Sony MZ-R37 Portable Minidisc Player/Recorder

• Horizontal design with easily accessible buttons
• 40-second shock-resistant memory
• New remote control includes editing functions
• Battery compartment holds 2 AA batteries--no external case needed
• High-quality recording with digital, automatic gain control

I bought the MZ-R37 early this summer. I got a refurbished model on Ebay for a resonsable price for recording concerts over the summer. This is a great model, durable and very shock resistant. I purchased a binaural microphone after I recorded a couple shows on a cheaper mono and man what a difference. One major tip if you are starting to record with the MZ-R37 be sure to hold the record button in place and be sure recording has commenced, I missed some songs at gigs because the recorder didn't start. Better to be safe than sorry. Anyway, this is also great for recording MP3s off of your computer just get a connection line from your sound card to the line in and you are set. You can also transfer concert recordings or band demos onto you computer if you have a recordable sound card. Great investment. Forget about MP3 players, too expensive to add memory. Minidiscs are inexpensive and far more durable than CDs also, with identical sound quality. If you are a music fan I don't know how you could live without one.

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I've had my MZ-R37 for several years. I'm a professional musician, working solo (vocals, electric harmonica, guitar, organ bass pedals) or with other musicians. I use the MD to record my/our live performances. I originally had rather low expectations. I just wanted to review the music. Generally I used the output of the sound reinforcement system (tho I made a lot of very good recordings with the included stereo mic). The quality is excellent. I've been able to use many tunes recorded on the MD for CD's. Yes it's THAT good.

I'm not claiming this will replace a full blown Pro Tools studio with Neumann U87's and a staff of Hollywood recording engineers, producers, and such. One can truly do magic with top line gear and a highly skilled production staff in much less time. But many of the MZ-R37's recordings were good enough to be on a CD with these and not embarrass me in comparison. And that's saying a LOT for a dirt cheap pocket size recorder with 1/8th inch input/output jacks.

Mike Curtis

ironmancurtis.com

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I got this model MD as a present last Christmas and I love it for many reasons: 1.) It is sturdy yet compact. The newer models I have seen don't seem as durable as this model. 2.) I can make my own "mix tapes" thousands of times over because MD's are re-recordable without losing audio quality. Also I can take my favorite songs from CDs and put them on one disc instead of lugging around several CDs. 3.) I can record from any audio source. Download from the internet and make your own MD without investing in blank CDs. 4.) The batteries last forever, or seemingly forever. I listen on long road trips (8 hours +) and seldom need lots of extra batteries. 5.) It's so easy to use that I am able to use it. 6.) I have never had any problems with it. I have even dropped it on the ground (accidentally) a few times and nothing has been damaged on the inside, or outside 7.) It's less bulky than a portable CD player.

There are a million great reasons to buy an MD player, of which the above are only a few. I dn't understand why more people don't own these.

Panasonic DMR-ES46VS VHS / DVD Recorder Silver

• Plays both VHS tapes and multiple disc formats - DVD-RAM, -R/RW, +R/RW, DVD Video, VCD CD-R/RW, MP3 CD
• Super multi-format recording and playback allows reading & writing to multiple disc types
• One-touch 2-way S-VHS dubbing
• Easy Quick Start for recording
• Task-oriented GUI menu for easier use and completion of DVDs

If all you want is great picture quality, get this model. The HDMI upconversion is great and it does it with the VHS also. I really liked the flex recording feature which allows you to specify any recording lenght and it will record the best quality for that disc time. I just wish it was more complete. It records DL DVD but not continuously. You have to close the 1st layer before recording to the 2nd layer, which makes it not very good in the way of a dual layer recorder. Now this might be a bit nit-picky but this unit won't display the remaining time while playing a regular DVD video or give give you the total disc time. I just like to know how late I'll be staying up. Also the ES46VS has no eject button on the remote, no direct way of turning on the subtitles without having to go through a menu series, it will only accept SD cards, and there are no component inputs for recording. I returned my unit and will wait until Panasonic offers these simple fixes in a $300 device.

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I purchased this machine refurbished from Panasonic for a total of $150, including shipping, making the imperfections quite tolerable. It does much more than my previous DVD recorder which was twice the price. I have a Sony Bravia LCD HDTV and the display from this machine is quite good. After setting up the format for my widescreen TV, it worked like a charm.

