Bestselling Cameras

Gizmo Dorks Soft Neoprene Zipper Case

Vicente Mckenzie — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:21:01 +0000

Gizmo Dorks Soft Neoprene Zipper Case

The classic neoprene carrying case protects your device from bumps and scratches. The thin profile and snug fit allows for easy transport.

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Good Product and value
By H
The sleeve works well. Compared to other Kindle sleeves out there on the market, this one has the best value. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a cover to protect his kindle.

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Made Products Ca-1130-blk Camera Armor For

Darren Rojas — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:21:01 +0000

Made Products Ca 1130 Blk Camera Armor For

We shield while you shoot! Camera Armor is a line of rugged, habit fit SLR digital camera cases engineered to provide greatest or most complete or best possible shelter from affect and abrasion while permitting full access to all features of the camera. The four-part system includes Body Armor, Lens Armor, LCD Shield, and Lens Cap Leash. We love our cameras as much as you do. That’s why we designed Camera Armor – the only choice for full time protection. Each model is engineered to provide greatest or most complete or best possible shelter while permitting full access to all controls, compartments, and ports. You focus on the shot – we’ve got you covered.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Not bad
By Klipspringer
Chances are you will either love Camera Armor or hate it. The style for the D300 does not provide quite the protection as the D200 model, but this is necessitated by the camera design. There are a couple of frustrating aspects; the rubber covers the mode setting in the digital display, making it awkward to see the current setting. The “flap” on the bottom of the camera can cause problems (covered by other reviewers), but so far I have not had a problem with it. I personally like the Camera Armor in general for two reasons: first, because I have relatively big hands, and the added thickness and non-slip aspect of the rubber makes for a positive grip; and second, because most of my shooting is done outdoors and it does absorb a lot of bumps that would otherwise scratch and potentially damage the camera. The lens hood can be awkward, and be advised that if fully extended it will vignette the photo at wide angle settings (just remember to collapse it at those settings). It does, however, provide a lot of protection for long lenses that tend to whack solid objects. If your photography is done indoors or under gentle conditions, Camera Armor is just a frustration. If you’re out in the weather or tend to bang your camera a lot, Camera Armor does provide a good degree of protection for expensive SLRs.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Its Different than what you see on the photo
By Yousef Y. Mohsen
And its worst than expected I must say. I have removed the Armour soon after I have installed it. I just couldn’t see what protection or benefit i would get out of it. The vital parts of the camera are still exposed and unprotected and it just makes it bulkier and unnecessary to put. Although the price is more reasonable now, I got mine for about $50!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Fair but not perfect
By Kyle Eskue
so I waited for the camera armor to be in stock for the Nikon D300 forquite some time. I can honestly say I am not impressed with this product and actually do not use. For me the fit on the camera was not that great and overall look and feel was just average. It does make some of the function buttons on the front of the camera hard to access. I do think it would do a decent job of protecting the camera against impact so I might use it if I go hiking….then again maybe not. Others may like the look and feel but I for one was not impressed.

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Premium Nb-6l Lithium-ion Replacement

Jerry Britt — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:21:01 +0000

Premium Nb 6l Lithium Ion Replacement

Product Features:
* Over-charge protection
* Over-discharge protection
* Over-heat protection
* Over-current protection
* Short-circuit protection
* High capacity circulative function
* Low Power Consumption IC Design
* No Memory Effect
* High Charge current

Fit Models
Canon PowerShot G10,
Canon PowerShot G11,
Canon PowerShot G12,
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Compatible Part NO.
Canon NB-7L NB7L

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
You get what you pay for
By MargotTenenbaum
I thought this was a great deal: two batteries for a fraction of the price of one canon brand battery. Well, the good news is they arrived quickly and they are, in fact, batteries. The bad news is they hardly hold a charge. The original Canon battery pack that came with my camera lasted forever. These last maybe an hour on a full charge. Which is probably why they give you two. B/c you are always going to be charging one of them. Definitely noticeably lower quality. But, dirt cheap. You get what you pay for, I suppose.

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Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc-gf1

Baylee Torres — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:21:01 +0000

Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc Gf1

“# SLR Case holds camera body with attached zoom lens, laptop and further and added accessories. Removable shelves and flexible walls construct a wholly customizable interior.
# Padded lens/accessory sleeves and nylex lined pockets provide superior protection.
# Internal pockets and side pockets concede fast access to memory cards and other little items.”Package includes SumacLife TM Wisdom Courage Wristband

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Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc Gf1 Photo

Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc Gf1 Picture

Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc Gf1 Pic

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Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc Gf1 Pic

Slr Camera Bag For Panasonic Lumix Dmc Gf1 Photo

Canon Powershot Sd1400 Is Digital Elph

Omar Best — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:21:01 +0000

Canon Powershot Sd1400 Is Digital Elph

Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Point & Shoot Digital Camera – 14.1 Megapixel – 2.70″ Active Matrix TFT Color LCD – Black 4181B001 Digital Cameras

Shy and modest is so yesterday. Get ready for splendor that’s the center of attention once the PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital ELPH camera is in your hands. First glimpse says it all: not one thing moves you like the affect of sleek sculpture, specially when it’s drenched in the purest, ripest colors. Inside, Canon engineers defy micro-space with big, brilliant innovation.

PowerShot SD1400IS Highlights

14.1-megapixel solution and large, 2.7-inch PureColor System LCD

What’s in the Box

PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital ELPH Body
Lithium-ion Battery Pack NB-4L
Battery Charger CB-2LV
Wrist Strap WS-DC7
Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU
AV Cable AVC-DC400

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769 of 783 people found the following review helpful.
The Canon SD1400IS is Capable & Compact
By SDesign
In short, this is a great camera in a very small package that produces good results! I wanted a small portable camera with HD video capabilities that I could take with me when I did not want to lug around my DSLR (Canon 40D + lenses) and this little gem fits the bill perfectly.

This camera replaced a Canon PowerShot SD780IS (Black) that I returned due to constant audio noise (hum) while recording video. Rather than risk getting another defective SD780IS with the same issue (many seem to report hearing the noise/hum), I decided to upgrade to the latest Canon PowerShot SD1400IS (Black). I am happy to report that this camera has no such issue with audio when video is being recorded.

The picture quality of the SD780IS and SD1400IS is roughly the same and on par with what one should expect from such a small ultra-portable camera. Going from 12MP to 14MP is a wash as the sensor is the same size and results are very similar. I have posted several shots of flowers under the “customer images” section of the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP (Black) and also uploaded several 100% crops of each image so pixel peepers can see the detail that this camera produces.

Let me be clear, anyone that thinks this camera is going to produce anything close to the quality of a DSLR is fooling himself or herself. There is no way that this small of a package (3.6 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches ; 4.6 ounces) can produce the same image quality as a DSLR. If image quality if paramount, one would be better off considering the Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera, but you will lose the HD video capability, some portability and spend more money. When I want extreme quality, I simply take my Canon 40D + lenses with me and shoot in RAW.

The Auto mode is smart and I think there is more happening behind the scenes than one would expect. If one takes the same image (same ISO settings, lighting, shutter etc.) in Auto and then in Program mode, the results are similar, but I think the Auto mode wins nearly every time. I have no way to confirm this, but the Auto mode seems to have different compression algorithms depending on the subject and can produce a less noisy image at higher ISO than Program mode can. Inside shots are good but I wish I could set an ISO range to force the Auto mode not to exceed 400 ISO.

Tip: If you are getting blurry images, remember that the minimum focal length is much less 5cm when at 28mm and significantly more 50cm when zoomed in to 112mm. So, if you are trying to get the camera close to your subject, be sure to gauge your zoom/subject distances properly otherwise your subject will be out of focus. Perhaps this would have helped the 1 star reviewer.

