Panasonic PV-GS29 MiniDV Camcorder with 30x Optical Zoom

Just got this so I'm not an expert yet. First impressions:

-Easy to use, did not have to read the manual (only the first pages as not to mess up the battery).

-Very good quality in low light environments.

-Because it's very compact in size, fits in the palm of your hand, and it's lightweight.

-Good zoom (30x) which lets you film from afar.

Quality of the film: very good, although since it's my first camcorder I do not have comparison parameters.

Battery: My only gripe so far is that the battery does not last long, but it charges very quickly so what I'll do is just buy a second one to have in my pocket just in case.

Interface: It does not have a USB connection but a FireWire port so I'm downloading directly to my computer. Another option I explored was connecting it to my Samsung DVR-120 DVD Recorder, where I downloaded my film and burned it directly to a DVD-R.

It has other options which I'm not familiar yet. As I get to use them I will update my review.

I recommend it to any beginner or folks who need a quick solver for those birthday parties and road trips. I suppose it does not compare to those high-end 3CCD devices, but I didn't expect it to be more than it is: a great first camcorder.

This is Panasonic's entry-level camcorder, but it's packed with useful features, like good image quality, 12 lux sensitivity, and a whopping 30x optical zoom. I think it's perfect for casual travel videography as well as for shooting entries to the "America's Funniest Video" show. It's fairly easy to use and the build quality is solid.

A good optional accessory to get is a spare battery. You never know if the battery might run out at the most inopportune time, so be sure to pick up a backup one. Given the recent Dell recall of 4.1 million laptops due to battery fire, you should get a genuine Panasonic LiIon battery designd specifically for this model. Don't put your life or your loved one's at risk.

The reviewer named "Hung" got it totally wrong (or was just plain lying). The GS29 does come with IEEE1394 Firewire (aka i.Link) so you can download your videos quickly to your PC; if your PC doesn't already have an IEEE1394 port, you can get a PCI IEEE1394 card for $30 or less. You can use Windows Movie Maker, included with Windows ME and XP, to edit your videos and export them to CDs or DVDs.

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You won't go wrong with a Panasonic DV. I've had a few models. I have several of this model for my business. They're rock solid reliable, nice and small for portability, and the quality of the recording is very good.

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Very small and easy to carry. Neat on the zoom, a bit hazy on the image stabilization but overall a good buy for the buck.

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This is very nicely built, simple features, takes still pics as well.

As long as your not a professional filmer that needs HD, go for it.

Video & sound quality is great.

Cable Matters 6 ft High Speed HDMI Cable in White for 3D 4Kx2K HD Displays

GREAT SERVICE,RECEIVED CABLES IN LESS TIME THAN ESTIMATED. EACH CABLE WAS WRAPPED INDIVIDUALLY AND WERE IN NEW CONDITION. THEY ARE NICE HEAVY CABLES THAT ARE AS GOOD OR BETTER THEN ANYTHING AVAILABLE IN RETAIL STORES AT A MUCH LOWER COST.

I received this cable in standard packaging and connected my receiver and TV. So far, it has been working well, without any hassle.

It's a great price for a white cable that will mesh with your environment.

Missing one star, simply because I do not see warranty information listed on the product page.

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Before I purchased this to run through my wall I tried using a thick cable and it was a disaster. This flat cable worked well running through the wall and connecting behind my plasma with a limited amount of depth. it is also ARC compatible so it works with my sound bar.

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Product works and the price was great. HDMI cables are typically way over priced and not worth the money, this was reasonably priced.

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Cable is sturdy but not so much that it does not bend. I use the cable on my computer monitor so I can use the 1 available HDMI port on my graphics card for my TV.

Display and audio quality is great with absolutely no issues. I would definitely recommend this product!

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JVC Everio GZMG21 20GB HDD Digital Media Camcorder with 32x Optical Zoom

I moved up from a MiniDV camcorder to this one because of the hard-drive recording. It was a *great* purchasing decision. My personal favorite features:

Plug it into your computer, drag and drop the clips to your computer, rename them from .MOD to .MPG, and then author a DVD. NO CONVERSION NECESSARY! Records AC-3 audio.

Easy manual control

Intuitive navigation of the menu structure (MG21 has a 'stick' control while the MG20 did not)

16:9 recording! Fills up my HDTV.

32x OPTICAL zoom

~5 hours of recording time even in the highest quality setting

Downsides:

Quality out of the box is not so good, BUT with a few adjustments it is much better

How I get good low-light/indoors video (do the following steps indoors with the camera in capture mode):

1) Disable the "Gain Up" feature (major contributor to the grainy low-light video)

2) Turn on "Manual" mode (via AUTO button)

3) Go to the manual control menu (down on the 'stick')

4) Set AE to '+2'

5) Highlight 'MWB' in the WB menu, point the camera at a sheet of paper (position the camera so the sheet of paper fills the view of the camera) and press and hold the middle of the 'stick' until 'MWB' stops blinking (about 5-10 seconds).

6) Set S.sp. to 1/60

7) Press down on the 'stick' to exit the manual control menu

After doing this, my indoors video quality is MUCH better (no more noise/grainy video). The settings will be saved, even if the battery is removed or depleted; they will return even if you switch to AUTO mode then back to MANUAL.

I am really happy with this camcorder.

I chose JVC everio of course because of its ability to write video files on hard drive and then easily copy them to my PC ( don't forget to change .MOD extension to MPG to play it in any player. Also you may need MPEG-2 codec which you can find on internet). No tapes, disks, etc. Just calculate how much you will spend on these items of the past. I think they still exist just because of companies getting money for this on the regular basis. If you have a tape camera you are busted for all your life to feed producer of DV cassettes... But this is all just thoughts.

About the camera you can read a lot of reviews for other models which are almost exactly the same and get a lot of useful information. I just chose the cheapest model which is totally enough for my needs. Summary is that this camera is very convenient, battery life is less than 1 hour, video quality during the day is good, during the night is no quality at all and in low light you should play a little bit with the settings. I've read other reviews and just want to repeat this: try GAIN UP setting or follow this advise of one reviewer:

I came of a way to improve its indoors performance

significantly, use "M" mode with white balance set to

"Cloudy" and shutter speed set to 1/50 (in extreme

conditions 1/30)

The camera store these settings, so you just need to

set these once and switch to "M" whenever shooting indoors.

I think JVC should give more hints to people, not everyone can guess such things.

So 5 stars for the idea minus 1 star for battery, bad manual and average video quality.

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I recently purchased this product and have been very happy with the performance. It is very small and light and the recording quality is really good. I especially like the ability to record segments directly to the hard drive. It is very easy to delete the bad takes and just get the good stuff. The quality in dark places or at night is not very good (except for close-up subjects), but considering the size of the camera I am fine with limiting recording the well lit places.

I would highly recommend this purchase, especially for getting good video of kids or friends.

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I got this camera as a graduation gift, yet i had to pitch in 200 of my own, which was completely fine for me..

I use this very often, and my band does touring and I record everything that goes on, and make videos out of the clips.

The hard disk drive is very helpful, because all I need to do is plug into a power source, and I can record out whole show!!!

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THO TO TURN DEMO MODE OFF BEFORE RECORDING WITH THE CAMERA ON A TRIPOD WHEN IT IS STILL, my camera kept shutting off during out last show, and our show tonight will record smoothly..

I use this for documenting pretty much anything that happens, and I love it, cool features like "old reel-type film", black and white, strobe, sepia, and it shoots in 16X9 which is a cool feature to have, because I produce the videos in that format.