I do not intend to use it as a tuner. I rent an HD DVR from Comcast for tuning. I really did not see much difference in the video quality on playback with commercial DVDs, but for my home recorded DVDs, the improvement is significant. VHS also will play through the HDMI cable, with some improvement too. These are formated for 4:3 aspect ratio and there really is no getting around it until you can get an input that supports high resolution 16:9 through component or HDMI interface. I was able to record from my OnDemand playlist through Comcast (something you cannot do on the rented DVR).

As with other reviewers, I am puzzled by the lack of eject and open/close functions on the remote, which even the cheap sets have. However, this machine does have very easy to use buttons that are large and right next to each slot on the machine. My past machines had tiny buttons that looked like all the others for the eject and open/close functions, making the remote almost a necessity. You do have to get up and walk over to the machine to get your disk or videotape out anyway, so this was not a huge deal for me. However, it did have trouble recognizing some DVDs at first pass, and I had to open/close the tray a few times before it recognized there was a playable disc in the drawer. So, you may want to wait by the machine while it reads before you sit down to watch.

The remote is fairly intuitive, particularly if you are used to DVD-R functions.

A huge rave for me is in regard to the flexible recording option, allowing you to customize the recording time on the DVD to fill the DVD, regardless of the length of the recording. This way you have the best possible recording quality. This is quite similar to DVD recording on your PC. Finalizing is a snap and much quicker than my old Sansui recorder.

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I wish I hadn't bought this unit. I didn't do my research and now I'm paying the price. Often I must put the DVD in twice to get it to run. I've learned that if the DVD doesn't play, take it out and put it in again. I tried the tape-to-DVD burn feature (looked simple) and somehow recorded a TV station instead. So I will have to re-read the instructions and try again. One other thing to consider before buying...this piece of electronics has the loooongest startup time I have ever encountered. I could start my car and drive a block by the time this unit has turned on and is ready to accept a tape or a disc. How could electronics be so slow?

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This model (also the DMR-ES35VS which I tried before) has a terrible tuner. When viewing TV programs (I have a 42" Sony Wega High Definition TV) through the machine to record them, the picture is degraded by 40% I think, and the color is not vibrant. And this is with the HDMI connection. At first, I thought the HDMI cable that it came with was no good, so I bought a $90 HDMI Monster Cable, but there was no improvement in the picture. Also, the remote control does not have an eject button, why is that? Even my old VCRs and DVD recorder/player have that feature.

If you want to convert VHS tapes to DVD only, then buy this machine it's great for that purpose. But if you also want to record shows from your TV, then I would suggest you check out other models/brands because the picture quality on this Panasonic is unacceptable (to me anyway). I will be returning this machine and will get another Sony, my two-year old VCR/DVD recorder has a great tuner.

I ordered a DMR-ES45VS refurbished but they shipped a Dmr-ES46VS. I called

they said it was the same but came with a free HDNI cable. It was a little tough to figure out. The complaint I have is the picture quality, even when

you just use it as a tuner the picture quality is worse that when you don't.

Thats using the HDMI or S output. Called tech. dept.,waited for 45min only

to be hung up on. Called back again 45 min wait, the tech. didn't have clue.

Called again, same wait, this tech was worse. Tried to send a email twice

on their web site couldn't. Company says I can ship it back if I pay the shipping. So far bad news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VideoSecu 4 x 150 Feet Audio Video Power Security Camera Cables with Free BNC RCA Connectors for CC

These cables shipped and were in new condition at a great price compared to what I could get them for locally. The only issue with these cables is that they are extremely long and did not come on a spool, so they can easily get tangled if you do not carefully unwind them.

These are very nice cables that have the 3rd plug for audio and seem to have good quality connecting ends. I would recommend and also would purchase again in the future.

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Go outside and work on a field that is at least 75 feet long without obstructions. Go to one end of the field and with the bundle of cables in your hand separate the ends that have the connectors in a big V, one end to the right (camera) and the other end to the left (VCR). Now walk backwards toward the other end of the field unwinding the bundle in a rolling matter until you get to unwind the whole thing. Make sure that when you are walking backwards, you keep the lines separated. When you arrived at the end of the field, your whole 150 feet will be laid in front of you, now grab one end and get to work on your installation...ask your wife for a recompense ...lol ;)

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Philips LFH0622/00 Voice Recorder with 2GB Storage - 283 Hours Recording

I wanted a simple to use voice recorder that allows me to quickly make a voice note of things to do, groceries to buy and other information that I would normally write on pieces of paper, eg addresses or phone numbers. The Philips voice tracer is a very easy to use device. I'm able to quickly record a message and listen to it via the crisp clear speaker. I didn't want to be mucking around with ear phones etc, and wanted the replay the message and be assured that the sound was cystal clear, so I woudn't have to replay several times to hear the entire message. I'm very happy with this device. Highly recommended for those who want a simple to use voice recorder to quickly record voice messages and replay whenever required with clarity.