Final items of note:
1. There is no viewfinder and quite honestly, the small viewfinder on the SD780IS was useless so I do not miss having one. The LCD is bright and works great even on bright days.
2. There is no optical zoom while recording video, only digital zoom, so one has to decide on a zoom length before starting to record. This is a non-issue for me as many people overuse zoom and usually would have been better off just recording a static shot rather than making me dizzy with shaky-cam + zooming at the same time.

Bottom line: This is a fantastic pocket camera capable of decent images with HD video recording as a bonus. It is small enough that it will get taken everywhere enabling capturing of all those special moments. I would highly recommend it to anyone, so long as they realize the limitations inherent to ultra compact cameras. I hope this is review is helpful.

Update: I forgot to mention that one should be sure to get no less than a “Class 4″ SD card (Class 6 would be even better) to prevent any video recording issues (missed frames etc.)

Update 2: Still loving this camera after six weeks of use, I particularly like HD video capabilities and use it all the time. The .mov video files make for easy import into Apple iMovie for editing and produces great results. At a recent event, I was able to get some very nice pictures in low light without using a flash in AUTO mode. I was really surprised at the quality achieved in such hard shooting conditions. Best results are had by not zooming too much as there is less light available (f-stop changes when zoomed). If you are noticing blurry shots, try to zoom less and get closer to your subject.

Update 3: I just ran across the recent announcement of the Canon PowerShot SD4000IS (Black) 10MP, it was just released and the list price is currently more than the SD1400IS but the new 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor looks very promising for decreasing the noise that is common in sub-compact cameras. The SD4000IS also has HD video capabilities with the addition of stereo sound and can be zoomed while recording video along with a new “Super Slow Motion” video function and a faster f/2.0 lens. It will be interesting to see what users think of this new camera in the coming months. I hope this update is helpful.

158 of 164 people found the following review helpful.
Best camera for the money!! Get the waterproof case!!
By RunKidsx3
I bought this camera for a scuba diving trip in the Caribbean. This is my first product review, but I was so impressed with this camera, I have to do one!! We bought the underwater case to go with it so we could take it diving with us. The camera was amazing. I am just a recreational photographer (taking pictures of kids, sports and hobbies. The 1400 took amazing photos of fish, eels, and other creatures between the depths of 1 ft- 100ft. Some pics still turned out a little blue, while others turned out so well I think they could be published. Underwater photography is very hard, I have heard because of so many variables. I rarely get blurry pictures on land or underwater. Sometimes if the first is blurry I quickly change setting and the 2nd is not. I took several pictures while chasing fish or stingrays and 99.9% were not blurry. I don’t think you can ask more than that out of a point and shoot!

Indoors the colors are very real. I do not find yellow tints to pictures. I was taking pictures of the kids around the dinner table, (which has a big window next too it) and the kids looked great. Usually with past cameras they turned out dark because of the light coming in through the window. Outdoors the pictures are beautiful. Again you may have to change the setting, but it is easy. If the water was not turquoise enough, I changed it to beach setting and the pictures showed every detail. I cannot say enough about this camera, but I think every night on our vacation we just talked about how amazed we were with it. I studied hard before buying this camera. I spent many hours looking between the 780, 940, 1300 and 1400. For a few dollars more you get a lot more cameras.

This camera is very small. It can fit into your front pocket very easy. Love it!!

139 of 145 people found the following review helpful.
Produces Consistently High Quality Pictures
By Gilgamesh
The Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver) is exactly the kind of camera I have been wanting. I photograph documents a lot, so I am very concerned with the amount of detail that can be captured, especially in relatively low-light conditions. The quality of the pictures is significantly better than any other camera I have tried.

PROS:
-Produces consistently clear pictures
-Extremely compact, lightweight, and sturdy
-Easy to use (functions are intuitively organized)
-Uses standard USB cable instead of a proprietary one (SONY)
-Uses standard memory instead of a proprietary one (SONY)
-No wheels or toggle switches jutting out to get caught on things and mess up the settings (when I wanted to take regular pictures, I always seemed to be shooting movies, or photographing in a strange light setting with my SONY camera)

CONS:
-Buttons seem a little less solid than previous CANON models (my CANON IXY from about 8 years ago was designed a lot better)
-Buttons are flush with the body of the camera, so I have to operate it using my fingernails sometimes (again, the buttons on my CANON IXY were much easier to use)
-The door to the digital port for connecting the USB cable doesn’t swing out very wide, and I have a feeling that if I am not careful it may not last long (the CANON IXY had a soft rubber cover that was much more flexible)

In short, this is a great product, but I hope that CANON will re-introduce some of their older design features in the new cameras in order to make them a little sturdier and easier to use. I have not noticed any problems with dead pixels–the LCD screen is beautiful. Please note that you will need to buy a memory card separately. It does not come with one.

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Canon Powershot Sd1400 Is Digital Elph Image

Canon Powershot Sd1400 Is Digital Elph Picture

Canon Powershot Sd1400 Is Digital Elph Image

Sony Hdr-cx700v High Definition Handycam

Ronan Harmon — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:20:14 +0000

Sony Hdr Cx700v High Definition Handycam

With it is back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, the HDR-CX560V HD Handycam Camcorder delivers superior low-light video. Full HD 60p/24p recording capablenesses offer fantastically elaborate playback of your precious memories. The wide angle Sony G Lens lets you capture more of the action with sharp images and brilliant, precise colors. Also equipped with 64GB embedded Flash memory, you may record and store up to 26 hours of high-definition video footage (HD LP mode). A vibrant 3.0″ touch-screen display lets you compose and view your shots while a built-in GPS receiver gives you the capacity to view your current emplacement on the LCD map display, as well as “tag” your shooting locations. FEATURES: 1920×1080 Full HD 60p Recording w/12MP still effigy capture – The Sony HDR-CX560V offers 1920 x 1080 high definition solution letting you record your memories in particular Full High Definition quality. Capable of 60p recording and playback by way of HDMI and compatible HDTV supplying stunning clarity and fantastically elaborate playback of your memories. Cinematone presets and 24p recording for cinematic quality video – For extra control over effigy expression, Cinematone technology is used to deepen the color and recreate film-like color tones. Combined with 24p recording, you’ll have a heap of of the tools you need to fulfill your need for cinematic expression. Optical Steadyshot effigy stabilization w/ Active Mode – Optical Steadyshot effigy stabilization with Active Mode compensates for more outstanding degrees of camera shake to deliver stunningly smooth video from wide angle to full telephoto shooting. In addition, progressed 3-Way Shake-Canceling adds electronic roll stability for even smoother video capture. Tracking Focus follows chosen subject – Tracking Focus works as an extension of Face Detection to concede you to select an obje

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77 of 78 people found the following review helpful.
CLOSING IN ON MINI DV TECHNOLOGY
By Anton Tobias
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R26I2XA0LPAMTP My initial impression of the Sony HDR-CX560V wasn’t satisfying. Upon opening the factory sealed Sony Handycam box I was met with a small, plastic, piano black camcorder. Funny how it looked so much heftier on websites. Coming from the line of Sony MiniDV camcorders I’ve shot on for over a decade this lightweight contraption I held in my hands looked & felt more like a toy than a high end Sony Handycam. Perhaps it was a mistake to sell off one of my older MiniDV camcorders in favor of this new flash-based model. Maybe I had let consumer marketing mislead me about the new line of HD camcorders. At least that’s what I thought…before using it.