I love this camera and would definately tell everybody to buy this camera for any use.

the only negative thing is nightime recording isn't that great, so have an external light source... or don't record at night ;)

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This is a great product. I love the design, size, hard drive (no tapes!), 32X optical zoom, added convenience of an SD card, as well as excellent video quality. The format that it records videos on can be easily changed by changing the extension of the file. Downloads to PC without issues and easy to setup and watch recorded videos on TV. Now the Auto settings are not the best for indoor/low light conditions so try using it under Manual recording mode setting the AE to +3, the WB to Halogen, and the Shutter Speed (S.Sp) to 1/60 or in extreme conditions to 1/30. These settings worked really well for me and I am really happy with it. Also disbale the "Gain Up" feature which is makes video quality bad. I recommend to get a 5-hour spare battery is only like $25-35 online and worth every penny. I have not used the software that came with it though.

Nikon COOLPIX S9300 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 18x Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and Full HD 1080p

I'm sure I either have a bad copy...or some of the reviewing users here haven't put it through it's paces.

My problems:

1. S9300 will not lock focus when zoomed at or near it's maximum.

2. Selecting one of the Auto ISO ranges...125-800 ISO causes the camera to select very low shutter speeds, so that even with vibration reduction, if you are shooting people, the imgages are soft...appearing OOF...out of focus. (Unacceptable for this price range.)

3. The facial recognition feature, if used on anything but faces...will most often select something other than what you want to focus on...and since this is a menu driven feature, if you're switching between sceens, like at a birthday party, it's a pain to use.

4. Generally speaking, the images leave a lot to be desired across the board. And, this is the general consensus of online reviews...rating the camera a "C" as very average. I have to agree.

5. Portrait mode is way too cool...and there is no way to adjust the color temp in any mode except Auto. Or from the menu when in Auto...again, for the price, this is unacceptable.

6. And this is a biggie...I have lost confidence in the camera's ability to capture the shots that I want.

I tried to like it...I shot over 200 images...and very few were keepers. I had a Canon Elf S600...and it took better images than this model...and the Canon S600 is 4 years old.

I have called Nikon and asked for an RMA and am returning S9300 for a refund. Bottom line, for $349.00, this camera is a poor to average performer...yeilding good to mediocre images.

I don't disagree that if you are outside in bright light that it takes pretty good images...but, still not up to my expectations for the price tag.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this camera to friends or anyone else.

Like I said in my opening statement...I may have a bad copy. These are just my findings on the copy that I received...

Not a happy camper here...

UPDATE: Going on vacation soon and wanted a better point and shoot. Purchased the Nikon P7700 compact point and shoot. I am thrilled to say that this is more like what I was looking for when I bought the S9300. There are lots of external controls...more is better...such as a thumb wheel to adjust your exposure on the fly...way cool.

Image quality is first rate at this price point($399.00.) It is bigger than the S9300 and doesn't have the zoom range...but it does zoom optically to the equivalent of 200mm. Nice.

Just check out the P7700 here at Amazon...you won't be sorry.

I see Nikon has yanked the S9300 and replaced it with an S9500...so, reviews weren't wrong...to bad for current S9300 owners. I wonder if Nikon will be offering a discount on the new S9500, if you send in your S9300.

Bought this camera since i lost my canon powershot sd900. I only buy canon products but since nikon has been advertising the heck out of their products i thought i give it a chance. Overall this camera takes awesome photos. The in camera features are great as well. My only problem is that in order to review your photos you have to turn on the camera you just can't press the review button. When you do take a photo it takes forever for the preview to disappear. You can either have it on or off. With canon it gave you the option of 1,2 or 3 second preview. The last thing is that the flash is in an awkward place but as i was looking at the canon website every company is going to that format. I would recommend this camera to someone though.

Rcubed.

Buy Nikon COOLPIX S9300 16 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 18x Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and Full HD 1080p Now

Being a happy user of Nikon dSLR's and also my camera of choice for most stuff, there are still certain benefits in a good compact. My last compact being an olympus, which was a very disappointing experience. All the nikons I have owned in the past have always had a good build quality so that's what swung it for this one. When I purchased this camera it was brand new to the market so there was limited reviews but mostly positive. The Lumix zs20 nearly got my money as it is also a fantastic compact with similar spec but i'm a sucker for the nikon brand so I took the plunge. First impressions were that it is smaller then I expected, which is a good thing to me as that is the point of a compact right. The build quality seems good as do the ergonomics. Have taken a few hundred shots with it and am very impressed. Low light shots are particularly good with very low noise. The 18 x zoom is silent, quick and very smooth with decent optics, my only complaint being that at the maximum reaches and the camera being so small it is hard to hold steady enough for a sharp image but that is probably the issue on any small camera with a long lens. Great glove box or travel camera that can be recharged from anything with a USB. Very pleased with it so far.

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I bought this camera to use as a point and shoot camera when I didn't want to carry my SLR. Given that I have been so happy with my Nikon DSLR purchase, I thought I would by happy with this purchase. The design of the camera is terrible and the flash is located in a terrible place that is very inconvenient. The biggest problem that I have though is the fact that this camera takes mostly blurry pictures. I would think the idea of a point and shoot is that you can grab it out of your bag and just take a picture. I recently took a trip to colorado and took a bunch of pictures only to find that most of them had awful color balance and were extremely blurry. I really couldn't be more disappointed in my purchase and I am going to try and figure out if I can return it.

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So I bought this camera 6 months ago and have used it steadily ever since. I've been a photographer for over 40 years and its a good quality device.

There have been no failures and I've had relatively little trouble learning to use it on the fly. (Although I admit I used the instruction manual once!) I've used the camera in below zero conditions in the snow, backpacking, in low light, in the rain as well as in bright sunlight. It performs excellently in all conditions, giving good crisp and clear photos. Of course, this means that you've actually taken the time to compose the shot ahead of time. No camera will compensate for poor set up. It has never froze, or given me an error message.

As with any new camera there are some things you have to learn to do differently. I've adjusted to the fact that the flash pops up under where I usually put my left index finger and never think about it.

I'd recommend the camera as a good all around camera.

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eForCity 6FT VGA Male to HDMI Male Heavy Duty Cable For PC TV

NOTE: Your Video card must support digital signal output through VGA port function.

My bran new HP laptop and bran new Hdtv were not able to connect with this cable! You also have to purchase a VGA to HDMI converter box with scaler, in order to project from your PC to your HDTV. Be leary of companies that give you false hope! I was convinced it would be as simple as buying this cord. However, after buying it, I discovered that VGA is an analog signal, and HDMI is a digital signal. This cord does not convert the signals! You will more than likely have to purchase a graphics card for your pc that does this, or buy the converter box. The boxes are very pricey! The least expensive one I found, was around $45, and upwards of $300! Good luck!

Warning about VGA to HDMI Cables:

Please be wary of cables promising the impossible. VGA is an analog signal and HDMI is digital. It is impossible to go from one to the other without a converter. Beware of cables like the one pictured here. You will need to use an active VGA to HDMI converter like those described below, unless you have a specialized graphics card.

The buyer is not trying to mislead any of you! You need to do your research before you buy something. This cable does EXACTLY what it is supposed to do. You shouldn't give an item a bad rating because you didn't do your homework.

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I'm sure I will be blasted by many people in the 4 and 5 stars section saying "the product is great and you're just an idiot for buying it for a purpose that it's not designed for." Okay I guess they're right. But just in case you are reading this and like most of us, you have come to the logical conclusion that a cable with a computer attachment at one end and a tv attachment on the other will hook up.... a computer to a tv (what were we thinking:) than don't be fooled. My issue is that I can't help but wonder if the seller intentionally doesn't state that fact clearly because doing so would cost him/her money.