This is a very good voice recorder! I went to financial presentation and recorded it all. Than transferred the recording to my computer, than replayed the recording. The recording was very good. I am pleased with the product.

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Extremely disappointed. Nearly unusable because it is so complicated and the manual is not well written. Unable to delete messages even after reading the inadequate manual repeatedly. Wanted a simple "record", "playback" but got a voice recorder too complicated for everyday use. Also recorder came without a packing slip, so apparently unable to return item. A complete waste of money. Don't buy it!

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I did some interviews during a Hollywood Press Junket and this little recorder was perfect. I uploaded the digital tapes, had them transcribed, and the articles written in a day. Great little recorder at a great price.

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I use the recorder with Dragon NS 11. Transfers audio into text well. After a little adjusting and learning how things work, background noise is less of a problem than I thought it would be. I use the four recording folders for different projects. I would like it if there was a way to select and continue recording on the same file(withing the folder) rather than starting a new file every time the record button is pressed. The pause feature helps with this but if you stop recording or turn the recorder off you will start another file next time you press the record button. This is a problem for me when developing ideas from scratch.

Panasonic SC-RT50 DVD-Recorder Home Theater System

• Complete home theater system
• DVD recorder able to record 500 lines of horizontal resolution in LP mode
• Utilizes Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound
• Progressive scan
• Multi re-master feature compensates for lost frequencies, providing true to life sound

I was very excited by this items specs. Built-n DVD recorder, good power, wireless rear speaker capable. This is one of only a very small number of home theater-in-a-box systems with 2 S-video inputs. All very nice. There are a couple of serious limitations with the system though. One is that the picture through the S-Video inputs is a little soft. Using a regular $300 receiver in it's place my S-Video via satellite is really sharp, but not through the RT50. Two, this unit does not have any optical or coax digital audio inputs so even if you are watching a movie on say HBO or Showtime, you won't be able to hear it in Dolby Digital only regular stereo. Why limit the system in this way? This unit can decode these signals, but Panasonic doesn't allow us to get this signal into the unit, unless you are watching a DVD. Now the final nail in the coffin for me and why I returned this unit after only using it for 2 days is that it can not decode Dolby Pro Logic II. Pro Logic is being broadcast on nearly every channel on every cable and satellite service and why would anyone ever want to buy a home theater system and not be able to hear your favorite programs out of your center channel and surround speakers? What are they there for? If all you ever plan to do is watch DVDs then this is a great little system, but if you watch any amount of regular TV or own a video game system, then buy ANY other manufacturers system to get Pro Logic II decoding. Also, if you buy this unit, do yourself a big favor and buy 16 or 14 gauge speaker wire and use that for the speakers instead of the dental floss Panasonic bundles with the system. It will make a huge improvement.

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This system offers a fairly well rounded package for those looking for an all in one unit that offers DVD, CD, DVD-R, and Radio options. Setup will be simple for some, however cable customers may find a trip to Radio Shack necessary to make the appropriate connections. The particular instructions I needed were not provided in the documentation, & required some technical assistance from my local cable company. Sound quality is good, although bass is very "boomy" unless you make manual adjustments to the EQ system. Like many units that burn DVD's, this unit is fan cooled, and it runs constantly, even if you're just playing a CD. Do not expect the sound quality to match separate components...this unit simply can't do that, however this system is quite listenable. Like many similar units, midrange is lacking. The DVD recorder works very well & it's performance shines. Panasonic has obviously done their homework, and this DVD-R doesn't have any of the annoying glitches & problems that the other brands seemed to be plagued with. For $400, this unit is a very fair value.

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I bought this unit to replace an older sound system that didn't have a sub-woofer. This Home Theater System has all the power you'll ever need for an average sized room. The fact that it can record DVD's makes it the perfect system. It is slightly complicated to operate as there are too many features on it, but as you figure them out, you will really appreciate this system. It would be nice if there was an HDMI input into this system, but there is only an HDMI output; this of course causes a few extra wires having to run into the unit from the cable box. The wireless rear speakers work very well. Also, don't try to run your HDTV signal through this unit as the Panasonic hook-up diagram shows you to do; you will lose way too much signal quality making for a terrible picture. You will need to just hook this up from the outputs on the television to use as a surround system where it will excell.