For anyone even somewhat interested in camcorders & video editing software it’s inevitable to catch wind of the ongoing battle against flash memory & MiniDV. Since its arrival in 1995 the DV format has proven itself reliable among both novices & professionals in the video scene. Although long rumored to capture video in an uncompressed format, MiniDV is actually compressed using DCT compression. This is a lossy compression algorithm a la MPEG-2 at a bit rate of 35 Mbit/s. That 35 Mbit/s is comprised of about 25 Mbit/s for video, 1.5 Mbit/s for audio and 8.5 Mbit/s for error correction. This still makes for a very powerful master copy which proves very convenient in post production editing. This combined with the dependability of a sixteen year track record makes MiniDV quite the heavyweight.

Taking all this into consideration it’s important to note that Sony no longer develops MiniDV Handycam camcorders. Perhaps this subtle hint is an early warning sign for the potential fate of MiniDV technology altogether? Regardless, the argument at this point in time is compression issues with flash-memory camcorders. Are the bitrates as high as MiniDV? How many Mbit/s do they use? Are the AVCHD files as hard to work with in editing as reported? Well, let’s take one thing at a time.

Flash-based camcorders have made a quantum leap from where they were just a few short years ago. I think we can all agree DVD & HDD camcorders were a bad idea, fading from the scene almost completely. However flash-memory camcorders have not only stuck around, they’ve evolved considerably. One doesn’t have to look far to witness what is quickly becoming an electronic epidemic. Flash-based camcorders are everywhere & spreading. The technology is in iPods, smartphones, pocket camcorders, racing cams and even key chains. But popularity doesn’t always mean better quality. In all honesty it often times just means hype. This is not the case with the Sony HDR-CX560V, however. After getting past the overall plastic feel of the unit I was impressed with it’s performance.

No, the Mbit/s on this model aren’t as high as MiniDV. As mentioned earlier MiniDV uses a total of 35 Mbit/s 25 of which are dedicated to video. The HDR-CX560V uses a maximum of 28mbps on the 60p setting. After shooting an hour long sunset (see attached video) on this recording level I accumulated an AVCHD file of just under 12GB. For those wondering the MiniDV footage I’ve used over the years would be anywhere between 10 to 15GBs per hour upon uploading to my computer. As you can see the Sony HDR-CX560V is literally neck & neck with MiniDV footage in terms of megabytes. Quite impressive. Even after the footage was rendered three times & sped up to compensate for time the video still looks decent (as demonstrated in the attached video).

It should be noted, however, AVCHD files recorded at 60p have no real output source other than viewing on a PC. At the current time Blu-Ray & even AVCHD discs themselves don’t support the 1080 60p files. What does this mean in plain English? Basically if you’re planning on burning a Blu-Ray disc with 60p files you’ll have to render them down first. Using Sony Vegas Pro 10 I have no trouble importing these files then rendering them onto Blu-Ray in 60i. I then save the original 60p file to an external hard drive for an optimal master copy. Of course the CX560V gives you the option to shoot in several different modes. These include:

- FX Mode: Approx. 24Mbps (1920×1080)
- FH Mode: Approx. 17Mbps (1920×1080)
- HQ Mode: Approx. 9Mbps 1440×1080)
- LP Mode: Approx. 5Mbps (1440×1080)
- STD HQ Mode: 9Mbps (720×480)

The Sony HDR-CX560V also gives you the option of shooting in 24p (to replicate film) with a 1920×1080 pixel ratio. I’ve played with this option a little but don’t personally care for it. To me the finished product simply has a slo-mo effect, not really a film-like effect. However, this is a personal preference, others may disagree & enjoy using it. Recording time on internal 64GB memory is as follows:

- PS Mode: 5 Hours & 15 Minutes
- FX Mode: 6 Hours & 10 Minutes
- FH Mode: 8 Hours & 25 Minutes
- HQ Mode: 11 Hours & 20 Minutes
- LP Mode: 21 Hours & 30 Minutes
- STD Mode: 14 Hours & 25 Minutes

Picture quality is very decent. Keep in mind I’m burning to Blu-Ray discs so the picture quality is expected to look good. For what it’s worth my final cuts on Blu-Ray look twice as sharp as anything I’ve shot on standard definition MiniDV & rendered to DVD…but again, this is to be expected. I’m still quite a fan of the HDV files that other HD MiniDV camcorders produce and understand why serious editors wouldn’t want to stray from that medium. The AVCHD generated by the CX560V files seem bulky in comparison, not so much in file size but in overall horsepower to run them. I’m running a quad CPU with a dedicated graphics card so it’s not so much a problem on my end but is something I wanted fellow consumers to be aware of.

Battery life is decent when using the NP-FV100 battery (sold separately; of course) and is right on par with the estimated life expectancy on the package (roughly 6 to 8 hours depending on how you`re shooting). The unit comes supplied with a NP-FV50 which might give you an hour of recording time if used sparingly. I’ve found it’s more convenient to use this battery as a backup. Shooting primarily on the NP-FV100 & keeping the fully charged FV50 in my bag for those “just in case” moments while on the road. It’s always struck me as unfair when companies skimp on their included camcorder batters, but I suppose by now we all now the routine. Getting a new camcorder? Add a battery that actually runs the unit to the list of mandatory accessories.

There has been a lot of praise over the USB transfer system on the HDR-CX560V as opposed to traditional firewire (realtime) uploads. Simply drag & drop the files from your camcorder to your PC without having to play back the entire shoot. Well, that works well in theory, but the only problem is when transferring AVCHD files (especially the ones shot in 60p) it will literally take just as long to transfer on the 2.0 USB system as it would during a playback firewire upload. Case in point, the hour of footage I mentioned earlier took one hour to transfer from the CX560V to my computer.

The most common complaint about this unit is the lack of manual controls that can be used together & the unresponsive touchscreen. Being able to control only one element of exposure at a time might be frustrating to some who like to be at the wheel fulltime. One review mentioned “if you set the shutter speed to 1/60 you loose all other control. It is possible to set the shutter speed and then assign AE shift to the control dial which gives some control, but the camera decides what to do with gain and iris.” Something to keep in mind. *see update at bottom

In regards to the touch screen, (which is 3.0′) I personally haven’t found it any more difficult to use than any other of the Sony touchscreen camcorders I’ve used in the past. Sometimes it takes one or two extra presses to get a response, could just be me not pressing hard enough the first time though.

The Sony CX560V is capable of taking still pictures of up to 12.3 mega pixels, although it’s not a feature I use at all & is designed to be expanded with (I believe) up to 32GB of internal flash card memory. This feature is accessible with both SD cards & Sony Memory Sticks. It also has a GPS feature (which seems unnecessary to me) allowing you to view a map of where certain scenes were filmed on the unit’s 3.0′ LCD screen.

Equipped with a Sony Wide Angle G-Lens the CX560V has a superb range for capturing true widescreen footage. Finding a lens hood to accommodate it is a different story though. Don’t be fooled into purchasing a lens hood advertising compatibility with the CX560V unless you read the reviews thoroughly. A lot of websites will list a 37mm hood as universally compatible with any 37mm lens camcorders. Translation: the lens hood ring will mount to the 37mm lens but because of the wide angle captured by the CX570V the hood will be visible around the edges of the shot.

Shooting in low light settings has often been bothersome for me. The HDR-CX560V has a 1/2.88″ (6.2mm) Back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS Sensor for just this problem. Videos result in twice as much clarity as I’m used to with my old DCR-HC48 in dim atmospheres. Also if shooting in the dark the unit comes with a night shot infrared system, which means footage will have a green tint but at least it’s there if you need it. Of course what Handycam would be complete without the image stabilizer which is also included, on this model, to reduce shaky video.

