know if you have questions or would like to see a certain video.

Update: November 17, 2012 I am at around 3000 hours now. I am still very happy with this projector. I can confirm, without a doubt, that the focus issue is related to the environmental temperature. Now that its winter again, if I don't keep the room temp up, there is a warm up, focusing period. The projector still requires a restart about every 120 hours. Very odd, but it works. Playing Black Ops is just amazing, movies are crazy good, and regular tv viewing is extremely inviting. I have had a couple of my family and friends buy a similar setup to mine cuz they are as impressedd as I am. It is very cheap when you compare to other projectors with the same specs. I now have about 9 videos on YouTube in response to requests. So, if you have a question or something you want to see, just let me know.

--------------------------------------------------

I can't say enough about this projector. The picture quality is awesome! The colors are outstanding, the clarity is stunning and it is very bright. Whoever is saying it isn't bright enough during the day is either watching it outside in direct sunlight, or with no roof on their house. I keep mine on eco mode because this projector is bright enough to do it. We watch at all hours of the day, keep our two windows open AND have lights on and can still see the picture very clearly. One downfall of having more light in the room is the black levels are sacrificed. If you can't watch a tv with bad black levels during lighted conditions then this should only be for your theater room. But this is more than adequate at allowing you to watch tv in the daytime. You'll be able to read everything on the screen and see all the detail.

I've seen some complaints about fan noise, and this is NOT a problem. Who watches tv with the volume all the way down anyway. Even with the projector volume on low I can't tell its running.

I spent way too many hours researching this. But I am not one to waste my money so I wanted to make sure I would be pleased. And I couldn't be happier. If you are close to deciding on this, just do it. You will be impressed. The speaker does a good job, the fan noise is not an issue, the picture quality is amazing, it is very portable (although i'll probably leave mine mounted), and the rated hours of the led's are impressive.

For the money, this is the best projector you will buy. I am coming from a 57" sony HD tv and I won't ever get another tv after this purchase. I will however buy a 1080p LED projector when it gets into my price range.

Let me sum it up for you; PS3 games are out of this world, movies are like being at a theater, surfing the internet is crazy awesome on a 100" screen.

Pros:

-picture quality

-good speaker

-very nice at 100"

-very bright

-awesome colors

-fan noise is not an issue

-way too many positives to mention

Cons:

-there is an initial focusing period of about 5 to 10 minutes, not so bad you can't watch tv. Not bad at all. But if you want to surf the net, you'll want to wait for it to completely focus first. This isn't an issue for me because I have mine on most of the time. Who flips the tv on 30 seconds before they want to watch the most important thing they will ever see? AND you'll still be able to see it AND read it.

I have posted four youtube videos and will post more if you have a question or want to see something. Just ask!

You won't be disappointed!

Want Optoma ML500, WXGA, 500 LED Lumens, Mobile Projector Discount?

If you are considering this project, first thing to do is to ignore the 5 star reviews. I enjoy my ML500, but it's has too many issues to be a 5 star product.

If you decide to go with the ML500, the first thing you want to do after you unbox it is to throw the remote control that it comes with in the trash. Get yourself a logitech controller. The include remote is terrible. The second thing you want to do after you set it up is to find one of your THX certified DVDs and run the THX optimizer that is on the disk. This will help you get the best picture from you ML500. Don't worry about ordering the THX optimizer glasses, you don't need them. Also run the optimizer a time when the light level in the room is at the level you will normally use the projector.