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I don't know what the other guy is talking about, but you can get sound out of all the speakers. I for one think this is a great system -powerful bass, good sound out of all the speakers. The only thing I don't like is the wiring, you have to connect the blue/white wire to each component separately. I'm not an audiophile, so having all those connections is just setting me up for failure, though I guess I got lucky.

Customer support is obviously overseas (outside U.S.), but the guy was friendly, was able to resolve my problem (cable channels over 100 and no sound out of the center channel), and was able to decipher my stupid setup questions quickly.

I highly recommend this system.

After consideration of what I wanted in a Home Theater system, I took the chance on this unit through Amazon for $450. I was a bit tentative due to the lack of connectivity options that this unit offers but as it turns out, this set up offers me all I really need. I liked the option of recording to DVD in addition to the HDMI connectivity which drastically improves picture quality. The sound this system produces is excellent for movies, sports, and general television viewing. If you are looking to blow out your neighbors windows though, you'd be better served to purchase a componant system....albeit for much more money. One tip to purchasers is to be prepared to purchase a roll or two of 16 gauge wire to connect the speakers. The included wires are, for lack of a better word, WORTHLESS. This is the only reason I was not able to give this HTIB a 5-star rating. Otherwise, for the money, you can't go wrong.

SDE-3004-DVR 4 Channel DVR, 4 Universal BNC inputs

Bought a refurb unit that included the 500GB drive but no cameras. No problem using the inexpensive night vision cameras I had bought elsewhere. Setup and documentation is not straight forward but right clicking on the live video screen brings up a list of commands. Eventually, it mostly starts to make sense. The biggest issue I had was with the DDNS setup. I have done this before with cameras that have a built in web server so it was not a real mystery. Or so I thought. The biggest issue I had was with the port forwarding. Nowhere did I see any documentation that indicated that you might have to set each port separately for the webserver and the cameras. The documentation would lead one to believe that you can just put in a range of ports in your router (e.g.: 4520 to 4524) but mine did not work until I put in each of the six ports individually (those five plus the webserver port). I'm using DD-WRT on a Linksys 54G router so maybe others don't work that way. I also tried both the free iPolis DDNS account and the free no-ip account. I think that you need to set up the DDNS in the DVR and then register your DVR with iPolis. Apparently the DVR communicates the port to the iPolis website because I didn't see any manual setup for it. As far as I could tell, you can only access the DVR from the iPolis website. Maybe there is a logical name that can be used without having to log into their website but I didn't see it. With no-ip, I don't think you even need to setup up the DDNS in the DVR because no-ip allows you to manually redirect the port number when you create a host. Also, the only host that you need to create is for the Webviewer (don't need one for the TCP Port). No-ip also allows you to use a logical name (host name) to access the DVR remotely without having to log into their website. No-ip has a little download that periodically sends an updated IP address for your home computer just in case the IP changes (some providers do this, others tend to stay static).

Update: I did figure out that you can use iPolis to get directly to your DVR using the following format: where xxxxxxxx is the username of the iPolis account you created when registering your DVR.

This is the second DVr that I purchase from Samsung. Here's what I did. Connect the DVr to a monitor and your cameras to the DVr. ( note your cameras do not have to be where you intend to place them ,this is just to check the hook up .) next connect the DVr to your router. You're done because now call the toll free no. Samsung techs will take control of your computer and finish the hook up. They'll give you all the info you need for smart phone and Internet hook up with an icon on your desk top . Outstanding now mount your cameras where you want them.

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Opteka Gold Plated high speed HDMI to mini-HDMI 6' Cable For Canon EOS 5D Mark III, II, 1D Mark IV,

I like this product! It was exactly like i thought it would be. I would definitely recommend this to others!

Well, there isn't really that much to say about a cable. It does it's job and compared to the Norwegian prices it's extremely cheap. Good product!

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DIGISTOR External Blu-ray Burner USB 2.0 with Multimedia & Archive Suites (Tray Load)

FYI: I copied over my review from the slot load, 'coz I actually got a TRAY LOAD version, not a SLOT-LOAD one. I like the safety of having an emergency eject hole. Otherwise, everything holds true.

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I got this DIGISTOR Blu-Ray burner for my HD videos. I am a semi-professional videographer and I record some of my shoots/subjects/videos in High-Definition. At one point earlier this year, I realized that burning to DVDs just will not be enough for HD content the 4-something gigabytes just won't cut it.