Overall I’m very pleased with the Sony HDR-CX560V. Converting to Flash from MiniDV was a cautious step for me, but from what I’ve seen the technology is only trailing by a nose. Although I’m still holding onto my Sony HDR-HC9 for reassurance (or paranoia) the CX560V has really impressed me with what it can accomplish.

Some specs of interest:

Scene Modes:

- Auto
- Twilight
- Twilight Portrait (Photo Mode only)
- Sunrise & Sunset
- Fireworks
- Landscape
- Portrait
- Spotlight
- Beach
- Snow

Convenience Features:

- Quick On (Powered On By LCD)
- Auto Lens Cover
- Red Eye Reduction
- Cinema Tone (To Deepen Color & Recreate Film-Like Color Tones)
- 10x Optical Zoom (14x Extended Zoom)
- 120x Digital Zoom
- Wind Noise Reduction

What’s included in the box? Here you go:

- Rechargeable Battery Pack (NP-FV50)
- Component A/V Cable
- CD-ROM (with Handycam Application Software)
- AC Adaptor
- A/V Connecting Cable
- Remote Control (RMT-835 with Battery)
- Power Cord
- USB Connection Support Cable
- Operating Guide

*Update: (04/19/2012) It has been mentioned on other websites & consumer reviews that holding down the center button inside the focus ring for two seconds will allow the user to select which manual setting they want to change. For example: hold the center button down for two seconds then select your IRIS value, hold it down for another two seconds and you should see the message “IRIS control set”. Press & hold the center button down for an additional two seconds to select whichever other setting you want to set.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
Sony HDR-CX560v – perfect camera for me
By Dan
I purchased the Sony HDR-CX560v on March 30th and received it April 1st. When I got it, I started using it immediately to film some home movies of our new child (6 weeks old). I did tons of research on cameras before purchasing and I made the decision between this, the Canon Vixia HF21, and the Panasonic HDC-TM700K.

I wanted the following attributes in a new camera: HD, low lux capabilities, ease of use, shake reduction and large amount of flash memory.

Mostly all of my videos so far have been indoors. Our home tends to be dimly lit in most of the rooms and the camcorder has done exceedingly well in those conditions. Playback on our 56″ bigscreen in HD looks brilliant. It captures sound wonderfully and it files the vidoes nicely for playback. The camera is also quite easy to use. I am by no means a professional videographer and I can point and shoot wonderful vidoes with just a push of the “record” button. I also love the built-in USB. It makes is easy to hook up to my computer and transfer the vidoes. Also, I tend to be quite shaky while filming and the vibration reduction in this camera is wonderful.

Some cons of this camcorder are: The screen can be a little touchy to use. I have smaller hands and even I sometimes have to push on the screen icons a few times to get them to “select”. Also, I wish this model, like the 550v would have the view finder. The screen can be hard to see in the glare. Also, I would highly recommend purchasing a larger battery. The FV50 does not last an extremely long amount of time. I am averaging about 2.5 hours of HD record time with it – and this is considering it is brand spanking new.

Overall, I rate this camera a 4 star. I knocked it a little due to the screen, the view finder and the stock battery. To do over, I will still purchase this camera in spite of those cons.

With your purchase I highly recommend a larger battery, a case, an HDMI Cable with ethernet A-C type (this enables you to easily hook up the camcorder and play it back on your HD devices and is NOT included in the box from the factory) and the sony Shooting Grip (once again, I have small hands and am shaky and it helps out tremendously).

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
Sony Handycam HDR-CX560V Review
By Marvin
I want to start off by saying this is an excellent camcorder. I absolutely love the video and audio quality that is produced. The setup is pretty straight forward but I find myself referring to the manual when I want to do special things like change the scene. It’s supposed to do this automatically but I have yet to see my device change its setting from default automatically. The software guys did an excellent job with separating out all of the different functions. You can almost get away without ever using the user manual if you just want to do simple things. I am also very impressed with the Optical steadyshot feature. If you’re going to be walking around or recording a live sporting game then this is a must have feature.

A few of the things I didn’t like about this camcorder is that sometimes the touch screen can be unresponsive at time. I find myself pushing the same button a few times before the camcorder register it. This is not a major concern but it does happen from time to time. When shooting in very low light situations, I was not impressed with the Back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor. Maybe I was expecting to capture footage beyond 8 feet but it works great if your subject is less than 8 feet away. I’m new to the camcorder world so maybe 8 feet is excellent. I don’t know.

A word of caution for Mac users, you will be hard pressed using this device. As you know, the CD that comes with this camcorder is not compatible with a Mac. Furthermore, the certain video formats is not compatible with imovie either. You would need another program to convert these files if you want to use/view them in imovie. However, this is such an excellent camcorder that overcoming these drawbacks is well worth the superior video footage you get.

Overall, this is a top notch product. Anyone wanting to record their own events would be happy with this device. Items that I wish were included would be a Mini HDMI cable. Without this cable you will be forced to use the component video for playback on HDTV sets. If recording in 24p is not something you really need, then I would suggest going with the HDR-CX550

See all 20 customer reviews…

Sony Hdr Cx700v High Definition Handycam Pic

Sony Hdr Cx700v High Definition Handycam Picture

Sony Hdr Cx700v High Definition Handycam Pic

Sony Hdr Cx700v High Definition Handycam Photo

Sony Hdr Cx700v High Definition Handycam Pic

Waterproof Mini Dv For Outdoor Sports;

Dean Weaver — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:20:14 +0000

Waterproof Mini Dv For Outdoor Sports

The Midland XTC100VP2 is an easy to use general definition Action Camera with one switch operation. This micro size camera 1.75 H X 3.25 L X 1.12 W records at 30 frames per second with a solution of 640 X 480. Capture more of the action with the 140 degree wide angle lens. The XTC100VP2 SD card slot will accommodate up to a 32GB card (Not Included) with approximate recording times of 30 minutes per 2 GB. To download your video to computer, the XTC100 is as simple as Plug and Play. Attach the camera to a computer with the included mini USB cable and the download will begin, no further and added software needed. The XTC100VP2 is compatible with Windows (XP, Vista, 7), and MAC 10.4, 10.5, and 10.6. 4 Popular mounts are included, Helmet with 2 extra 3M Adhevise Pads, Handlebar, Helment Strap and Goggle. The XTC100VP2 operates on 2 “AAA” batteries which are included.

Also known as wearable video camcorders, these tiny (<3 oz.) but powerful cameras are designed to attach to helmets, goggles, handlebars and more, leaving the user's hand free to "put yourself in the action". With these cameras you may capture all the action while to a complete degree taking part in the outdoor actions or uttermost action sports you love.

The one button on/off design of the XTC line is ingenious. A single flip of a single switch allows you to begin recording so it’s perfective for everything from sky diving to scuba diving.

With the buy of the XTC100 you receive accessaries that grant the camera to mount to multiple surfaces. Accessories include a universal mount, strap mount, goggle mount and handlebar mount. Midland’s growing line of accessaries includes a submersible case and windshield mount.