My ML500 is ceiling mounted projecting a 132 inches on a smoothed and white painted wall. I use it for blu ray movies and games on the PS3. With this configuration, the room must be totally 100% dark to enjoy the picture. Any light from light fixtures or windows completely washes out the picture and makes it unwatchable. Maybe if I project a smaller image or used a $200 a gallon screen paint it might be watchable with some light present, but I doubt it. This isn't a huge issue for me as I usually watch movies at night, but I would like to play a PS3 game during the day sometime.. I mainly game on the XBOX which is on a LCD TV, so not a big issue for me. Lumens gets ***

One thing the ML500 has no problems with is colors. Colors are bright and very pretty, even at 132 inches. Colors get *****

Next lets talk about focus. It's true that the focus ring is tight so it's tough to get it exactly where you want it. You might read in other reviews that the image on the ML500 is "soft". I can confirm that this is true. Adjusting the focus and contrast with the THX optimizer will help though. I would say that it's good enough for movie and games, but forget it for anything text heavy and don't even try web surfing. The text will give you a headache. Now here is something I can't explain.... my project and screen doesn't move, it stays in the same place. However, I find myself adjusting the focus every time I use the projector. Doesn't matter if I let it warm up for 10 minutes or not. focus gets ***

Fan noise, forget it, it's terrible. Even being mounted 6 feet over my head it's loud and distracting. noise *

Sound forget it, you'll need to use a receiver if you want good sound. sound *

Movies and games do look great, but the one thing that hurts them is the ML500s refresh rate. When the camera in a game or movie is moving forward or flying, it looks amazing. But, when the camera moves from left to right or right to left is when the 60hz refresh rate becomes apparent. It's not smooth. If they came out with a new model that the only different was a higher refresh rate, I would buy it. refresh rate gets *

Even though the contrast ratio on paper looks bad, on my white screen in total darkness, it looks good. The blacks are black and the whites are bright. With any light it is terrible though. Contrast ratio ***

I'll update this review later, but even though I have pointed a lot of negatives about the ML500, you have to consider the price and $ saving not having to replace bulbs. Not to mention it is fun watching a movie on a 11ft screen.

I hope the next model has a slight sharper image, 120hz refresh, and make it compatible with the optoma 3dxl.

StarTech.com HDACFM5IN 5 in High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet- HDMI to HDMI Mini- F/M

I needed a converter with a small bezel/grip around the male end, as the connector on my graphics card was in a narrow indentation in my case. This worked perfectly with the redmere hdmi cable I was using -I have a good signal and autodetection of the television works fine.

Nothing bad to say about it. I use it to connect my PC to an amp/receiver and since my gfx card only has mini hdmi I needed these to convert it. Works flawlessly.

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I purchased this to use with my AAXA P4-X projector. There were no issues with the cable, worked as expected.

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Does what it is supposed to do. When you only have a Mini HDMI output on your computer video card and need to connect it to your TV, this works great (along with a regular HDMI cable)

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Sony MVC-FD90 Mavica 1.2MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical Zoom

We bought this camera and the starter kit (extra higher capacity battery and carrying case) in time for a weeklong family vacation. After shooting 2000 pictures and 200 video clips on $15 worth of floppy diskettes during the trip, I want to say this is a great camera. The film developing costs saved on this trip alone could have paid for the camera!

The mpeg movies are a great feature.

I almost settled for the FD85, I'm glad we didn't because of extra features gained. This camera is smaller and cheaper than the FD95, and smaller than our "good" SLR but a bit bigger than the average point and shoot.

The FD90 works completely auto with the full range of point and shoot features found on our similarly priced SLR, or you can "cursor" through the on-screen menus and set a number of options including exposure and white balance. The "AE program button" allows you to quickly select "twilight mode", "twilight plus mode", "landscape mode", "panfocus mode" or "spot light-metering mode". The camera has a manual focus ring if you need to use it, and the flash can be set auto, manual on, manual off, or redeye. The camera also has a macro mode. I'm not a professional photographer, so I found myself playing with the manual settings learning what makes for a good photograph. It is great getting instant feedback on the digital screen. If it didn't work, I just reviewed, deleted and tried again something I've longed for using our SLR. This camera is as fun as it is useful! The FD90 is an easy point and shoot or if you want, you can control some of the action if you are just willing to read the manual and learn the controls. The camera is capable of more than just point and shoot, but the controls are unique.