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This cable by itself will not get the job done, which is in the item description! Just because you choose not to read does not mean you have the right to call the seller a ripoff. Now onto the actual review:

This cable connects to your VGA out (the blue port in your machine) and connects to an HDMI port on a converter box. Now I say converter box for a reason, because VGA is an analog output and HDMI is a digital input. For those who aren't familiar with analog and digital consider this: remember when you were younger and had those rabbit ears on your tv? Try using them today, you won't get many channels when 3 years ago you'd get all local channels. The antenna is an analog reciever (the VGA port) but all airwaves are digital now (HDMI input), so you won't see a picture.

If you do not have a converter box to change the signal from analog to digital, pass over this item and consider getting a VGA-VGA cable, most HDTVs have a VGA port; just look on the input menu, if it says "PC" you have a VGA input.

I bought a converter box alongside this item and the quality is as I expected. It's not quite full HD, but it doesn't matter too much how the quality is to me. The only downside is my laptop does not have the screw holes on it and the screws do not retract far enough back for me to push the connector all the way in, but a simple smash will rid that issue (this thing is durable!)

All in all, if you have the converter, this cable is what you need to finish your setup.

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I ordered this cable and it doesn't work when I contacted them they told me I was doing something wrong. I then had my dad who it a certified computer tech look at it and there is something wrong with the cable. When I told them they never responded to me again.

TRENDnet ProView Wireless Advanced Pan/Tilt/Zoom Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP400W

A decent remote ip camera for home applications. Setup was easy, although I have set up similar products before. Shipped camera did not work properly in Firefox, although after I downloaded the upgraded firmware the issue was addressed. Focus is not great in low-light situations, but acceptable. I would recommend for the casual home user, but would suggest a more expensive version for business applications.

I bought this camera for the pan/tilt feature, but I found out that it does not work with well with Vista. I also thought the video would be as good as the TV-IP110W fixed wireless camera, but it is not. I am an IT guy and I have used several cameras and this is one of the worst I have ever used. I do wish Trendnet would get their act together and make a pan/tilt wireless with a high quality video sensor. Their other products are much better than this one. Buyer BEWARE....

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I bought one for my house 1 1/2 years ago so I could see my cat when I was out on business, then I bought another one 4 months ago to monitor the back entry and traffic area. I haven't had problems with them and setup was relatively simple, after following the instructions.

I am a very detailed person and compared feature to feature, this product to similar D-Link and Linksys models. TRENDnet beats them on features and the price is 1/2 of that of D-Link.

You can pan and tilt the camera when you are out on business and it sends me email alerts when motion dection is triggered.

I wish they had this deal 4 month's ago!!!!!!

This is an amazing price...

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I purchased this camera to use at my cabin. I have trouble keeping a computer with a conventional webcam alive when I'm not there, so this was a great solution since it plugs straight into the router and functions without a computer. I find the picture quality to be good as long as there is adequate lighting. Actually, you can see quite a bit even in low light. I haven't been able to figure out how to put the video feed onto a separate web page, otherwise I would give the camera five stars. Programming the router for remote access via your ISP is not all that easy, but it can be done with a little understanding of IP addressing and networks. The camera has an amazing pan and tilt range!

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Works as advertised, but the Java plugin is mysterious. I can't get it to work in Java mode on my Vista based PC, but it does on XP. None of my Macs can do it over the web. Active X in Explorer works fine. A bit pickier than the stationary trendnets.

Camera works great, easy setup, worth the price. Just be aware you're not going to view live motion with anything by Windows Explorer and Active X.

.. Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Nikon Coolpix L21, L22, L110 Digital Camera

I purchased this starter kit based on the excellent reviews and the price. I should have known better. Most of the items in the kit are useless. The LCD screen protectors are very, very thin and do not even stay on the screen, the cleaning kit is redundant in that the kit also comes with a microfiber cloth that does the same thing, less the cotton swabs that I am sure anyone would have, The bag itself is a bit small, and it not that sturdy. I guess between the camera bag and the tripod you get your money's worth, but it is not the deal it appears to be. Also, once you factor in the $12 for shipping its really not the bargain it appears to be. Bottom line the kit is not a winner.

I got this set when I purchased my camera with a bundle about 3 months ago. I am not a pro photographer, as a matter of fact, this is the first time I've used any accessories with any of my cameras. These were easy to use and plentiful. The table top tripod is my favorite its simple and quick for a fun snap shot with out an extra set of hands. It just flexes about on the ends and when you set your camera on top, its surprisingly sturdy. The fold out try pod is light and nicely sized. It is, however, delicate. Your gonna want to watch your step when folding and unfolding this one, ie... be gentle people. The bag can carry your camera, extra batteries, extra memory cards, all your camera connections, and the small tripod safely with plenty of room. Highly recommended for beginners. We used our bundle you take our own wedding invitation photos and were very pleased. In fact, most of our friends and family thought they were professional photos. With this bundle a decent camera and a little imagination anyone can take a great family or group picture anywhere anytime.

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Starter kit was shipped quickly and works well the recently purchased Nikon L110 camera. Price and quality for the included camera products was a great value.

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All in all, for the price, EXCELLENT! Only two issues. 1.) The items in the picture vary from the items you get. The table-top tripod is "Polaroid" brand. Same as Memory Card Wallet. Another small difference is the lens cleaning kit. It also has a pack of lint free tissue. The bottle has a drop by drop type lid.

Although these small alterations did occur, the deal is TREMONDOUSLY GOOD! The set is excellent for teenagers. That way you have peace of mind because of the price. I would recommend this product for any amateur.

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Each of the products were of high quality. It was a very good deal. 5 stars! I used the big tripod to click an awsome image of the moon using the Nikon L110.

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Vivitek D825MX 2600 Lumen XGA DLP Projector

I've used a few other projectors, but this is first one I've owned. I selected it for use in many different venues for large and small groups. I made my best guess based on the reviews, zoom, brightness, clarity, ease of use, weight, size, and noise. I also liked the long life and lower replacement cost of the lamp. I've been quite satisfied with the D825MX performance regarding all my criteria except zoom, which is minimal. The zoom is so minimal in fact that it functions more like a minor adjustment similar to keystone (which works well). If I had it to do all over again I would study the zoom numbers carefully and look for something that provides more meaningful options for locating the projector. As it is, for a 5' high image, there is only a 2 foot difference in distance from the screen (from 12 feet to 14). I don't blame the product which performs as advertised, just the understanding the implications of every aspect of the specifications before purchase. I may yet return it for one with better distance options.

Coming back to this about a year later, I am still very happy with the D825MX and have not found the lack of zoom to be a problem. My peers have other projectors that I don't prefer but they're envious of the long lamp life and low lamp replacement cost. I've loaned this out a lot and had no troubles despite some rough handling. This is a good solid machine.

I was curious about the Vivitek brand since it's a fairly new name, at least to me. Last time I researched for projectors was probably back in 2002~2003 when the popular Infocus X1 first came out. This time, it turns out that the transformer manufacturing giant, Delta Electronic is actually behind the Vivitek brand. Delta (based in Taiwan) supplies excellent power transforms for major computer OEMs such as Apple, Dell, HP and Xbox and so on. So there's a good chance that the computer you are using now has a Delta power brick right at this moment. Delta is highly respected in the transformer business. So there, a little background about the brand. And now you can be rest assured knowing that 3 years down the road when you need to replace that projector lamp, the company will still be around.