Features include

480p High Definition
Wearable camera – capture POV
Comes with 4 mounts: Universal, Strap, Goggle and Handlebar
One switch on/off
Uses up to 32GB Micro HD Card

Package includes:

Midland XTC100 camera
USB Cable
2 AAA Alkaline Batteries
Goggle Mount
Helmet Strap Mount
Universal Mount (includes 2ea. 3M adhesive pads)
Handlebar Mount

XTC100 Full Features

High Definition – 480
Filming Speed – 30 Frames Per Second (4:3 aspect ratio) – 640 x 480
Wearable Camera – Capture POV
4 mounts Included – Universal, Strap, Goggle and Handlebar
Records Sounds – AAC Audio
Long Record Time – Up to 5 hours
Lightweight – Weights less than 3 oz.
Easy to Use – One switch off/on
Customize Your Camera – Full line of optional accessories
Wide Screen Ratio – 4:3 aspect ratio
Wide Angle Captures the Action – 140º wide observing angle
Optional Storage – Uses up to 32GB Micro HD Card
Standard Recording Time – 15 min/1GB
Popular Format – AVI
Versatile Focus – 5-inch to infinity
Accurate Light Sensitivity – 3.0V/ Lux. Second
Easy Download – Uses a USB 2.0 transfer cable
Compatible Systems – Windows XP SP2+, Vista & 7, Mac OS X 10.4+

Optional Accessories
It’s easy to custommake the XTC100 to suit your specific needs.

Submersible Case – XTA301
Windshield Suction Cup Mount – XTA101
Windshield and Handlebar mounts and DC adapter – XTAVP1
Threaded Clip, Helmet, Goggle and Universal Mounts – XTAVP2
Tree Mount, Threaded Clip, Visor and Bow Mounts – XTAVP3
USB Cable, AC and DC Adaptors – XTAVP4

Most helpful customer reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful.
Great Cam! With issues….
By A. Noid
Let me start by saying that this cam makes great, clear video. It lasts beyond the rated 2hrs. using rechargeable batts. An 8gb card gives about 1:50 of record time, @ 2gb per 30 mins. A 16gb card would let you max out the batt. life.
I gave it 4 stars for a few small(sort of) issues. The mounting systems have limited adjustment, and very limited instructions. The H.bar mount sits very high, and has no provision for screw tightening, you pull it tight like a tie-wrap. The helmet and goggle strap mounts require bending a plastic tab, and pulling the base completely out of the mount to adjust the vert. angle, something near impossible to do if you’re already wearing it. You need eyes on to do it right, and not break it. The stick-on helmet mount has no side to side adjustment, so you better get it pointed right on the first try. It also has very limited tilt range, so it almost has to be where the goggle strap goes anyway. There’s no provision for top mounting, only side.
The cam itself works great, with caveats. If any air will move near the cam, the mic hole MUST be taped over, otherwise a horrible screeching will be heard. The problem with this is that the batt. cover includes one side of the mic hole, requiring replacing the tape each time. Sound level is still fine with mic taped, this thing hears EVERYTHING! One last thing; when mounted from the bottom, on the bike helmet mount, it’s near impossible to remove batt. cover without loosening the cam first. And I think it would benefit from a small sun shade, a bright sky can make the trails go almost black. I haven’t tried adding one yet, so I can’t be sure it will work.
I highly recommend this cam, but you’ll need to tweak things a bit depending what you use it for.

Also, I bought the Transend class 6 micro sd card with reader and it works great.
I bought the Kingston class 4 first, and it was either defective or fake, it did all kinds of crazy stuff, like making 30 files that were 10 secs. long during one ride. Also, pull the card out and use a reader. Downloading from the cam directly is frustratingly slow.

One last thing(really). This cam will start a new file every 30 mins., so it’s best if you cycle it off and on yourself before this, or you will lose a random 10-15 seconds while cam resets.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
For the $, best helmet cam
By ander498
This is very cheap compared to every other action camera out there. And what do you give up? Not a whole lot.

Cons:
It is not totally waterproof, but after a lot of ski days, it has no issues
The files it creates are huge – about 70mb/min

Pros:
Comes with lots of mounts, the goggle mount works great
Image quality is very very good. People hear “HD” and think that is what matters. Really, the lens, image processor, white balance, contrast etc etc matter more, and they are really good on this little guy.
Small and light. I have used the GoPro HD and its like skiing with a weight on one side of your head.
$77!! Its so much cheaper than your other options – which also charge for mounts.

This is a great little camera. Originally bought for my little bro for skiing, we have been both using it, and I will be getting another one for me shortly.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
meh, should have spent more on a better camera
By M. Fields
I use this with my dual sport motorcycle. First the helmet strap isn’t long enough to go around a helmet so I had to use the sticker mount. That worked fine. Next, the unit I got was an open box return and the usb port was messed up. They sent me a new one. No problem. Then I got to actually take it out and use it and here is what I found out.

Going faster than 10mph it picks up the wind noise so bad you have to mute the sound. Also picks up a horrible high pitch whistle. The video looks passable when you watch it at its native size but if you expand it to full screen on your computer or TV you can’t pick out any details. Everything is very pixelated. Which since it is I think 640X480 that is what you can expect.

Colors are washed out too. I kept saying to myself ” I can’t wait to get home and show the kids my video of how beautiful it is here” and then I get home and it is just crappy video quality. I am going to save up for a go-pro. You get what you pay for. I was cheap with this purchase and so I got a cheap camera with cheap video and horrible audio.

Would not buy again.

See all 19 customer reviews…

Waterproof Mini Dv For Outdoor Sports Image

Waterproof Mini Dv For Outdoor Sports Picture

Waterproof Mini Dv For Outdoor Sports Image

Waterproof Mini Dv For Outdoor Sports Pic

Hddv5520(with 32Gb Card) Black 5Mp

Kale Ball — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:20:14 +0000

Hddv5520with 32gb Card Black 5mp

The SanDisk Ultra II 32 GB memory card feature rapidly and without delay performance, dandier storage capacities, and better dependability, so you may get the most from your investment in a feature-rich, high-quality digital camera or camcorder.

FEATURES:

HUGE 32 GB storage capacity
High-Speed USB 2.0 MicroMate reader for easy transfer from card to PC
High speed card featuring fast 15MB/sec Read/Write speeds
High performance card for cutting out the wait when transferring data from camera to PC
Solid reliability backed by a lifetime fixed warranty
Higher capacity card for capturing more photos and longer videos

Most helpful customer reviews

119 of 128 people found the following review helpful.
Class 4 up to 15MB/s read, but only 9MB/s write
By J. Katz
So far I’ve had no trouble with this card, but I am not happy with the product description which is incorrect. The current description reads:

“15MB/s Read/Write”

This is false. I was a bit disappointed when I saw on the item’s package that 15 MB/s only referred to read speeds, with only 9 MB/s write speeds. That’s still reasonably fast — although I’ve seen other reviews which state that when tested the cards do not reach those max values, but I haven’t tested mine.
Also, unclear from the description (and even the literature on the SanDisk site), is the fact that this is a Class 4 device. That is important to know for many devices such as HD camcorders, but not clearly indicated.

60 of 63 people found the following review helpful.
Great card – but be aware that it is not a class 6 card.
By Tarun Chachra
So every digital camera now a days does some sort of video shooting as well as still photography. With a 32gb card, I doubt that you will ever run out of space…however you should be aware that if the card goes bad you will have a lot more to lose.

32gb for less then $199 gives you the ability to store a lot of information and from what I am seeing, people are even using these to install operating systems and booting up from them. This is a techy type process but it is possible none the less and can be done.

Read/Write Speeds – In my tests I inserted the card into a reader into a usb port on my Macbook Pro laptop and used a utility to test the read/write speed. It is the same utility I would use to test a Hard drive. I came up with an average of about 16-17-/mb/s read and about 10mb/s for write.

It is a great card and works perfect….I paid a bit more for it when I bought it but it is GREAT to see Amazon dropping the price as market conditions change.