Did I mention that this camera can also record short videos?

No hassle floppy diskettes are almost free these days and are available almost everywhere, only Mavica cameras write directly to them. Great feature when vacation down south got extended unexpectedly in winter months due to bad weather canceling flights back north. Windows 98/ME/2000 PC users don't need any additional software to view the pictures stored on the floppies the camera creates an HTML page right on the diskette linking pictures and movies for easy viewing. There is also a freeware utility floating around the Internet specifically written for Mavica owning PC users that will thumbnail your shots if you are into quick website creations.

You can zoom into and crop pictures, copy and format diskettes, etc. right on the camera so you don't need a PC to enjoy this camera especially with the supplied cable that plugs directly into composite inputs on your Television/VCR. Regarding the resolution, I take most of my pictures on the lowest resolutions and they are still good they print 3 x 5 no problem, even larger with very little distortion. On screen (or my TV with the supplied cable) they are great at the wimpy 640 x 480, especially with the camera in slide-show mode. Plug the camera into a VCR directly and set it on a tripod at family or church events and you have an extra camcorder! It's when you try to "blow up" a picture, or digitally zoom into a recorded shot that the extra pixels matter.

I did take 20 or 30 pictures at higher resolutions, but rarely the highest. After visiting with friends who are digital camera owners, a few with 2 mega pixel and higher possibilities, I'm hard pressed to believe most of us care for more than a mega pixel, as evidenced by the popularity of the Mavica FD73 that doesn't even have the ability. If you are a true photography buff/professional, or have some specialized business need for super clarity, I can see the mega requirement. If you rarely venture beyond 200 speed 35mm film in your SLR, and you rarely deviate from dropping your film off at the local supermarket for developing doubles on 4 x 6 with an index print, lets be realistic. For me the pictures are for memories rather than for artistic impression, and with this camera I get hundreds where I used to get dozens. With the manual features I can tinker with art when so inclined. I almost forgot to mention the solarize, B&W, Sepia, and Neg.Art effects.

Why not perfect? Well, the shutter hesitation does take some getting used to, and the camera seems to struggle a bit in low lighting although I'm not convinced I just haven't learned how to manually compensate with so many available options. I believe there is also an optional external flash. Lenses, external charger(s), memory sticks etc. are also available for this camera at an additional cost.

Oh, ya, this camera makes MPEG movies, up to 60 sec of audio/video per 1.44 diskette in the low-res mode!

We researched several cameras, and I am very pleased with this purchase. I think the Mavica FD90 has the best mix/compromise of digital camera features. For me the FD90 has set the standard for all others to compare. Sony has done it right.

I hemmed and hawed for quite a while before making the plunge to buy a digital camera. I wanted something to use for online auctions, and take pix to use on my web site. I had been taking analog pix, getting them developed, scanning them, and tossing them in a box. I was going to get the FD-73, but decided I might want higher resolution, so I stepped up to the FD-90. Wow! The #1 selling point for me was the floppy disk storage; friends of mine have cameras with cables and whatnot, and it seems like a big pain. I like not being tied to a proprietary hardware and software interface. I can take pix in the car, and unload them at home, work, or at a friend's house. If I need more "film" I can stop at any supermarket or office supply store and pick up a box of floppies. Just this weekend, I took some pix of a car that a friend was selling, then just handed him the floppy to take home and upload to his own computer. Now the kicker: this camera has MPEG movie capability, which I wrote off as a "well, that's cool, but I probably won't use it" feature. I couldn't have been more wrong that's the coolest thing about this camera! In addition to the pix I took of the car, I also created a "walk-around" video as well! Downsides? The zoom control is kinda awkward being on the front; they should have left it on the back, so you could work it with your thumb while working the shutter. It takes a great deal of dexterity to work the zoom while shooting a movie. The camera should also ship with the longer-life battery that's available as an option. And they should ship some sort of protective case with it.