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Purchased projector in October of 2009 and used for 10 months with no problem at all. Projector was sufficiently bright for use during daytime, wasn't too noisy, and the focusing knobs were easy to use. I began using the device more frequently a month ago, and a few pixels started sticking in the full open (white) mode. At first it was just a few, but then then number started to grow every time the device was turned on. Power cycling did not fix the problem, and soon there were ~20 stuck pixels scattered all over the image! I wrote to ViviTek, filled out an RMA form, and waited for a response. One of their customer service representatives, Jason Kang, refused to answer my e-mails, and there was no response from . Their phone number always sends you to an answering machine and your call will not be returned. In summary, their customer service could not be worse. Amazon's on the other hand is wonderful. I called them this morning, explained my problem, and they shipped me a replacement immediately.

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After reading reviews on similar Vivitek products, I took the plunge and purchased this projector in April 2010. I am very impressed with the projector's bright and clear image. I projected a 75" x 75" image in a sunlit room and the image was clear and not faded by the ambient light in the room. In the dark, this projector is amazing.

I operate my projector with the lamp in economy mode and fan on high as this will probably prolong the life of the lamp. With the fan on high, the projector barely warms up.

I use a hi-def tv tuner by KForce with VGA out (1280 x 760) and standard laptop VGA output as the source for this projector. Both work very well with this projector. At the time I purchased, HDMI inputs added another 1 or 2 hundred dollars to the price. Due to my budget I chose to stay at this projector's price point. Since HDMI appears to be a decent standard for the future, you may want to buy a projector with an HDMI input.

The project carry case is not padded so use care when moving the projector.

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I was excited to finally buy a 2600 lumens projector for an affordable price. Unfortunately, on my first try to use it, I experienced a "flickering" image. Very embarrassing and I suggest others try it before the presentation. I went on Vivitek's web site and put in my question in the form. I've been searching for an answer too. If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it. Otherwise, I'm going to return the item. While it is okay to carry at about 5 lbs., I'd spend the extra money and buy the 3.2 lbs. It also seemed really hot even though it was only going for about 5 minutes. I'm disappointed.

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Mediabridge High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (1 Foot) - Flex Series

I purchased one of these to enable 3D functionality (HDMI 1.4 required). Since they were inexpensive and advertised as "Ultra Thin", I added two more to the order for my other connections so that I wouldn't have to worry which were 1.3 and which were 1.4. Note that this isn't the first Mediabridge product I've used. All my other cables have been the Mediabridge sleeved versions (8.5mm thick). Since I was very pleased with those, I had high hopes for these.

The cables did not disappoint. They were as thin and flexible as I expected. They have performed flawlessly for me with no apparent noise or drop-outs apparent under direct connect 480i, 1080i, and 1080p 3D sources. I don't have a receiver to use as a source switcher and since the cables are advertised support the Audio Return Channel (ARC), I'll probably use the plasma for source switching and feed the ARC out to an amp instead.

The cables came in the standard Mediabridge packaging a small thin heavy duty cardboard box with the item name/size on the outside. I appreciate the packaging so that I can keep the spares stacked away and not have to wade through a box of tangled cables to get what I need (ESPECIALLY length). The cables were coiled inside and loosely held that shape. Running my hand down the lenght (to make it warm) got rid of most of the coil as expected. Cable connectors and molding were ideal.

I was concerned about functionality based upon the original negative 1-star review, but for the price and my prior experience with Mediabridge products I figured it was worth the risk. I'm glad I did as the cables have worked out great for me and an exception value at the price compared to other name brands.

My only complaint is that it's currently only available in 6-foot lengths. I'll be on the lookout for thier 3-foot and hopefully 10-foot versions (if they end up manufacturing them).

Now, I have seven HDMI cables:

1.] The first one was a Belkin High Speed (speed wasn't mentioned) 6 ft. HDMI cable. Purchased in Bangalore.

2.] Second one was Profigold PROV1002, 48 bit color, 2m HDMI cable. Purchased in Bangalore.

3.] AudioQuest Forest HDMI 2m. Purchased in Bangalore.

4.] The cable that came with my Satellite box. I am based in Bangalore.

5.] Belkin 10.2 Gbps high speed, 48 bit deep color, 3D support, 6ft cable. Purchased around 10 months after my first Belkin HDMI and the labels changed. After buying this, I found that the product number written in the cable was the same. Felt little cheated at that point. Purchased in Bangalore.

6.] Mediabridge FLEX Series 10.2 Gbps, 48 bit deep color. This is the one I am writing this review for Mediabridge FLEX Series High Speed HDMI Cable With Ethernet (6 Feet) Category 2 Certified [Supports ETHERNET, 3D & Audio Return Channel]. I purchased this from Amazon.

7.] Monster Ultimate High Speed HDMI 8ft, 17.5 Gbps+ Monster Cable Ultimate High Speed Hdmi 1000 HDX 8ft THX Certified. I purchased this from Amazon.

Few comments before the comparison starts:

Other than Profigold, each of the cables mentioned are made in China. The Monster, the AudioQuest, the Mediabridge and of course, the Belkin, are all made in China. The Profigold is made in The Netherlands. However, I am not sure about the country of manufacture of the cable that came with my Satellite Box.

I am NOT sure how being an "ELECTRICAL ENGINEER" and "From MIT" would help put more importance on giving opinion about quality of a product when one actually did not perform a verification of signal processing at Gbps rate, did not analyze the involved network protocols, transmission loss, etc. Simply saying "0" and "1" is very naive way of understanding.

I am surprised that there are such BIG wars going on over HDMI cables and no agency or organisation did a comprehensive study or testing involving cinema quality streaming data transmission through various HDMI cables with the transmitted data captured in a memory device and comparing them. Everything is left to the viewers and buyer's eyes, ears and confusion. Even the HDMI standard agency is MUM on that!!!

Many (huge number of) reviews or comments made in amazon, shows that the reviewer did not purchase that item (either from amazon or anywhere else) but they are so sure about how signal processing is done at Gbps speed and hence attempt to comment that any HDMI cable would perform same.

So, every thing I say here is my perception and my own perception might change in a fourth testing. But I did my own testing three times, each time spending at least one plus hours.

Now the comparison part:

The breaking news There are differences in picture quality and sound quality in each of the cables involved!!!

I have made four sets. In set I, the members are the Monster and Mediabridge cable. In set II, the members are Belkin and the one came with the Satellite Box. In set III, the members are AudioQuest. Set IV comprises of Profigold PROV1002. Given a true high definition movie, I will be able to tell which set the HDMI cable belongs to!!!

The worst is cables from Set II, i.e. the Belkin High Speed ones and the one came with the Satellite Box. There are wither color loss or unnatural coloring in the images.

Set III Pictures coming out of AudioQuest are excellent but cables belonging to Set IV (Profigold) and Set I (Monster, Mediabridge), are better than AudioQuest.

Set IV and Set I has a tough competition, i.e. Mediabridge, Monster Ultimate High Speed and Profigold PROV1002 are all capable of producing superb, ultimate quality pictures.

Between Mediabridge and Monster, I think the Monster would be marginally better in picture quality and better in sound quality. But this is a perception that I would not bank on next time, if I know that I can buy this Mediabridge cable for around $10.

Finally, according to me, the Profigold PROV1002 is better than any HDMI cable that I have. And hence, I have connected this cable to my 50 inch Panasonic TH-P50VT20D Telivision from my Yamaha AV receiver RX-A800 Yamaha RX-A800 7.1-Channel Audio/Video Receiver (Black), purchased this November 2011, during Black Friday. And for my main Blu-Ray player, which I plan to use for most audio visual experiences, I have connected it through the Monster Ultimate High Speed HDMI cable into the Yamaha RX-A800.