5/5

58 of 61 people found the following review helpful.
32gb card
By Anonymous
I recently purchased a high definition video camera that records on memory card only, which is what I prefer. I wanted the biggest card so I went for this one and it works perfectly. This card gets me a little over 4 hours of recording time on the highest quality setting on my camera.

See all 70 customer reviews…

Hddv5520with 32gb Card Black 5mp Pic

Hddv5520with 32gb Card Black 5mp Photo

Hddv5520with 32gb Card Black 5mp Pic

Panasonic Ag-hmc150 Professional 3-Ccd

Omar Wagner — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:20:14 +0000

Panasonic Ag Hmc150 Professional 3 Ccd

The cooler than cool AG-HMC150 drew huge crowds at the 2008 NAB Show. Why? Simply because it offers an unheard of Bang for the Buck, in a 1/3-inch three-chip hand kept tapeless HD camcorder, while holding back the core skillfulness of the DVX100B. The HMC150 sports a 28mm lens right out of the box and a new PH Record mode (21 Mbps) which offers higher solution with a host of recording formats including 24p. Add to that, astounding low light performance, long record and battery time and professional Audio capablenesses at a price that will make it an instant hit with a wide range of AV Shooters, Indie creators and Event video professionals.

The cooler than cool AG-HMC150 drew huge crowds at the 2008 NAB Show. Why? Simply because it offers an unheard of Bang for the Buck, in a 1/3-inch three-chip hand held tapeless HD camcorder, while holding back the core skillfulness of the DVX100B. The HMC150 sports a 28mm lens right out of the box and a new PH Record mode (21 Mbps) which offers higher solution with a host of recording formats including 24p. Add to that, awful low light performance, long record and battery time and professional Audio capablenesses at a price that will make it an instant hit with a wide range of AV Shooters, Indie creators and Event video professionals.

The feature-rich HMC150 raises the bar for video quality. As the camcorder & display market moves swiftly to High Definition, superior effigy quality and higher-end features are now a must-have. Panasonic is convinced that the HMC150 will give clients the higher quality and originative edge they need to stay in front of competitory shooters with SD or HDV pro camcorders. The HMC150 will meet and exceed the expected values of masters who make their living shooting video.

Professionals Need Great Audio. Two locking XLR inputs at the front, finish with hard switches for Line and Mic with +48V Phantom Power, Manual level controls, and Internal/External assignment. Up & down volume adjustments may be made to the internal speaker or stereo headphone output.

Don’t be affrighted of the Dark or of your tape running out. With 14 bit Analog to Digital conversion and 19 bit Video processing, users may shoot in low light situations with virtiually no fear of video noise detracting from the highly elaborated video. They may likewise forget in regards to the 63 minute record time limit of DV & HDV and the need to estimate remaining battery life. The new Info Data battery system used in the AVCCAM line up updates remaining time left to the minute.

Competitive Advantages of the AG-HMC150:

Solid state capture and playback does away with the difficulties inherent in tape and disc drives, while permitting high quality HD content to be captured on affordable, readily available SD cards
Its 21 Mbps PH mode records far higher picture quality than HDV Tape systems
MPEG-2 compression works with blocks of only 16 X 16 pixels whereas H.264 compression works with blocks down to 4 X 4 pixels. What’s more, AVCHD’s motion forecasting is content dependant
Continuous, silent recording of amongst 3 and 12 hours with Time Date Stamp is a powerful capability
No head wear, alignment or cleaning and it carries a Three Year Parts & Labor Warranty
Lower storage needs & lower distribution costs
HDMI Digital Output, HD Component Output, and selectable SD 16:9 Output (RCA)
28 mm Lens achieves wide angle without having to buy affixations
Built on a one piece die cast alloy chassis that is compact, well balanced and weighs less than 4.5 lbs. (4.37lbs with Battery, Mic Holder, AG-MC200 Mic and SD Card)
Immediate Playback, random access & capacity to preview shots and delete on emplacement

Benefits of AVCHD:

AVCHD is a new HD industry standard, tapeless format introduced by Panasonic and Sony and now supported by over 30 manufacturers (Advanced in compression, color and motion prediction)
It utilizes the AVC High Profile codec- Providing the gain of equivalent recording quality at with regards to half the bit rate of older MPEG-2 applied in HDV systems. More record time using less storage space
AVCHD content may be played directly from an SD card in a growing number of lowpriced appliances
Content may be edited and rendered to a lot of dissimilar formats for use on other playback appliances
Like Digital Still camera files, AVCHD content files may be transposed to and stored on any affordable, info storage device including HDD, optical discs, flash drives etc. No format specific deck (like HDV 720p or HDV 1080i) is necessitated for ingest
Ultra Solid state reliability — Benefits in Temperature, Humidity, Vibration, Maintenance, No Dropouts
No FF or REW, no camera down time due to clogged tape heads or slipping, hardened pinch rollers
Panasonic’s professional AVCHD camcorders use widely available SD or SDHC cards: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB & 32GB whose trend is increasing capacity and decreasing in cost
Longer recording time for capturing uninterrupted, extended events –between 3 and 12 hours depending on bit rate chosen with a 32GB SDHC card
Faster workflow — like digital photography, no ingest, random access to content, lower storage and distribution costs

AVCHD Editing — AVCHD editing is now supported on both dual core PC and Intel based Mac platforms and files may be transposed as uncompressed HD video utilizing a simple HDMI to HD-SDI converter. Recently declared AVCHD editing help is available in: Apple iMovie, Apple Final Cut Express, Apple Final Cut Pro 6.0.1 & above, Adobe Premier Pro CS3, Grass Valley EDIUS Pro v4.5, Pinnacle Studio Plus/Ultimate 11 & 12, Nero7 Premium Reloaded, Ulead Video Studio 11 plus and DVD Movie Factory 6 Plus. An available free downloadable transcoder is likewise available to convert content to DVCPRO HD on our website.

Most helpful customer reviews

169 of 204 people found the following review helpful.
Not worth the price, but there is not much alternative
By Cornelius Fortinbras III
Panasonic AG-HMC150

I shoot weddings and I have used The HMC150, the Canon AH1.

From the beginning let me first tell you where my opinion is coming from – price tag: $3500

First off, neither of these cameras are brilliant in low light. They have 1/3 imagers. I don’t care if they are made of gold and there are ten of them.
1/3 imagers are too small to gather enough light, even if you attached the Hubbell telescope to them.

To put such tiny sensors in a $3500 is poor, cheap engineering especially when SLR have larger sensors, shoot HD and don’t cost this much.

Who are these camera angled at?

Videographers and indie filmmakers.

As a videographer what are you most concerned with – Low light.
Why? Because you cannot control lights at weddings at parties, etc. So your camera has to be able to handle it.

As an Indie filmmaker what are you most concerned with – The ability to look like film. It does, with 24p and film gamma, it’s about all you need. But you are paying a premium. But for me, equally important to film look as 24fps is lens choice. Here you get none. While 24fps is what is ingrained in the everyone’s consciousness as what film should look like, they also don’t realize that shallow depth of field and variety of lenses is too. With these camcorders you get no choice, a 13x zoom with extremely wide depth of field at most every focal distance, because it’s a zoom and because the imagers are tiny.

Good news The AG-HMC150 can handle most lighting situations.
Bad news – AVCHD codec, is noisy in even bright sunlight afternoons. The image is made of blotch.

Measuring image integrity by zoom factor – at 100% AVCHD compression is clearly visible. 200% the image is a swarming, infected mess.
Although the Panny can holdup in low light. I shot in a dark club and there was still something to see.
It has a very weird auto iris mode, that brings in more light, even when you do exact settings in manual.
Don’t know if there is a magic switch, didn’t have it long enough to work everything out.