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I own the MVC FD-88, which was the camera model just before the FD-90. I have to say I prefer the FD-88, which is unfortunate as Sony seems to have just stopped making it.

My major beefs with the FD-90 are first that you can only recharge the battery in the camera. This really stinks. I hate having to place an expensive piece of equipment on a shelf while it acts as a $20 battery charger. What a waste. The FD-88 came with a nice seperate charger, which actually took up LESS room than the equipment included with the FD-90, and you could go out and take pictures with a second battery while the first charged. Can't do that any more.

Secondly, the FD-90 pauses and freezes the image while you're focusing to shoot, which is really disorienting to me. Not to mention it doesn't get the fine-tuning in auto-focus on close-up subjects, even using the Macro option. I was really disapponted in that.

I've used the FD-88 a lot, and the FD-90 was a new toy to try out (my company bought it). I would have to say that I would wait on buying this camera until the "nest best thing" came out.

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I own the model that the FD 90 replaced, the FD88 and I have been using it for about a year. I feel I can review the FD90 because it is so similar to the FD88, and is an improvement over mine in a few important respects. The cameras are identical otherwise, except that Sony has made the FD90 into 1.6 megapixel instead of 1.3. This increases the resolution for larger prints and when you compress them (say to e-mail), they won't be grainy. Sony has also added their memory stick capability a great feature. Let me tell you about my FD88 and since the FD90 is even better, you can judge for yourself. The Sony Mavica FD88 is a terrific digital camera, especially for someone new to the genre and not necessarily extremely Computer literate. It takes great shots and the floppy disk storage medium is very easy to use and download to your PC. While its rated 1.3 million pixels is not as high as some other high level models from other manufacturers, in reality not too many people are going to appreciate much of a difference; the pictures look great, crystal clear, and very professional. Since the FD90 is improved in several respects over an already terrific camera, including somewhat higher resolution (1.6 million pixels), the FD90 has to be a real winner. The memory stick capability is an added bonus especially if you buy the memory stick-floppy disk converter. Then you can store literally dozens of shots. Well worth the price.

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I was enjoying my FD-90 and the combined convenience and hassle of having it record images onto a floppy disk (convenient in that you can easily transfer images to the computer--hassle in that you are constantly changing floppies), but now I love it. I purchased a Memory Stick and adaptor. Now, I can shoot away and not worry about having to change the diskette after every fifth shot. I also purchased a Sony photo printer for the computer. I am even more pleased with the camera now that I can get almost "lab-quality" photos from my home computer.

Nikon Coolpix 8400 8MP Digital Camera with 3.5x Wide Angle Optical Zoom Lens

I own both the Nikon 8800 and 8400. These cameras are a perfect pair with the 8800 telephoto capabilities and the 8400 wide angle. If I had to choose between the two, I'd go with the 8400. It is smaller, lighter and can be dropped in a coat pocket. Both cameras can go between full manual to completely auto. There are a good number of scene modes as well. In essence they are identical other than the zoom and image stabalization on the 8800 (necessary with the 10x zoom).

I bought this camera to replace a high MP Sony pocket camera, and I am thrilled with it. The picture quality is absolutely gorgeous in any lighting. The red eye reduction really works, and gets rid of the red-eye before it ever gets to the memory card. It has a compact flash card memory system, which is great because big compact flash cards are much more afforadable than the other types of cards. This camera is better than my brother's Canon SLR in terms of picture quality, but not nearly as bulky and cumbersome. The battery life is fantastic. One other nice feature is the screen at the top of the camera which lets you see how many pictures you have, and the batter life, mode, etc without opening the screen. The only drawbacks to this camera are (1) not the biggest zoom lens, but plenty enough for the typical photographer, (2) the screen could be bigger, but still acceptable, and (3) when you have the screen open, you can't use the viewfinder, which is a little annoying, but not a big deal. I have owned 4 other high-end digital cameras and this is by far the best one I have ever used.