I am using this Mediabridge FLEX series High Speed HDMI cable to connect my Satellite Box to AV Receiver (RX-A800).

For a third media player, I will use AudioQuest. By the way, I checked that Profigold does not have a distributor in the North America and hence, probably all HDMI cables in US or Canada might be "Made in China", as this Mediabridge HDMI cable is also. But while thinking what could have differentiated the better ones even if they were "Made in China", I feel that testing is a very important part of the manufacturing. I purchased this Mediabridge product mostly by seeing the testing certificate that Mediabridge has obtained or earned from certain agency in Sunnyvale (did not check if that agency is fake or real, but cable's performance is real and there for me to see all through out). Equally, Monster also has two major industry agencies, testing and certifying their product and no doubt produce very high quality HDMI cables. However, for Profigold, I did not see any testing or certification, though works best for me.

At the end, I would like to emphasize the extremely high value for money for this Mediabridge HDMI cable.

Buy Mediabridge High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (1 Foot) - Flex Series Now

I was looking for HDMI cables for my brand new TV, and ordered 3 different brand cables from Amazon. The 'Ultra-flex' was one of them and i was pleasantly surprised by how THIN & flexible these cables were.

The TV is connected to my PS3 using this cable, and it was cool to see the TV turn on to the proper HDMI channel and switch to 3D mode when the PS3 turned on (and automatically switch into 3D mode since the HD Fury game was in 3D).

I am sure the other 2 types of cables i ordered were also fine in terms of picture quality, BUT their connectors were thick and the cables were unwieldy. So I returned those (paid the restocking fee) and got 2 more of these Ultra-Flex cables.

It would be great if mediabridge made 3-ft and 12-ft lengths also in the ultra-flex series and perhaps different color connectors/cables so that one could differentiate the cables at the back of the TV. That would be a real winner.

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I wanted to buy a 10 feet HDMI cable to interface my samsung LED TV using its HDMI port with my laptop.I was surprised to see the cable in a small pack when i received it.

The pros are:

1. Ultra Flexible: This is an excellent feature which will enable you in routing the HDMI cable especially when the TV is mounted to the wall closely.

2. Loss less Picture Quality: I explicitly tested this cable by first loading the Bluray songs(1080p) on a USB stick and played in my TV and then i played the same song through the 10Feet Mediabridge cable connected to my laptop.In both the casees i could not find any loss in the picture quality.I do tested with a cheap HDMI cable(6 feet) which i already had and that showed the real difference in picture quality.Thus the picture quality is undistributed even with a length of 10feet.

3.The connectors are gold plated and appear sturdy.

I would strongly recommend this cable

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Mediabridge FLEX Series High Speed HDMI Cable With Ethernet (3 Feet) Category 2 Certified [Supports ETHERNET, 3D & Audio Return Channel]

I have never written a review before but after the mess I had with HDMI cables I wanted to speak up.

I just purchased a new flat screen and home entertainment system I wanted to make sure I got some good HDMI cables. I started looking on Amazon and there are a so many that it got real confusing. I ended up buying several different brands but when they arrived the Mediabridge FLEX really stood out above the rest. This cable will handle more speed that is being produced right now and it is the best quality I have seen. It's also very small and flexible which made a world of difference do to one of HDMI outlets having a strange angle and a tight fit. One brand was so stiff and heavy that I was worried about it bending the HDMI outlet in my flat screen and none of them made the tight fit in my entertainment system except for the Mediabridge.

I know I do not have to stress anymore because I have found the best high speed HDMI cable out there , so thank you Medaibridge !

X-Rite i1Display 2 Color Calibrator for LCD, CRT, and Laptop Displays

I have been increasingly more interested in my photography hobby and came to the eventual realization that monitor color and luminance calibration was necessary. It just did not make sense, spending sometimes hours post processing a photo on my computer, only to have it show up with different colors on somebody else's screen or printer.

I have never before calibrated any monitors or TVs and considered, in addition to this product, the Spyder 3 Pro and LaCie Blue Eye. I finally decided on the Eye-One Display 2.

I have now calibrated my dual LCD monitor setup (Dell 2405WFP and 2408WFP) and Dell XPS 17" laptop with complete ease and great, consistent results. Because I actually have 2 separate PCIe video cards, calibrating dual LCD is as easy as calibrating one with Windows Vista 32 bit.

PROS:

1. Cheaper than LaCie Blue Eye, which is highly regarded by certain website reviewers (although more expensive than Spyder 3 Pro)

2. Same hardware to the well regarded LaCie Blue Eye

3. Better ability to reproduce black on LCD as per a website review than Spyder 3 Pro

4. Ability to measure and calibrate luminance

5. Very simple easy mode for those who want speed and to not have to understand the complexities of color calibration

6. An advanced mode, which was actually fairly easy for even me to use (and I have no prior detailed knowledge of color technologies)

7. Software allows you to see the before and after effects of your calibration effort by showing a color chart and a small portrait of a woman.

8. Install CD contains very easy to use complete video tutorials on how to calibrate.

CONS:

1. On Apple Macs, dual monitor calibration is supposedly easy. But with Windows XP/Vista, it is not a straightforward task. Because I actually have TWO separate PCIe video cards, calibrating dual LCD was as easy as calibrating one under Windows Vista 32 bit.

A dual monitor setup with a SINGLE video card can be calibrated individually under Windows XP with a workaround solution, as per suggestions I've found from a Google search. I am not sure if the workaround works under Vista, but it seems plausible.

2. More expensive than Spyder 3 Pro (although cheaper than LaCie Blue Eye)

TIPS:

1. On the Dell 2405WFP 24" LCD panel, the monitor will not allow user customizable contrast control if you choose a DVI input for that monitor. I am not certain why this is since my 2408WFP allows this. The only downside of this, is that you cannot use the advanced mode for the Dell 2405WFP, since that mode requires the user to manually change some monitor settings, which include contrast.

2. Consider whether or not you need the more expensive Eye-One Display 2 version vs. the cheaper "LT" version. If you do not need a customized white balance or different gamut or even know what I'm writing about, then you might be completely fine with the "LT" version. I am not 100% certain if the "LT" version will measure and calibrate luminance, however. This could be an important difference.

3. If cost is an issue, I would also research the Spyder 3 Pro system. Although I chose the Eye-One Display 2, I realize now since seeing the vast differences from my pre-calibrated images to my post-calibrated images, that color calibration is essential. It is probably better to calibrate with almost anything vs not calibrating at all.

4. Also realize that the Eye-One Display 2, Spyder 3 Pro, and LaCie Blue eye hardware can be utilized with 3rd PARTY SOFTWARE! A Google search will show that there are indeed even FREE 3rd party software that you can use to drive the hardware. Some forum members seem to write positive results with some of this software.

5. If cost is no object, serious consideration should be given to the more expensive LaCie Blue Eye. A Google search shows that this is a very well regarded system. (The Eye-One uses the same hardware as this Blue Eye.)

6. Go the X-rite website and look at the current version numbers of the software and compare it to what your installer disk has. Instead of using the install CD, I downloaded the newest versions from the website. I believe only 1 or 2 out of approximately 5 files I downloaded were newer from the website, but this is always a good idea. Some of the files are very large and you will definitely need a broadband connection. Burn these files to your own DVD, so that you can then install the software on each of your computers or laptops to use the calibrating hardware. The install CD is still very useful as it has the really useful tutorials.

I hope this review was helpful as it is certainly confusing as a novice to determine which calibrator to use!