The Canon uses HDV and instead of compression codec noise, you get digital noise; unpleasant grain (not like film), and washed out video at 100%. At 200% it’s like looking at a digital still from a 10 year old point and shoot. And trust me, once an image is washed out and grainy, there is very little you can do (Some gamma correction will bring the shadows back to life, but that noise is there to stay. And the drop down to SD doesn’t do it any favors.

Bottom line the Canon sucks in low light, especially in anything other than auto mode. I shot in a low light room and the image was garbage. Despite some settings tweaking, which leads me to Canon’s second biggest problem and a problem with these camcorders in general.

The LCD and the Viewfinder are too small to see how your image is holding up. Everything looked fabulous on the Canon’s 2.7 LCD…and then when you get it back to edit. Noise city. So you can only use the LCD for just basic image checking.

The HMC150 has a 3.5 LCD, but the brilliant engineers made it a 4:3 ratio! You have black matting in the image! The camera can only shoot 16×9 and they put a 4×3 LCD on it…so in the end you only get about 2.7″ of real estate and you see as much as on the Canon, unless you are in focus assist mode which zooms in and uses the whole LCD.

So you have to know your settings and be shutter/iris paranoid, hoping for the best image. What you see is not what you get, you have to know what you want, like with film and set the camera accordingly, knowing which settings will get you want in the END, not what you are looking at through the camera.

The HMC150 definitely benefits from the higher rez. The Canon is 1440×1080. You can see the difference.

The Canon is more professionally built. Both plastic, but the canon feels more professional, and weirdly the HMC feels like a Tonka Toy, hard textured plastic, but like a light and chunky toy. I can hear the optical stabilizer clunking around in it. The Canon aesthetically looks more professional.

Audio on the Canon is better, it has much better limiter, I don’t even think the HMC’s is useful, but if you plug one xlr mic into the Canon…the onboard becomes unusable. HMC lets you assign channels for the onboard. Bad news is the onboard mic on both sucks, the Canon sounds better because the HDV format has higher rez than the compressed AVCHD codec.

The HMC and it’s tapeless/AVCHD codec does not save much time, the transcoding takes almost as long if not longer than real time (HDV tape) and sometimes there are errors, especially transferring from camera, the footage speeds up, the audio remains constant and you have shorter clips. Happened constantly. My guess, USB and it’s non constant data rate. Another cheap short cut by Panasonic. The Canon has a firewire, which speed is constant, and they need it for the HDV tapes.

The HMC wins out with higher rez, native progressive imagers, resulting in two true progressive modes, 24fps, the other mode/rez are wrapped in pulldowns. The Canon’s 24f, etc modes are fake and you can tell. Everything is interlaced on the Canon. I hate interlaced.

This review isn’t structured very well, but I don’t have the energy, since I’m so unenthusiastic about both, so they’re not worth more time. But I thought I would let potential buyers know, the ones who think these two cameras are the Holy Grail. They aren’t, and they aren’t worth the high price tag, they are worth $2000 not a penny more. But the problem is, what else is there?

I returned the HMC, and I didn’t the Canon wasn’t mine, but would have returned it too.

I’m going to try the Canon SLR route. The closest thing you can get to film without shooting it.

Annoyingly these two manufacturers and Sony…are all sticking it to us. Instead of advancing things, they are taking baby steps, giving us one desired function at a time for a price.

If Canon can put a full frame sensor in their 5d II and can give it 1920×1080 30fps shooting, why can’t they put that sensor in a camcorder, with a SLR interchangeable lens mount, with XLR inputs?

Because they want to sell camcorders AND slr cameras.

These camcorders are just big consumer cams. They don’t have enough image improvement to warrant $2500+ more in cost. You are paying for features, limited manual adjustments, not image upgrade.

But of course I didn’t have it for very long, two weeks.

I just couldn’t get over the price versus video quality, and workflow.
They don’t justify the price, especially when I think we are very close to getting some real breakthroughs in HD imaging.

43 of 49 people found the following review helpful.
WOW
By Bob Mckelvy
I received my 150 a little over a week ago. Bought it because I wanted to move up to HD and get out of the tape business. It did not come with an SDHC card. Bought an 8 GB to carry me over until my 16 GB cards arrive via Amazon. I am still on the learning curve on it. Especially liked the large comfortable color view eye piece. I was also amazed by the clarity of the video play back on my 48″ LCD screen. Used the three cable output first, that came with the camera( Video, Lt. Rt. Audio )

Very clear video, much clearer than my trusty old Canon GL-2 It does not come with an HDMI cable. Bought one locally and tried it. Plugged one end into the HDMI out port on the camera and the other end into the HDMI port of my TV. I was blown away by how clear it was !! The video was clearer than some of the stations I view in HD.

On playback, you are given a thumbnail of the first frame of each scene you shot when you turned the camera on. On playback, you can skip around the scenes you want to view , or delete if needed. The focus assist is another nice feature. When you use it, it momentarily zooms in on the middle of your next shot so that you can fine focus if needed.

It has many other features that I have not tried yet. On editing, bought the Pinnacle 12 Ultimate because it is set up to handle the AVHCD format and a PC with the AMD quad Phenom processor with 3 GB of RAM. Waiting for a more powerful graphics card to arrive before trying to edit in this new format. The battery that came with it is small. Would recommend buying the larger battery as soon as you can to balance it out. Right now, it feels a little out of balance because of the smaller battery. Also liked the solid magnesium body. No plastic anywhere ! Overall, I am impressed with this camera.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
Nothing new to add… other than I love this camera
By Michael Harvey
One thing you need to keep in mind is that editing AVCCam/AVCHD is a P.I.T.A. I’m using CS4 on a 2.4 quadcore with 8gig of RAM and Vista64 and it’s sluggish with frequent lockups. I’m getting Cineform ProspectHD v4 when it comes out to compensate. Vegas 8.0c and Edius works well I’m told, and FCP need to convert it to ProRes (or whatever it’s called). I think Avid needs to convert it to a native codec as well. Panasonic does offer a free converter to DVCProHD on there website

[Update 6/5/09... Premiere CS4 4.1 update is out, and editing is much easier. Also, Prospect v4 is out, and editing with the demo I've been trying has been a joy]

That said… the camera itself is awesome. Really. I’m coming from the DVX, and this is leaps and bounds above that (which is saying something). The images I’m getting are beautiful. I’m planning on going out now on my days off to shoot just for the fun of it.

I really can’t add anything that hasn’t been said already by others. But if you’re looking at the HVX200a or HPX170 (they all share the same chips, and the HMC shares the same glass as the HPX), but don’t want to deal with the costs of P2 or need all of the features of the HPX or HVX, I would HIGHLY recommend buying this instead.

Just be prepared for some editing headaches at first (the problem with bleeding edge technology is sometimes you need to get stitches).

