Being able to record 8 hours at a time is great. The only drawback to the hard drive type of recording is that a new file is created each time. The positive to that is that it makes for ease of transfer. You can record to DVD with the software they include and it's very easy. The battery life is awful, so get an extended or extra battery.
Buy JVC Everio GZMG57 1.3MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Digital Media Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom!
I have to admit that I acted a bit on impulse when I went ahead and bought this digital video recorder after doing a limited amount of research and having read some of the reviews here. Our previous video recorder never entirely satisfied me because it never let in enough light to make the picture look good. It would always be either too bright (from the light present or using the onboard-light) or too dark. Thus, you can imagine my impulsive action after reading the rave reviews on the video quality of this camera. As it turns out, everyone here couldn't be more accurate. I've used the camera in several different settings with different lighting and the resulting video is consistently clean and crisp. The only complaint I have so far is that the auto-focus isn't perfect...if you watch really close you can see moments where the focus adjusts just enough for a fraction of a second to cause a slight blurring only to readjust back to fully in focus. I haven't been able to identify a trend or reason for this yet so I'm left to assume right now that it's just something in the camera you have to deal with. Time will tell. Even with that, I still gave it a 5 because in my family you can't always have the light where it should be so to have a camera be able to record a crisp video from any angle is essential for anyone with kids.
Buy JVC Everio GZMG255 2MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station)!
This camera has proven to be very convenient in size and features for the period of time it has worked. Feb 2007 - July 2008 with very little problems. I purchased it with no extended warranty, an extra battery and a good case for it. I have always taken care good of it , keeping the cover on and in the case when not in use. I also made sure to disconnect from computer through software before USB removal. I have used an average of maybe 90 minutes every two months since the purchase date. Im presuming most people would expect to use the same. All the features on the camera and convenience of size, HDD, extra zoom, 'okay' night mode, wide screen, etc. etc. is what may justify the price. Considering the extreme care and maintenance I provided, this camera is obviously not a quality made product from an electrical point of view. The power no longer turns on. Not with AC.. not with either battery... not even with the 30minutes of technical support tips. Sony says the warranty is expired and repair will cost $211.00. For an $800 camera at the time- brand new from a respectable seller, you would expect a better warranty. I should have asked, oh well. It seems I am not the only one having this problem. I guess I'll send it in for repair. The only problem is I needed the camera for the next two weeks more than the last year that Ive had it. The camera is great if you put convenience over picture quality. MAKE SURE YOU BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY-- consider yourself warned.
Buy Sony DCR-SR40 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam with 20x Optical Zoom!
Nice camera, but TERRIBLE video format - not recommended
The camera itself is simple to use right out of the box and takes very nice still pictures. The video, however, leaves a lot to be desired. For whatever reason, JVC has decided to use a proprietary "MOD" format and no programs (3rd party or stock) on my media rich macintosh can play these files. Go figure, but my little Palm Treo can create video files that are easily uploaded and viewable, so why can't JVC? Very poor showing from JVC in my opinion.
I have found this camcorder takes fantastic video as long as you set the indoor / outdoor button properly.
Negatives I have read about and agree with:
1) It is a little slow to focus at times
2) Still pictures don't look good
3) Records in .MOD format so editing and playback of files stored on a computer can be extremely problematic. I agree the included software for this is not very sophisticated and not user friendly. I found it an unacceptable long term solution.
HOWEVER THERE ARE SOME SOLUTIONS THAT SOLVE THE VIDEO EDITING PROBLEM = Adobe Premiere ($400-$600 I believe)and Pinnacle Studio (multiple versions) support the .MOD format (format support listed on both websites). I use Pinnacle studio "plus" version 11 which I found on sale for $99. It flawlessly recognizes, plays, and edits video from this camcorder and is a much more powerful program the Microsoft Movie Maker which I was previously using. With this software I love the camcorder. Without this software, moving, playing and editing files on anything other than the camcorder was a nightmare.
So, I would rate this 5 stars except for the negatives above. Without the Pinnacle software I agree w/ the 1-2 start rating a few have given.
Impressive fit and finish, easy-to-use features, image quality is good under daylight, but poor in a low-light environment. I paid $530 on Amazon in August '08 so it's a good value.
Buy JVC Everio GZHD3 3CCD 60GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom!