There isn't much to really say about this product other than it does exactly what it say it will, does it relatively quickly, and potentially has nothing for you to learn before initial use. I had five monitors to calibrate; all LCDs except for one laptop display, four of them associated with dual monitored systems, mixed on both Windows XP and Windows Vista. I had all five calibrated within 20 minutes of opening the package, and reading nothing more than the quick start flyer; the software wizard in Easy Mode literally did everything in 4 steps without much input from me. On the monitor I perform a lot of graphic work on, I switched to the advanced mode and found the software to be just as intuitive and complete as it was in easy mode. Great product.

Buy X-Rite i1Display 2 Color Calibrator for LCD, CRT, and Laptop Displays Now

I bought the Eye-One recently since I was having trouble seeing shadow details on both my monitors.

I am not sure if they changed packaging since the last reviewer, but mine was simple. Open the flap, fold the front down and everthing is right there for your use. It folds back up nice and easy to store everything until later use.

As soon as I got the package, I brought it to my work computer and plugged it in. I used the "easy" method for this computer. It walked me thru each step (not many in the "easy" method). I was done in a few minutes. One great part is it shows you a comparison of before and after. It is amazing how bad the monitor was calibrated before.

I also brought it home for my laptop. I used the "advanced" setting for this computer. It was just as easy. There is an explaination on each step of what you need to do. The process only took a few minutes and I was done.

It feels good to have a nice and consistant view between both computers.

I have never used calibration equipment before, so I do not have a basis to compare this system against. But I am happy with what I got and its ease of use.

Read Best Reviews of X-Rite i1Display 2 Color Calibrator for LCD, CRT, and Laptop Displays Here

Most of the other reviews here are accurate. This is a solidly-built piece that ultimately gets the job done, but the instructions are non-existent until you finally figure out which of the 4 programs they give you is the "main" program (you have to sift through a messy install CD with way too many folders and icons... it's not evident what's what)... and even then, the instructions and information are weirdly stilted. And the software itself (for Mac) is severely antiquated. It definitely looks like it was in it's prime around OS 8.6, and then (barely) updated for the first round of OS X. And, more importantly, it hung up a few times during the process. And one of the programs, that's supposed to "check" your monitor's health didn't work at all.

Does it get the job done? I think so. The easy mode is darn easy, and the advanced mode, while more time consuming, is definitely better. My monitor is definitely looking a lot sexier, and I'm pretty much glad I got this device over the competition. However, the manufacturer is definitely resting on their laurels, coping a "ain't broke, won't fix it" attitude w/ the software and documentation. When a bit of a spitshine would garner a 5-star review from everyone.

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I used this to calibrate a three year old 19" Viewsonic LCD with a TN panel, a Hanns-G HX-191DPB 19" LCD, a Dell D400 and a Dell D410 laptop. Each one took about a half hour to set up the software and calibrate. All screens look amazing. I did, however, find the need to employ a 3-foot USB extension cable for my desktop, being that the box is rather far from the monitor. Most people will not need the extension.

I chose to do the "easy" method and the "advanced" method to see the difference. After viewing both, I have to say that I find no need to do the "advanced" method again. In the future, I will use the "easy" calibration choice.

NOTE: At the end of the process, be sure to un-check the box that states it will remind you daily or weekly to recalibrate your monitor. That sure is annoying.

The colors on my monitor are now warmer and more true. Being that I have TN panel on all screens, I am very happy that I have the colors I do, for I am only seeing about 72% gamut.

Before the calibration I used the Color Index 2: Over 1500 New Color Combinations: For Print and Web Media: Cmyk and Rgb Formulas to see how far out my colors were. I chose a brown-blue-orange-red mix and typed in the numbers from the page. I wasn't even close! After calibration I typed in the same numbers and held the book up to the screen: now I was very close on all but the brown, which was only slightly out. Not bad for a 30-minutes process that required little to no input from me.

Now, the other reviewers that complained about the instructions are right: it expects a lot from you as a user. You must have a general understanding of what you are doing in order to make it happen. That's not to say it is completely lacking or impossible to figure out, but I could see where some people may have a problem or two. The manual is very basic. VERY basic. Ultra-minimalistic is a better way of putting it.

I highly recommend this product to everyone that has a monitor and USB port.

Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Product is very easy to use with a good manual included and movie pictures are very clear especilally when made in daylight. Zooming option is excellent but a bit difficult to control when maximized. Camera option to use light at night improves picture quality significantly. However, not all discs are compatible with this camera. Can't use Sony DVD-R and Sony DVD+RW dsics for handycams. Was successful so far with Maxwell DVD-R discs for camcorders.Info which discs to be used is lacking when purchasing this camera.

I purchased this item after reading favorable reviews. I've never owned a camcorder before, but decided I need to record some of the significant events in the lives of my two teenage sons for our long-distance relatives to enjoy. I like the simplicity of the dvd format; you can record on a dvd-r, finalize the disc, and watch it on your dvd player right away. I don't want to have to edit a lot of tape every time I record an event.However, you do have the flexibility of doing that with this camcorder, if you use the dvd-ram format.

The manual is easy to understand and I was able to use the camcorder as soon as the battery was charged. The day after I got it, I used it to record a JROTC drill competition and the resulting video was very good. I've also used the still photo function to record photos on an SD card. The still photo quality is adequate, but not nearly what you would get with a standard digital camera.

If you are a casual home-video maker, I think you will be very happy with this camcorder.

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Do not buy the Memorex mini DVD RW pack with this Panasonic camcorder. They're incompatible.

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I don't have too much complaints about DVD camcorder initially. I thought it's a good idea to directly get things done. But after playing it a while I got big concerns with DVD camcorders. For DVD-R/RW materials, this camcorder requires you to finalize the DVD which takes "MINUTES" to finish. After that you can view it on DVD player. I accidently move the DVD-R to play in a external player without finalization. The result is this disc got damaged(can not be finalized) and I can only view it in the camcorder. This is a very painful experience. What if this is your treasure? I think this is going to happen when you have several kids. They'll sure to mess up someday. I don't know what the hell can I do to get videos out from the disc to computer. Its software is not capable of getting things out of the disc either(why the camcorder can?). Since I only got it for a day, I'll return it to B&H.

It seems DVD format(a bad IEEE product) is very painful to deal with even with the DVD camcorder. I really miss the tape camcorders. I think HDD camcorder should be much easier than DVD camcorders. I really feel sad about those competation about different DVD formats, DVD-r/rw, dvd-ram, dvd+r/rw. Why manufactures can not get a agreement to make things easier?

I tried DVD-RAM which doesn't need finalization. It's a good alternative. I got Panasonic 3pack for $7.99 at Fry's today. You'll need to burn the content to another DVD-R/RW for viewing in a DVD player(sony player support DVD-RAM format). Though Hard Disk camcorders can serve in this way better.

Finally I returned this unit to B&H for the reason of Date&Time stamp not working on external DVD player and PC player. Called Pana tech support and knew that the Date & Time is not phsically recorded. In order to play it back you'll need to play it back in the camcorder currently. My DVD player and powerDVD software can't support it.

In summary: I returned it for the following reasons:

1. Date & Time stamp can't be played back on external DVD player and powerDVD software.

2. For DVD-R/RW, it requires a process "Finalization" to be able to play on DVD player.

3. The DC power in is under the battery pack. Which means you have to detach the battery pack to be able to use the DC. There are many cases that the camcorder refuse to work without external DC.

4. The resolution is good, but the color is really blank. Don't like it as well.

Hope my experience is helpful to someone. I'm going to try Canon ZR-700(cheap miniDV). Hope it can work out for me.

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I am a total novice to video cameras let alone DVD cams. This little camera works great! I love the 1000x zoom feature.