I decided to get DIGISTOR's blu-ray burner because I got one of their their DVD burners as well External USB 2.0 Powered 8x DVD Burner by DIGISTOR and I saw from their website that they had a similarly designed Blu-Ray burner.

The reason I was so happy with the DVD burner was that it did not need a power cord for it. I am happy to say that this Blu-Ray burner is the same no power cord. I use it for my HD video editing, connected to my PC. I also bring it around, it is very light and portable, on my shoots should there be a need to burn output onsite.

It's plug-and-play, no need for drivers Vista and Windows 7 supports blu-ray natively. And I have yet to encounter a bad burn on this drive. Something to do with it's battery powered operation, but I also made sure it has enough power for burning, I got the dual USB accessory.

I'm very happy with the product.

I manage an audio recording studio and video/post editing facility where we deal with tons of digital data on a daily basis. We have terabytes of storage in our studios for the online edit sessions but when it comes to archiving our productions, especially the video productions, we have to deal with TENS of DVD discs to hold the raw archive data (and that's just SD material). To store so many DVDs discs is also a task we'd rather not have to deal with. So, we had our eye on Blu-ray for quite sometime as the data archive medium of choice, what with the 25GB capacity we can store 5 MiniDV raw footage in one BD-R disc! And for video projects with more than 5 miniDV, there are 50GB Blu-ray discs that can handle the job.

This DIGISTOR Blu-ray burner is perfect for our sneakernet and mixed-OS operations, it's external USB 2. bus powered that we can take from one room/suite to the other without worrying about compatibility. it's also pretty rugged despite the plastic enclosure, it has been dropped once since yet no hiccups. Blu-ray data burning and reading is native on both Windows PC (we're running Vista and Windows 7) and Mac OS X (we have 10.3.9, 10.4.11 and 10.6.3).

Now with this external Blu-ray burner, we have minimized the number of discs that we have to handle, we have also minimized the time spent on managing a backup/archiving session since we just drop all the data to one disc, no need to calculate how many discs to use and how to split the data into several discs.

Hope this review helps.

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Reliable blu ray burner is a great deal for the price. Only drawback is that I have not had any luck with the included software burning blu rays. I am using a properly updated version of adobe encore cs4 and it works amazingly well.

Update

Digistor contacted me to help me figure out how to properly work with the included software. Great customer service. Highly recommended

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This DIGISTOR Blu-ray Tray-Load Blu-ray burner works very well as advertised, and the Roxio 10 software that came with it even includes the updated version (10.08, if I recall correctly). It seems to burn discs very well at a slower speed, and even though the resulting Blu-ray disc has some 'burned image' differences in 'color depth' (may be a ring slightly lighter on the burn) might be due to the sensitivity or region of the disc's dye, but only time will tell whether this affects readability.

The drive will draw too much power when connected to the USB ports on the monitor (you have to restart or shut down Mac--logging off won't allow the system to recognize powering on the drive), so using the front or back USB ports on the tower is required for the 'double' USB connection. This ensures unlimited burning without worry of the battery running down too low, but if you want to burn via a slower BUS speed, use the single USB that will recharge the battery only when the drive is idle, and therefore draws less power (demand).

When viewing a video file, the drive will slow down to help conserve the battery a little, but while the audio plays fine, the video will stutter or lag (drop frames) then the RPM picks up to play 'catch-up,' so probably playing Blu-ray movies on this thing isn't ideal due to slower read speed. You should probably have a Blu-ray player (with a better cache and/or read speed) connected to your TV for that purpose anyway. Maybe an internal Blu-ray drive in a computer with a higher read speed would be ideal, so I am assuming that this DIGISTOR has a limited buffer/cache and read speed. You can burn up to 6X but for readability reasons I use 2X, which takes about 45-50 minutes with 25 GB of data (capacity). Haven't tried burning HD to Blu-ray yet. Remember, writing to the disc is fine, but playback, you might as well copy the video (such as something you shot with a digital camera) to the hard drive and go from there.

This drive is very much like that in a laptop computer and probably built from the same components and configuration (it is more like a CD player, such as Walkman) though a bit thinner. You have to make sure to handle a blank disc on the edges and carefully press down in the center to lock the disc onto the spindle. Ejection can be done via the front button or by computer command (often the eject button on the keyboard if it has one). Very lightweight too. You can use AC power but doesn't come with an AC cord.