Bought the camcorder about 2 weeks back. Was delivered within 3/4 days. Takes great videos and excellent pictures. Also since its quite handy to carry, don't have to take my Nikon Digital camera always.
Only con for me is the sound volume on the videos. For some reason the volume sometimes is barely audible if one is not speaking loudly wherease my old Sony Hi8 Camera would capture the slightest sound clearly. Have tried all the sound settings but haven't been very successful. Took it to daughter's performance concert and there the volume was good.
This is a good camera but lacking hardware controls for zoom, focus, and iris. The AVCHD format is good but support for it is still catching up. Invest in Nero or Vegas Pro to edit.
Buy Sony HDR-SR5 AVCHD 4MP 40GB High Definition Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom!
I bought the SR-11 here from Amazon. Got it in time to head straight to my son's basketball game literally right out of the box (I had bought an extra battery that was fully charged).
Programed the date/time, no prob. Then just started shooting the game (My son scored 31 pts..and we won!) I recorded in the HD just so I could see what it was like (plus it was by default set on that). Got home found the cables and plugged into the HD TV and it looked fantastic. Played back fine.
Then for the next test- iMovie and Final Cut Express... It mounted for iMovie and I was able to bring in the footage. I made a 25 minute highlights show. Went fine. At one point, had a little glitch when in the editing area the filmstrips weren't visiable, but you could tell they were still there because the pointer would show the dates/time of the shots. I know this may not be clear, but I think it happened due to me taking 80% of the footage and dragging it into the project window at one time. iMovie suggested I not, but I did. It was OK.
iMovie changes the file type so that it is not HD. I don't know much about the technical side of all that.
So I thought I would try to see the HD footage by importing and saving it with Final Cut Express (I don't own Pro.) I am not familiar with Final Cut Express only bought it so I could do slow mo because iMovie can't, but haven't used it once. I read a bunch around the forums, etc. and learned FCE will recognize the camera as "unknown" and it clips with the "Log and Transfer" (which I had no clue what it was). I really just wanted to get the HD footage on one of my backup drives to save (it was my son's career high pts).
FCE did see it with the Loop and Transfer. I really didn't know what I was doing, but started "saving" the clips in its original format, except I understand, it is "converted" to Apple Intermediate Codex...so something like that..read around you'll see info on this. The point is supposedly the file sizes increase. Bottomline line....it worked, BUT the file sizes are huge! I mean something like a 17 second clip is like 200 MG file.
I am thinking about getting Sony's DVDirect/Recorded/Blu-ray Disc Player and not using the computer to "save' the files at all. Also, I understand, if I shoot in "standard" mode and have HD files on the camera's harddrive , there are some problems...don't know the details...had something to do with either retrieving the files or the quality.
I am going to shoot footage in "standard" mode. The file sizes are smaller and I can use it easliy with iMovie.
Anyway, sorry for the typos and poor sentences....but that is where I am after 36 hours of owning this camera. Oh yeah, the software won't load on a Mac, fyi.
One a 1-5. I'd say a 4. The quality is excellent (of the footage). It is just I am not a "video" guru...the different file types, etc. and it is a little bit of a hassle not being able to work in it and save it as a native file (which isn't practical anyway due to the huge files, unless you are a professional, but for the average Joe- we have to figure out how to save the HD files, which is why I am looking at the Sony DV Direct. Burn them in HD to DVD and them take the footage to the Mac and then save it as a standard non-HD file type to play with in iMovie.
Hope this helps. I like the camera. The little face boxes are pretty cool when you are shooting footage at a basketball game. So, far I am pleased.
this camera is good with the two exceptions:
1) they should have used avi instead of mpeg2
2) the camera is below DV quality
We bought this camera right when it came out in spring of 2007. It worked great for a little over a year. We loved having both a digital camera and a camcorder in one small camea. After the warrantee ran out we started having problems. First the LCD screen stopped working because the connection had cracked. We hadn't dropped it or anything. After paying lots of money to get that repaired, it worked well for another couple months and then something with the lens stopped working and it was all black. We sent it for repair again and dumped more money into it. We've had it back a couple weeks and now the docking station isn't working. Again, we didn't drop it or anything. It worked one day and didn't the next. So now I can't get the images off the camera. Very disappointed with Sony on this product. Next time I will definately buy an extended warrantee.