See all 31 customer reviews…

Panasonic Ag Hmc150 Professional 3 Ccd Image

Panasonic Ag Hmc150 Professional 3 Ccd Photo

Panasonic Ag Hmc150 Professional 3 Ccd Image

Panasonic Ag Hmc150 Professional 3 Ccd Pic

Panasonic Ag Hmc150 Professional 3 Ccd Photo

Sony Dcr-sr47 Hard Disk Drive

Johan Bradley — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:20:14 +0000

Sony Dcr Sr47 Hard Disk Drive

Record those special occasions with the DCR-SR47 Handycam® camcorder. A built-in 40GB hard disk drive offers extended, hassle-free recording and a professional-quality Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens delivers sharp, high solution images. For close-ups, you will be grateful for a powerful 60x optical zoom. Hybrid engineering even allows you to record video to the hard drive or optional Memory Stick DuoTM media.60GB hard disk drive: A built-in 60GB1 hard disk drive may record and store up to almost 45 hours of video footage in LP mode, or up to closely 15 hours in HQ mode. In addition, “HDD Smart Protection” gives you peace of mind by preventing any recorded video and images from being lost if the camcorder is without intention dropped.60X Optical / 2000X Digital Zoom: Ideal for sporting events, wildlife, or distance shooting, 60X optical zoom brings you closer to the action, so you may capture exceedingly tight shots, even from far away. In addition, Digital Zoom Interpolation means that uttermost digital zooming (up to 2000X) is clearer, with less distortion than former types of digital zooms.Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens with SteadyShotTM effigy stabilization: The DCR-SR47 features a professional-quality Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens designed quintessentially for compact camcorders. Precision ground optics aid maintain the sharpness and contrast of more spectacular lenses, and SteadyShotTM effigy stabilization helps reduce blur caused by camera shake.Hybrid Recording to HDD or Memory Stick DuoTM media: Hybrid recording technology delivers a new level of flexibleness of capturing and transferring your video footage and digital photos from the camcorder to compatible looking at devices. Record to 60GB1 hard disk drive or choose rather to record to removable Memory Stick PRO DuoTM media (sold separately). You may even select from respective dubbing functions to effortlessly copy video or still images from the HDD to the Memory Stick® media — without using a PC.

Most helpful customer reviews

176 of 180 people found the following review helpful.
Extremely good for its class
By D. Spino
Im a student film maker and was looking for a cheap camera just to get me going. If you want an amazing camera you cant really expect to pay less than 600 bucks, but i took the risk and im proud I did. This camera is a standard class of video, but it excels beyond the class and could even be compared to cameras of 100 to 200 dollars more.

-Out of the box the camera lacks some color to it, however if you adjust the settings things look great. Its NOT HD, but the quality is still fantastic for some reason. It does lack some saturation to some colors (greens and somewhat blues) but its all adjustable to an extent. I kinda wish it had that “film” effect that some Cannon cameras offer so i dont have to add it in via Sony Vegas, but im happy with the resolution it has now.

-The zoom is absolutely out of this world. I was just screwing around with it and decided ill look down and zoom in on my shoe laces. I could literlly see grains of dirt all over my shoe lace, my shoes are completely clean to the naked eye. I was also zooming in on letters in long distances and was completely able to read everything clearly. The zoom does get a little pixelated when you put it on a TV (i have a Samsung HDTV) if you go too far or move around alot. However the stabability of the camera is phenominal, normally a zoomed in shot would be real shaky and un watchable, not with this camera.

-Like i said im a film maker, but i prefer to use the screen. I was using it outside and its not bad at all, you can put a screen of it or you hand or something and see clearly. The camera is TINY! I couldnt believe it was so small, fit in the palm of my hand without a problem.

-Sound is pretty good. When im filming its completely quiet all around me so i can hear the people talking and what not just fine. It sadly has no option for an external mic though. Its a CLEAR mic that will pick up alot of noise though, wind blowing or something. The Directional Mic that it has does a pretty good job of cutting out some back noise, but id still love for it to have an external mic.

-The cool thing for film makers like myself, is its a extremely good intro camera that you can afford. Not only that but Sony offers a TON of accesories for it. Wide Shot lenses, Camera saturation covers, underwater casing, external lights, and things of that nature. I thought that was extremely neat and bought the lenses myself.

-I forget the file it records in, but it uses the file so that it can burn directly to DVD. The feature is neat if you have a DVD burner for it (about 100 bucks) but you need to convert the file on your computer if you want to edit it. Its all good though, and if you have a good program you wont lose alot of quality.

-The built in HDD is amazing, so much space i couldnt believe it. Not only that but the memory cards it uses are the same as the PSP, they are cheap as heck. So you could add over another 16GB to it with a single card. One reason i bought this camera over its competitior is purely the fact that it uses a hard drive and not just memory cards, trust me its alot cheaper and alot cleaner.

-How the camera runs is great. Flip the flap open and bam its on within seconds, push record and its almost instant. It also has a built in lense protector, so press the switch and it shuts or opens, the camera will also warn you if its close obviously. The touch screen is impressive, i was expecting a delay or inaccurate intereactions but it worked well. Its nice not having a wall of buttons on the side of the camera for you to accidently push while recording.

The bad things i can think of. It has no external mic option, however you can buy Lepel mics and just match up the audio if you wanted. The battery it comes with kinda sucks, only lasts 90 minutes and even less if your filming in the best quality. The single shot pictures are not the greatest, can get a little grainy, but you dont buy a camcorder for that. Its not HD, while i wish it was, you have to buy some of the newer models for 500 to 600 if you want HD and i cant afford that right now, the quality is still amazing though.

I tried to touch upon everything here if nnot ill try to update as I come across things. So far im extremely happy with my purchase. I love Sony products as its usually quality and this camera is no exception, if anything its advertising the other cameras they sell that ill probably end up buying in the future. Right now though this is what I could afford and to me it seems like i got a 500 to 600 dollar camera for 300 and thats not a bad deal in my books.

64 of 64 people found the following review helpful.
Good Camcorder for the Price
By Greg J. Harrison
Easy camera to use, does exactly what it is supposed to do. In anticipation of my daughter’s dance recital, we purchased this camera at a local electronics store just before the recital. I was hoping that getting it up and running would not be too difficult given the short amount of time I had to familiarize myself with it. Upon arriving home, I had it unboxed, and the battery charging while I changed and got ready for the recital. Once at the recital, I opened the viewfinder, it came on, and I was able to start recording without first reading the manual. During the intermission, my wife and I marveled at how small the camera actually is, and how it felt natural in both mine (large) and her (small) hands; it was also lightweight with just enough heft.

Before the purchase, I had read online reviews here and elsewhere claiming that when the camera was connected to a TV, the video quality was less-than-acceptable. I did not find this to be the case. Back at home after the recital, we were anxious to show the performance to some neighbors. We have a 43″ high-def plasma, and the video quality looked like normal “standard definition” when played on a “high definition” TV. That is, it was not crystal clear, but it looked how any normal standard definition video should look. Having said this, if you want crystal clarity when played on your high-def TV, consider purchasing the high-def camcorder. Hooking the camera up to the TV was easy, as was connecting it to our computer, which runs Windows XP Professional. I had to update XP to Service Pack 3 in order for the included software to be installed, but once installed, it was able to pull the video from the camcorder to the computer without fuss and was able to immediately start editing and such.

Given my brief experience with the camera, I give it 5 stars. It records movies/audio very well, the picture looks fine on both the TV and computer, and the software allows organizing and editing (only minor editing, albeit) of videos and still photos. All things considered, I am happy with this camera.

71 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
Great camcorder
By A. Howell
I bought this camcorder based on the better zoom compared to others in its price range. I was able to start recording with this camcorder right out of the box. It is very simple to setup and quick review of the manual will answer all your questions. I have not used the software but was able to use the USB cable to transfer the video to my computer in a matter of minutes. The sound was fantastic and the video looked better than expected. Overall this is a great camcorder, easy to use, easy to setup. I would recommend one extra battery as the one that comes with it last 90 min.

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Sony Dcr Sr47 Hard Disk Drive Photo

Sony Dcr Sr47 Hard Disk Drive Pic

Sony Dcr Sr47 Hard Disk Drive Picture