One thing that people in the other reviews had problems with was mini-dvd's not working. Well if they would have read the little book, they would have seen that the camera only works with DVD-R or DVD-RW discs. Not +R or +RW. Yes! There is a difference.

Still picture feature was a selling point for me. It takes great digital stills.

Great, easy to use, light weight, and user friendly!

Sharp VLNZ50U MiniDV Compact Digital Viewcam with 3" Color LCD Screen

After several months of research, I decided on this camera, for basically two reasons: Size it's slightly larger than a film camera, weighing no more than one; Design the motor is away from the microphone, allowing less motor-noise in recordings.

The biggest swaying factor was the two-hands operation. As any expert consumer-camcorder user can tell you, no optical/digital image stabilization can compensate for the "fumbling" you get at high zoom factors when shooting one-handedly. The so-called "one-hand" cameras aren't really one-handed if you want a clean shoot when you have to make do without a tripod, since you'll be applying your second hand to the left/under side of the camera for added support. Having used various other MiniDV cameras (Sony HandyCams, JVC's, and Canon's), I discovered that it was easier to use a product that is originally designed for 2-handed operation. I've used the camera for a while now, and I am very satisfied with the stability of the video I get, even while zooming and walking simultaneously.

This product does have a "Still" function, however, no way to save it to any removable or internal memory, so if you want to copy them over to a computer, you would have to import it via Firewire after it is recorded to tape. Even at that, the DV-25 format restricts the picture to a low-enough quality that they're not work keeping.

A hint to people considering getting a camera with still functions: get an[inexpensive] 640x480 camera ... from [a local store] this will do the job better than the still functions on most consumer-grade DV camcorders; if budget allows, a decent 2MP+ camera would allow you to take printable photos.

As a sidenote, looking on Sharp-USA's site, I couldn't find the CCD pixel count, but I have found some indication on the Internet that this camera has a 420K CCD. This is fine for a DV-25 camera, but this also means that digital zoom obviously gets blocky and distorted easily.

Note to the person with the I.Link issue: I.Link is Sony's trademark for a 4-pin IEEE 1394 (Firewire) port. If you want to use your VAIO with this camera, what you would need is just any 4-pin to 4-pin Firewire cable, and use the DVGate software to import the video. Otherwise, if you have a Macintosh or a 6-pin Firewire port, you should get a 4-pin to 6-pin cable. I have tried it with both Mac OS X and Windows XP so far and both results have been very pleasing.

The only down-side I can bring up is the lack of remote, need for an extra cylindrical tripod-attachment as provided (can't use the lock-in pin on the detachable attachment if you have the batteries installed on certain tripods), somewhat [inexpensive] construction (plastic looks flimsy in part), and non-intuitive manual focus (have to open up menu 4 keypresses, and use buttons to focus instead of any kind of sliders). Of course, this is a very inexpensive camera and consumer-grade at that; finding manual rotary focal lens controls would almost be rare.

All-in-all, the price makes up for what it doesn't have, and I find that this camera does everything I need to do for both semi-professional and home-consumer usage.

Cheap does not mean bad. After an extensive review, I chose this camera because it provides the best value for the money, and it has the key elements what you should look in a new camera:

Format: MiniDV

Very compact and stylish, in order to be able to carry it to Disneyland or Six Flags and go to all attractions without problem (it fits in a regular camera case), Standard 10X Optical Zoom.

Backlight and record buttons are very handy, which make the camera easy to operate.

I gave it 4 stars because a major drawback: You can not convert your Old VHS videos to MiniDV, instead you have to borrow a camera from a friend or buy a firewire card for your PC with analog inputs.

USB Streaming included on the model NZ100 simply does not worth the price difference, because for less than that money you can buy the firewire card for the PC. The only input available is from another camcorder via firewire cable, in order to make digital copies of your MiniDV Videos.

The NZ50 although has a very nice standard features, like the 270º rotating lens, Effects like sepia, BW, widescreen mode and audio dubbing, that other cameras that cost a few bucks more do not have.

For me it is not important to capture low resolution still images in a camcorder (although this camera can, but it is in tape), color viewfinder (it is supposed that you buy a camera with LCD in order to use it) and other built-in features, because for the money saved buying this cheap camera, you can buy an extra battery (Energizer 730: money), a Firewire card with cable (Adaptec 4300: money), a tripod (money) and a good 2 Mega pixel Camera (not even the money dollar digital camcorders have that resolution, and you can have one good 2 mega pixel camera for less than money), and have a complete good solution for the actual digital era without expending too much.

Buy Sharp VLNZ50U MiniDV Compact Digital Viewcam with 3" Color LCD Screen Now

After waiting a year for the price of digital camcorders to come down, I finally decided to jump in and purchased this Sharp. I was originally drawn to this camcorder by the price. And even though it doesn't offer any "bells and whistles", it's still priced at least ($$$) less than a comparably equiped competitor. So far, it's performed well for me. It makes good-looking home movies with great sound, and that is all I was basically looking for. I'm more into ease-of-use and convienience rather than knobs, buttons, and gadgets. One of the camcorder's greatest features is the compact size. It's only slightly larger than my digital camera and I can carry it with me anywhere in my jacket pocket. One of the reasons I always dreaded taking my old 8mm camcorder with me is becuase it was like dragging a suitcase around. Oh, and one other thing. Before owning this camcorder, I never understood the rationale for a "two-handed" model...Now, I'll never go back. I'm anxious to see how it performs when transferring movies to a DVD burner, but now I'm waiting for the price of those to come down!

Read Best Reviews of Sharp VLNZ50U MiniDV Compact Digital Viewcam with 3" Color LCD Screen Here

This is my first camcorder and I am able to make outstanding movies in the first ten minutes. A simplified menu and ease of use make this viewcam the greatest entry level camcorder. I have purchased a separate digital still camera, because it affords a better picture resolution than any camcorder still shot. Good luck and enjoy.

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The camera was ok, considering when I would take still pictures the pictures would come out blurry. But then one day out of the blue It stopped working. It's like it had a short circuit. Then I was reading other reviews, I come to find, that I am not the only one that this has happend too with this camera. Of course this happens right after the 3 month warrenty is over. Oh they will fix it for you, but for a heavy labor charge. I would not recommend purchasing this camera at all. To top It all off the costumer service reps were very rude.