Avoid LTH discs if possible. The manufacturer claims they can be burned but don't last as long and are less compatible than 'regular' Blu-ray because LTH uses organic dyes, whatever chemistry that is. LTH discs are golden but the discs you want to use are dark navy blue or dark gray-black. I mistakenly bought Verbatim LTH and haven't used them--then bought the non-LTH type, which consequently, cost more, but will be more likely to last. Both types are much more resistant to scratches like commercial 'stamped' discs. The included Blu-ray disc is dark navy blue where written, but more of a dark blue-gray color where blank or unwritten bits.

All of the above said, I would give this drive 4.5 out of 5 stars, but convenience a 5, so overall a five-star review on this product. Great for someone who has many gigabytes of video files otherwise using up several DVD-Rs or many CD-Rs (with HD video, it is easy to record long enough it is larger than 700 MB, the capacity of standard CD-R).

Given the technical specifications and portability, power and playback limitations are expected, so please consider whether these are of concern to you. If not, this drive is recommended, although a bit on the expensive side.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

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Darn thing works as advertised. Only crummy part is that the cost of the bluray media is so rediculously super expensive that I do not think bluray recording will jump to mainstream.

On the other hand, the thing is fast and very very quiet compared to my other external slim dvd+R/-R recorder. And it also has a built in battery. I was hoping to have an eSATA version though but oh well. Also, for the price, it would be nice if it comes with a standard power adapter that you plug into a wall instead of the dual-heal to dual-USB connector. Nevertheless, it was well worth the purchase.

I got the tray-load version because it was faster than the slot load. If you need to decide, get the tray load. The slot load is somehow 4x max recording while the tray load is 6x max. I don't think it matters though since media out there can only go 4x fast. However, maybe future media will be faster than 4x.

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Samsung HMX-H300 Full HD Camcorder with 30x Zoom (Black)

I spent a long time researching camcorders, read a lot reviews and looked at a lot of test footage before ultimately buying this model.

Many of the better reviews I read compared this model to models several hundred dollars more expensive, which I took to mean that this model was a significant value at this price.

It was a gamble on my part that I think paid off as I am very happy overall with this unit.

There are thee consistent criticism I have seen for this camcorder. I took them very seriously when I was deciding what unit to buy. Now that I have hands on experience with the unit I wanted to share my experience regarding these criticisms:

The camera records its own zoom: This is true but I don't find it distracting. In fact I find it to be a cool effect. You should really only be zooming with the camera on if you are intentionally calling attention to the camera anyway. This is a consumer camera. It is not intended for professional use. The "zoom sound" is really only audible in a very quiet room. I recorded some footage outside on a non-windy day and the ambient noise outside covered up the sounds of the zoom. For reference, I watched some footage I took with my miniDV camera and noticed that on all of the footage you could hear the whir of the tape motor. Probably the zoom would be more noticeable if the tape motor wasn't constantly going. At any rate the noise doesn't bother me on either camera and the miniDV footage was far noisier. I don't see how this issue would be a deterrent. If you are shooting a movie or any professional product you need a professional camera anyway and you also would be using a separate sound recording system.

The camera isn't great in low light: This is also true. The camera produces a better picture with more light on the subject. This is true of all cameras. Cameras record light. This camera doesn't come with a light for dark settings. If you want a camera with a light on it don't buy this unit. This also didn't bother me. I just turned a lamp on and the video quality was fine. Again, this is a consumer camera. Professionals bring their own lights anyway. To be fair though the camera performs much better in daylight than it does indoors.

There is no viewfinder and there is a glare on the LCD screen in sunlight: These things are also true. There is no viewfinder. If you want a viewfinder, buy a different model. As for the glare, you may have to put your hand over the screen to reduce the glare. Easy enough to solve.

A final note. I ran some basic tests and found the 720p to be sharper than the 1080i footage. It's super easy to switch back and forth (even on the same memory card) so play around with it and judge for yourself. I'm sticking with the 720p to because it looks better to me and it takes up less storage space.

I have also been having a lot of fun with the time-lapse setting a function I wasn't even interested in when looking for camcorder.

Overall I found this to be a great little camera. It records quality HD video has a great optical zoom and can be bought for under $300. The camera is tiny. If a viewfinder were added and the microphone was snaked further from the zoom lens it would be a larger camera. I found the issues above to be legitimate but not large enough problems to be a deterrent.

Just got this little thing of beauty tonight and I'm very very pleased. It completely blows my old-school camcorders away and is effectively 1/4 the cost in today's terms. Easy to use and full 1080p HD. Picture and sound quality look great on playback on my 51" plasma. File format works perfectly for playback on my PS3.