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And after having a Nikon 950 for a number years, it was time to just move up. The one thing that I did buy with my N950 was a fisheye lense, which I really enjoyed. But after a while those fisheye picture really got kinda boring, but what I really enjoyed the most out of it was the Wide Angle'ness of the lense.

Most camera only give you 28mm worth of lense, but the one thing that sold me on this camera was that it did go down to 24mm and I wanted my next camera to have that movie mode. A trival feature for some folks, but as Compact Flash cards get cheaper by the day. Having a digital camera with a 60 sec (30fps movie is alot of fun, which is the TV standard), There is also a 15fps mode which is idea for sending over the internet via e-mail (cable modem best required as we're talking about a 30 second flick weighing in at about 3MB in length)...But, I don't have any problems using my local dial up... but it's just takes longers to upload and download.

But, the 24mm and 8 Megapixel, which in most regard captured photos in the ISO rating of 50. Which if you know photography this is superb for capturing colors and definition. If your looking for a camera shooting far away shots, this probably isn't it.

I prefer to shoot people and large machines with in a 50 feet distance... However, this is a real dandy for photographic the wide open great outdoors mountain top/city scapes skylight photos. Every photographer is different in what they shoot.

I also like to zoom in on a macro mode and photograph ants and little bugs. They just make for interesting photographs. This lense is tight and I love how they (Nikon) has listen to the photographers over the year in pointing out what would make a camera easy to operate and very functional. Once you master this electronical beast, which is pretty straight forward easy. Well then, you'll see how fast you'll get hook on using it.

Alot of photographers on several of the digital camera review online sites have some really great reviews online. But take them all with a grain of salt. Will you really be worried about a 1/8 second lag in your shutter. I won't.

I was seriously considering getting a Nikon D-70, and having the flexibility of a variety of lense. But, in all reality, I found by the time you had to tote around all your gear and worry about getting it ripped off. Photography, by and whole wasn't worth the time of day. However, if you can buy something with a great lense attached to it and a functional device... Well, then you'd have the perfect set up. The D70 is a sweet camera to hold in your hand but, if you looking for something way more function without the big price tag, take a look at the 8400 or the 5400.

Granted, this camera doesn't look cool like a DSLR, but I perfer to choose the easy of use and fuction over a big bulky DSLR and also, if your a world traveler, all theives know SLR are worth a lot more than these boring looking cameras,,,which pack alot of punch.

Also..one more thing I like about this camera is the LCD panel that can adjusted to your line of sight. The DSLR LCD window are built into the body of the camera... Thus, when shooting over a crowd of people you can visually see what your aiming at and equally so, when you set the camera on the ground you don't have to lay on your belly to see what the camera is focused on. So, if you say a ship mechanic and need to take a picture in a small space, this camera allow you the flexibility to focuse on the hard to reach subject.

Also the D70 doesn't have a movie mode.

Now go check out those other reviews!!

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If you're looking to capture "The Decisive Moment" with the Nikon Coolpix 8400, STOP---DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA!!! For that matter, carefully check any digicam or other camera with which you want to capture "action," because what you think you see, may not be what the camera has the ability to capture as an image.

Let me briefly explain where I'm coming from: I made my living as a field photojournalist for 40 years. By the time I retired out of the business I had probably created something like a million color and b&w film images. I owned and used mostly Nikon equipment all those years (although I sure liked working with Leica rangefinder cameras and short focal length lenses), starting with the original Nikon F SLR (which I still have) and finishing up with the N90S and probably ten different lenses of varying focal lengths. I like Nikon equipment a lot.

I decided to begin working with digital images last year. I was attracted to the Coolpix 8400 because the "spread" on the zoom lens was the 35mm camera equivalent of 24mm--85mm. When I worked with film I probably used my 24mm and 105mm Nikkors more than any others in my bag, so this little Coolpix beauty had just about what I was looking for in one package.