Canon Optura 600 4.3MP MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

In wanting to replace my old (JVC GRDVM90U) camera/camcorder combo, I looked at the Canon Optura 600 and the Sony DCR-PC1000. Consumer Reports claimed high return/defect rates for JVC models, so I steered clear away from purchasing another JVC -especially since my old camcorder exhibited many of the same issues multiple people have documented in the GRDVM90U's reviews. Besides wanting to stick with MiniDV (for my old tapes' sake), what was most important to me in a replacement camcorder was 1) size, 2) still picture quality, 3) low-light ability, and 4) overall versatility. The Optura 600 delivered impeccably on all fronts. Size-wise, it is the smallest MiniDV camcorder I've seen on the market yet, although the Sony DCR-PC1000 appears to be a close second. What I liked about the Optura more than the Sony, however, was the overall design -it felt more solid and compact as opposed to small, but long and narrow. I wanted to be able to tote something around fairly easily and unnoticably, and the Optura delivered. It was so small it fit easily in a small purse (along with other small gadgets, ie. phone and Ipod), and large pockets also made for a comfortable home for it. The still picture quality was probably the clincher in my final decision to go with the Optura over the Sony. One thing to note, however, is that the Optura 600 is 4.0MP, *not* 4.3MP. Regardless, its 4.0MP beats Sony's 2.7MP hands-down. Because it was important for me to purchase a camcorder that would also serve the purpose of a digital camera (why have one of each when you can have something that can do both well?), I went for the higher-end Optura. Also, Canon's Elph Series digital cameras have always appeared to deliver consistent, great-quality digital images (practically everyone I know owns some version of the Elph), and I felt more comfortable knowing that Canon's still-camera expertise would translate better to a camcorder combo than Sony's (last I heard Canon didn't manufacture TVs, amplifiers, and PCs, as well). In addition to having a more than adequate low-light function (sometimes, surprisingly, it makes dark shots brighter than desired), it has all the basic functions and features one would expect from a camera of this caliber (ie. special effects, video/picture transfer software, numerous manual and automatic settings, widescreen functionality, all the cables and connectors needed to hook up to your TV and PC, 10x optical zoom, etc.). The one and only thing that I did like better in the Sony was its built-in, retractable lens cover -I found myself constantly fiddling with the plastic lens cover of the Optura whenever I unexpectedly came across a shot I just *had* to have. Other than that, I'm quite thrilled with my purchase and have not been disappointed yet. Design-wise, yes, it is a bit awkward (depends on the size of your hand and the dexterity of your fingers, really) -but this thing is tiny, so there has to be some compromise in ergonomics. I've found this to be a minor point, as the Optura's style, design, and overall look more than compromise for the slight awkwardness that really only takes a little getting used to. I often get many comments from strangers in awe of it whenever I take it out to capture a moment, and that alone is almost enough to overlook its minor faults.

I've been using a Canon Elura 2 for several years now, and have been amazed that it has taken so long to produce a better camcorder in the same small package. For a long time, the smallest camcorders have been bigger than the Elura 2. Finally, the Optura 600 is a worthwhile upgrade. Better video quality, better lens, better semi-pro features (exposure, etc.), full anamorphic 16:9, external mic input, and a great still camera mode.

I've always liked the smallest camcorder available on the theory that if you don't have it with you, you can't take the videos. The Optura 600 is small, and really packs in the features.

I did some extensive still photo comparisons with the Optura 600 still camera and my Canon Elph 500 (5 megapixels). Other than a slightly different color balance, it was nearly impossible to tell any significant difference. I also compared Super Fine vs. Fine mode, and actually thought the Fine mode had slightly better image quality. Just because the file size is bigger doesn't mean that the resultant photo is any better. I'd recommend you try the comparison yourself, but my choice is to keep it in Fine mode and not use the full SuperFine mode. This is a really great feature of the Optura 600 because you can really leave your digital still camera behind (which usually only have 3x or 4x optical zoom) and use the very nice 10x optical zoom.

For anyone who has any intent of editing, miniDV tape is much better than miniDVD. The quality (and bitrate) is far better, and most editing software works much better with this format. And shoot your videos in 16:9. Even if you don't have a widescreen TV now, you will before you know it, and you'll appreciate the fact your videos are in the modern format. The Optura 600 uses the whole image sensor for 16:9, so you aren't losing any image quality.

My main complaint is the lack of an external battery charger, but this seems to be the trend these days. It is amazing that they can fit the battery charging logic into the camcorder body, but I really like to have an external charger to charge one battery while I use a second. You can get one for under $30, but they really ought to give you one in the package.

(All the comments about it being uncomfortable to hold seem to fail to take into account that this is a small camera. The hand hold design is the same as the old Elura 2 you hold it at an angle with your thumb on the record button, and your index or middle finger on the zoom. Your ring and little finger wrap around the front. With the great new still camera mode, I find it better to use the middle finger for zoom and the index finger for the shutter release. But the design works as well as you could hope for in such a small camera. Left handed folks may have a bit more trouble, but that is true for most camcorders.)

If you've been waiting to upgrade your camcorder, this is a good choice. You'll get great MiniDV quality (suitable for editing to high quality DVD) and a really great still camera in one package. The video will look good on HD widescreen TVs. Maybe in a few years high def camcorders will be small, cheap, and easy to edit and produce to HD-DVD, but for now, this is much more practical, and will give you very good quality video. And it is so small, you might actually take it with you.

Update: I just took this camera on vacation, and I love it even more. I carried only this camera most of the time, and could take both video and photos as needed. While the still camera takes great pictures, it is a bit slow on startup and between picture cycle time. Also, there is a noticible lag between pushing the button and taking the photo, so it is critical to use the "push the button down half-way" feature to pre-focus. If you do this, then there is no delay. But it was just fantastic to have the 10x lens, and a great photo and video camera in one small unit.

Buy Canon Optura 600 4.3MP MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Now

I have used this camera only for a day or two. Picture quality is really good. The photo quality is great, almost as good as a stand alone digital camera.

This camera is ideal for someone with small hand size. Otherwise please try it before you buy. The hand strap can be VERY uncomfortable. I have already felt it on the first day of use.

Not a great feel to hold it. Other than that no major complaints so far.

Please do not buy the SC 2000 case from Canon. That case is way too big for this tiny camera.

Read Best Reviews of Canon Optura 600 4.3MP MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Here

This is a great versatile camera. It takes fantastic video and fantastic stills. It's features are easy to use and convenient. It's size is perfect and I do not have a problem accessing all of the buttons with my hand throught the strap. I purchased this camera the first day it was available not waiting for anyone else's opinions or reviews and I am glad I did. A camera this small is a pleasure to take with me wherever I go.

Want Canon Optura 600 4.3MP MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Discount?

I purchased this video camera after looking at my old Sony Handycam (video 8!)CCD-F501 that looks like a cannon compared to this lil' pistol (awkward pun intended.) I finally decided that enough time had elapsed and it was time to get a decent camcorder. Around mid-December 2005 I was salivating at the recently released hard drive cameras but after some search found out that that was just the only innovation, the other features were just standard or less than par for the course, and for the kind of money they were asking? I would be darned if I went to my Paris trip w/o a decent camera. What sold me on the Optura was the combo video/camera features and all the technical stuff you can read above. I won't repeat them here.

The Optura is surprisingly small and, as others have commented, if you have a hand shaped like a ham, this camera ain't for ya. I am 5'7", medium sized hand, the strap that wraps around the hand does not provide the best support when using the zoom. You can get used to it, but use both hands to steady the camera when zooming. Last week I went to J&R and bought a small tripod that when the legs are folded, it serves as a monopod, I intend to use it when I want to shoot without much camera shaking as I use the zoom.

I haven't had the camera for too long, there's lots of features in this camera for the video and photo functions, you gotta read them fully to truly appreciate this jewel. At night, while taping around Notre Dame, I noticed light streaks emananting from every lampost in the neighborhood, and I was using the automatic setting, I gotta try a couple of other settings to get that right. At the Louvre, the guards now won't let you take pictures or tape inside the museum. Well, as long as you don't use the flash option for pictures, you can snap away unless they catch you. But at the Mona Lisa's new abode, man, those hounds are circling around making darn sure you are not taking pics or filming. Ha! Enter I & my Optura. Them Clouseaus never seen an Optura, I turned it on, partially obscured by my hand, held it close to my chest, they did not have a clue! If you want hundreds of feet (exaggerating . . .a bit) of mini-DV tape of La Gioconda, talk to me. That, right there, made it worth the $850 plus I paid for it. great picture, small package. And, of course, with a flick of a switch, presto, now you can take pictures! and not grainy, melting pics, no sir, great resolution pics if you want 8x10's of every darn pigeon from every piazza from here to Ulan Bator.

I gave it a 4 outta 5 because of the awkward strap designed to steady one's hand. Must have been an afterthought.