What a great little device! Oh and you can't hear the zoom as claimed by another reviewer there must be something wrong with his unit.

Buy Samsung HMX-H300 Full HD Camcorder with 30x Zoom (Black) Now

Arived on time and in good shape. 30X zoom is good. I like that you can select 1080i, 720p, or even 480p. 720p looks fine on our 37 inch Samsung 720p LCD HDTV and the files are a lot smaller. I also like that you can drag and drop files directly from the SD card to your PC no conversion required. Screen on camcorder is very difficult to see in bright sunlight.

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This is a fine little camcorder for the money. It would be nice if there was a 'video in' jack, but then it would probably be two hundred dollars more...very easy to use with my Mac.

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30X zoom is nice, and video quality is quite acceptable, as long as there is enough light, and you are not zooming full range; not as good in low light. There are 2 things about this product, though, that made me return it, and give it 2 stars.

It records the sound of it's own zoom, and, to the lesser degree, the auto focus. If outside sounds are not laud, this sound is quite annoying, and spoils the video.

The image stabilization is not nearly sufficient when zooming beyond about 20X; it's clearly inferior in this respect to other camcorders with similar features, like my wife's Panasonic.

I wouldn't recommend this product. Samsung has to do a lot of work to refine it.

Aiptek IS-DV2.4Blue MPEG-4 Digital Camcorder with Video Stabilization (Blue)

I am giving a review based on what This camcorder should perform based on the price. Too many people expect a $100 camcorder to perform like a $500 one. Compare apples to apples, people. This is great to stick in your pocket or purse and have on hand for those moments you wish you had SOMETHING to capture a surprise or unexpected moment, because it is quick and simple to start up and use, and SO small!. I find the screen size for something this small to be unbelieveable too, over 2". It does the basics and will record those precious memories, especially the ones that come and go pretty quick. No, the sound or picture quality is not superb, but better than NOTHING! It takes 2 AA batteries and uses them pretty quick; within and hour to hour and a half. I only use rechargeble batteries so this is not a problem for me. Only get regular ones if you're not "charged up" and need them right away. I plan on getting a Canon in the $250-$300 range when I have saved up for it; I refuse to put one on credit, that's why I got this for now. That's about it!

I received this video cam/camera last year for Christmas. I've not experienced any problems at this time. But like most people say you get what you pay for. It's not a $500 camera but its good for a good $100 camera. I would recommend it for basic use and good for traveling. If you wanna pay more for a more advanced thats your choice.

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I got this camera at bestbuy last year on sale. It is made for XP so I can easilly import all the video into windows movie maker. Windows movie maker wouldnt let me import quicktime video to make movies or do editing so I was happy to get a camera MADE for XP. The picture quality is ok, I leave mine set to 8 mp. It has a stabilizer for taking stills but it doesnt really work well. I use it to capture video of my son since I cant afford HD yet. The video picture is much better. The picture comes out great when you burn it to dvd for playback on TV after using windows movie maker (I use roxio dvd burning software for my home movies).

SUPER PLUS: I have a son who is going to be 15 months soon and I can give him this camera and not even worry about it breaking. I have a kodak that I dropped and it caused a leak in the screen so even though it works still its basically useless because you cant see the preview screen. This aiptek camera has fallen from my hands (I am almost 5'10") onto CONCRETE and STILL works perfectly.It has at least one dent from hitting the ground! I even bent the screen that flips out and it went back into place. This is the most durable camera Ive been around.

If you dont mind not havning HD then this is a great camera.

Peace in Christ

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I picked up this product on sale at my local Kmart and was thrilled for the price, however the first one I got the screen kept freezing and wouldn't stop. I continually had to remove the batteries and try new ones. The second one that I got after returning the first seemed to work better, however the MP3 player was confusing on how to get the music and the screen kept freezing again. Just was not what I was hoping for.

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This camera may seem like a good deal at first, but you may want to think twice before buying it. First of all, it uses AA batteries instead of coming with a rechargeable battery. It burns through them like fire through paper. There's no lens cap, so it can be damaged easily. When mine came, the battery cover did not fit on properly, but that seems to have fixed itself now that it's been a few months since getting it. You need to be outside or in a very well lit room to get a decent picture. Even slight movement of the camera makes the video shaky, and just slightly tapping it while filming makes a loud noise. So if you rustle around with it, there's quite a bit of noise, which can get annoying. Most of the features it comes with are pointless or don't work very well (Night Shot is terrible, but that's sort of to be expected; the video light is pointless and looks like a flashlight, and the mp3 player is useless). Worst of all, the stupid designers made it so that once the battery is below half, you can't film anymore. And that usually happens after the first ten minutes. The camera also doesn't feel very sturdy. Also, it's difficult to make the camera stand upright by itself, because of the unbalance the flip out screen makes. Also, the viewing angle is very narrow, so it looks like it would already be halfway zoomed in on a regular camera. The digital zoom feature is terrible.