Buy Sony DCR-SR300 6.1MP 40GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom!
WE HAVE USED THIS ITEM SO MUCH! GREAT MOVIE MAKER! EASY TO TAKE ON TRIPS AS IT IS NOT BULKY..FITS IN A BAG SO EASY
Buy JVC Everio GZ-MG50 1.33 MP 30 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom!
This is my first time that I bought a Sony Camcorder and just I can say it is great, its compact ( it is the same size of my hand ) and its working splendid...I can recommend again and again.
The only thing that I forgot to buy for my Sony DCR-SR45 was the Sony memory stick pro duo 16 GB by Usd$97.00 here in Amazon.
So far, I love this thing! I haven't had many chances to use it, but the ties I have, it has great zoom, and the best part to me, is it is very light weight!
Buy JVC Everio GZMG155 1MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 32x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station)!First off, I want to say that the camera shoots pretty good footage outdoors, not at all superb quality, but passable for just archiving personal footage. Indoors is another story, out of the box the low-light conditions pretty much blacked out the playback.
After researching, and changing settings, with help from a review on a similar camera, the indoors picture is pretty good. With the lenses and filters I purchased for this it actually has it to a B-. What I did was set it to M mode, shutter speed to 1/30 and set it to cloudy. You can also gain up while in this mode for a brighter picture, but it does add some grain.
The hard drive is so easy and convenient. I didn't bother installing any of the included software because I use Sony Vegas to edit video. Sony Vegas doesn't recognize the MOD format the video files are saved in, so again I did a few minutes of research to find out that you can simple highlight the MOD part of the file name/extension, backspace 3 times and type MPG. This instantly converts it to MPG format, which Vegas and all of my other playback programs recognize.
Sound is great, for a built in speaker it was almost one of the best I've heard on a simple video camera. The lense comes with threads to attach wide-angle lenses, and filters to make the picture even better... all in a camera a little over 5 inches long!
I was really pleased with this camera, and recommend it to anyone who really needs a good camera, but nothing extravagant- for people who rarely use it. It takes a few minutes of tweaking to get it right indoors, but most cameras aren't cut and dry to begin with.
We got this when we are expecting our first baby. It's rather easy to use overall. Videos are gorgeous and we couldn't be happier. It holds hours of video. However, the still photos are of VERY poor quality. Thank goodness we brought our regular camera to the hospital. We had hoped to only have to lug one piece of equipment around, but the photos simply are of poor color and very blurry. We also are unable to figure out how to upload the videos using just the camcorder. You have to have the base, which means another piece to lug along if you are uploading on vacation.
Buy Sony DCR-SR62 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Handycam Station Included)!
This is the worst waste of money ever! We've had it for a year, and are still unable to burn a dvd that wont skip, or freeze up! You can not edit you video with out purchasing the software, and the software is a joke!!! Your forced to only use this software, and you can't even delete parts out from your segments you have to split the segment where you want to delete, and then trim the beginning of the next segment to remove unwanted video! I spent six hours trying to edit a dvd because the software runs so slow, and at the end it told me I had to purchase the software if I wanted to burn the dvd! I WILL NEVER PURCHASE JVC AGAIN!!!!
Buy JVC Everio GZMG130 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom!
This camcoder requires ImageMixer 3 software to watch videos on PC and I did NOT get one with my purchase and trying to find help on internet to buy this software is not much encouraging either. I found like around $30 to buy IMAGEMIXER 3 SOFTWARE to make your videos work on PC. This is ridiculous. I would NOT recommend this camcoder.
Buy Panasonic SDR-H18 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom!
Great camera, easy to use
Very good camcorder
Great Camcorder, easy to use!
I got this camcorder a few days ago. It is very user friendly and simple. This is great for those of us that are not the most savvy. Sadly user friendly can also be a curse. Even though the picture quality of the video is great(still shots not so great, but thats not why I got a camcorder) special effects and other features are lacking. So if you want a camcorder thats easy to use and will make great home videos this is a good buy. You'll have few worries and no tapes. Easy DVD burn(just one button). If you want features and loads of them you may want to browse some other models. No light, but good night vision. No view finder, but the lcd screen is pretty good, I could even see it well outside with the sun hitting it. No adjustments to still picture quality. No special effects built into the camcorder. But really easy to use.