Let me say that while the problems with the viewfinder and shutter lag make this camera absolutely useless for editorial photojournalism, it is, nevertheless, a marvel of human ingenuity. For many other uses---such as taking pictures of fire hydrants or cows standing in a pasture (put another way, things that don't move), it works wonderfully well.

Seriously, I shot an assignment here in Tucson that was essentially architectual in nature. The images can only be described as superb (if I do say so myself). I worked only with the camera and a tripod on the shoot. Working inside I simply changed the light balance within the menu on the 8400 (which you can pretty much do on any digital camera these days), did not have to check the scene with a separate exposure meter, etc. Point being that with film I often carried a bunch of light balancing filters and sometimes a separate Gossen exposure meter and all sorts of lights to shoot an assignment. Even then, I'd sweat blood until I could get the processed film on a light table. Of course with digital, I (you) don't have to worry about any of that stuff. One can check the image immediately and know instantly if you're good to go.

Alas, the shutter lag on this, and many other digital cameras made these days, is the "downcheck" which makes me unable to recommend the 8400. There is also the delay in the electronic viewfinder to deal with. The combination of shutter and viewfinder lag make it absolutely impossible to capture an image, the precise composition of which lasts only a split-second. I have taken many good pictures of people working, "action" shots and the like, but it was only by taking large numbers of images of any given activity and then retaining the one or two that said what I intended that I achieved my purpose. Essentially, my shooting eye (which is pretty damned good) had nothing to with it. It's like a soldier trying to kill an enemy with a machine-gun---if he fires enough rounds, one of them is going to hit the other guy. Marksmanship has nothing to do with it. Same-same shooting with electronic viewfinders and shutter lag. If you shoot enough images, statistically you're probably going to get a good one. But it's not a very good way to do things.

So if you're looking to capture what Henri Cartier-Bresson (I'm not sure I've spelled his name correctly) so artfully described as "The Decisive Moment," look at a digital single-lens reflexes, or wait for improvements in digicams.

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Update 3/06:

Well, after using this camera for 3 months I have to come back with the following feedback:

-it is heavier and bulkier than many 5mp cameras (does not fit in a standard pocket-size portable camera bag)

-sometimes people's lips come out BLACK or PURPLE in the pictures

-the shutter lag time is annoying (as someone reported above). I haven't yet figured out a setting where the camera will take one shot exactly when I press the button if I just took another shot within the last few seconds. So I get a few pictures of people with frozen smiles on their faces or miss some shots. Can anyone offer some advice for this sticky situation?

-other than that, I still love the camera great resolution and if you have the red-eye reduction on it works pretty well, battery is easy to recharge

Original review:

I purchased the Nikon Coolpix 8400 12/05

It was rated first in Advanced Compact Digital Cameras category by Consumer Reports 11/05

We got a big discount buying this camera through Amazon.com when there was a limited-time promotion

It was actually shipped by Ritz Camera

Comes with neck strap, battery and charger! Does not have built-in memory so you need to separately buy a compact flash card. A high-speed CF card would be a good idea. I would also recommend you buy an extra rechargeable battery and a camera case.

Per specs: "Coolpix 8400, lens cap, strap, USB cable, audio video cable, rechargeable Li-ion battery EN-EL7, battery charger MH-56, remote controller ML-L3, PictureProject CD-ROM"

I have changed the settings to take pictures in "Fine" resolution and they are running 1,600-2,500 KB in size. "Extra fine" mode is also available but I don't think I will need to use it unless taking a super-important photo.

We are upgrading from a Nikon Coolpix 5200 (the zoom button broke when I dropped it on the deck). The 8400 is black, not silver, and a bit larger/heavier. This digital camera is a big step up. The 8400 seems to have better red-eye correction and a good backlit mode. Some people have complained that on another Nikon camera the red-eye correction is automatic, whether you like it or not, however on the 8400 you do not need to worry about that because it is optional.