Camcorders - Product Reviews

jrref - (November 14, 2004) I was looking for a camcorder in the $500-$700 price range and focused on the Sony DCR-HC40, Panasonic PV-GS120 and the Canon Optura 30. None of these camcorders are perfect. Each have their trade-offs. For example the GS120 looked great and it's 3CCD solution should give great color accuracy but because of the size of it's CCDs the picture resolution and image stabilization is not as good as the HC40 which has larger CCDs with more pixels. Also the GS120 produces a picture which is biased to red which is why the colors look warmer while the HC40 is biased to blue producing a cooler picture. Which method is correct is very subjective. It's interresting to note that both camcorders dis

scrounger - (April 19, 2004) I am a point and shoot type: Kids/parties/family stuff. No pro training or desire. I just wanted a new camcorder to video the little ones as they grew up. I haven't bought a camcorder in 10+ years and I did a lot of research. I was ready to buy a Sony DCR TRV38, but the new DVD recorders had just come out. These are 2 different categories of camcorders, but each has its appeal. I decided to give the DVD201 a try for the convenience of direct DVD recording. I have compared the two (borrowed my parents' TRV38 for comparison) side by side. Here are my impressions: 1. Size: the DVD201 is smaller and felt good in hand. Very easy controls. 2. The DVD201 didn't have a touch scree

Ladislao - (June 06, 2004) There were a few things that I had to consider 1) How "future-capable" is this camera. (Can this camera keep up with my needs in future, like say, five years from now, all I can say is YES!). 2) Picture quality. (Has a CCD chip for more accurate color (although a 3CCD chip is better, it's MORE expensive). EXCELLENT- 570 line resolution!!! And with the cables that come with it, they also include a S-video connector for sharper resolution-very impressed). 3) CUSOTMER SERVICE. (What can I say, HITACHI IS ONE OF THE BEST !!! I only say this because of the MANY, MANY, hours spent on hold with other companies. THEY ARE FAST! Very little "hold-time." I mus

stuartguerrettaz - (11/06/2009) I think the battery does not function correctly as I tried to charge it overnight and the camcorder will not turn on with the Lenmar nmh22 battery installed that I purchased thru price grabber. The battery charger charges my other battery ok. The camcorder works okay with the other battery I have and on house current. I would appreciate a refund of my funds for the battery and shipping. Thank you for your help.

fjl01 - (10/24/2009) I plugged the charger in the camcorder and then into the wall outlet. The charger started to smoke and pop. I quickly unplugged the charger. My camcorder no longer works as it was damged by the charger. The camcorder had only been used once. If I had plugged in the charger and left the room to let it charge, it is possible that my house would have burnt down.

mighty18 - (10/02/2009) Extremely versatile HD cam loaded with manual settings, including: 1080i or 480i; 24 or 30 frames; 24 Mbps. The perfect choice for trips. The video (and still photo) quality is amazing. Extremely fast start (from power off and sleep mode) means not missing great shots. The few low lights, for me were: 1) limited 10X zoom (but it's due to the large CMOS sensor) 2) Stabilizer not very effective against shakes from walking 3) A bit noisy in low light but better than previous models 4) A view finder would be handy at times.