On to the pluses: the screen is 360 degrees rotating, so you can see yourself while filming. The camera takes decent pictures, but you have to be standing perfectly still. It comes with a flash for taking pictures, which is good. You can change the focus of the lens from close up to far away, but that's sort of to be expected. The camera is simple and easy to use. The camera takes decent video as long as it's standing still (at least, decent for it's price). It comes with an SD slot, a plug for viewing on your TV, and a USB cable (obviously). The sound quality is better than expected, but still not great. And that's all I can think of.

The camera is half-decent for it's price, but you may want to look into the Creative Vado or the Flip Mino for budget camcorders.

SONY CFD-S200 CD Radio Cassette Recorder Boombox

I am amazed at how good this small boom box sounds. I bought it to use in my office and here's a few reasons I love it:

-volume control is highly incremental so you can always find the right volume.

-Looks sleek and sophisticated.

-Has a remote control.

-Does not blare when volume is turned up.

-Sounds better than any of another 5 products I tested in this category/price at a store.

-CD motor is very quiet.

Avid Technology Dazzle DVD Recorder HD V14.0

• Featuring a high-quality video capture device plus powerful Pinnacle Studio HD v.14 editing software
• Quickly import videos and photos
• Add professional polish with an extensive library of effects, transitions, and soundtrack options."

I bought this for a university project where I needed to record game-play on a console. I also bought a double-ended A/V RCA cable and three male to female A/V splitters at RadioShack. I bought this with the understanding that it doesn't record in HD, but there is some freeware out there with which you can convert from standard to HD video. No problems installing the software on my laptop (Vista, service pack 2, 64-bit).

It says it won't run on 64-bit but I've had no problems whatsoever. Very easy, hassle-free setup. I won't be using the program to edit the video, though. It's okay, but I have better programs already for editing video.

I already tried it out with my Nintendo 64, SNES, GameCube, Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, and PS3. It worked with each console; no issues. There are ways to use it with HDMI cables which can be looked up on YouTube.

I definitely recommend this for the aforementioned purpose or for making videos you intend to post to YouTube (or similar video sharing sites).

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I've used Dazzle's for a while and they're decent capture cards. They record in pretty good quality up to 480p video, and look great on YouTube or DVD's or whatever else you might need them on. It's also useful to recording old VCR's and converting them to digital or DVD format, if desired. The software that it comes with is not the best for editing, it's pretty terrible actually, but it gets the job done when recording.

However, don't be fooled. The title says HD, without any explanation as to why it says HD. The only signals this capture card can record are Composite or S-Video, both of which are STANDARD DEFINITION. You need HDMI, Component, or a Television Antenna Cable to display HD. Composite and S-Video can only go to 480p naitively, anything higher is upscaled (which means fake) while Component can go to 1080i, and HDMI and Television Antenna can go to 1080p and beyond. In other words, DO NOT buy this if you want to record in HD. You'll have to buy a more expensive capture card, such as a Black Magic Intensity Pro or Shuttle, or the popular Hauppauge HD-PVR.

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I got this device so that i could start doing some youtube commentaries because i didnt wanna get a pvr just yet and waste all that money on nothing. If you want to do youtube but dont want to waste much money on recording devices just yet, then this is your product. If you dont like the program it comes with then just edit your videos with vegas pro or windows movie maker. even if the quality isnt like an hdpvr it still gets the job done and so far iv gotten alot of subs with it so ill just call it O'l reliable

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As many people have pointed out, this is NOT an HD capture device so if you're using it for games you will not get the best quality.

I'm using it to transfer old VCR tapes and for that purpose it is okay. One thing I really like about this as opposed to similar "cable wart" devices like the Elgato, is that it can capture in lightly-compressed DV rather than MPEG-2 or MPEG-4/H.264. Most of the cheaper devices go directly to H.264 which is fine for some, but I like to capture in as high a resolution as possible and then re-render in my editor (Sony Movie Studio) to the appropriate publishing format. This is a HUGE advantage if you use other other video editors.

The Studio 14 software has all the basic features for the beginner, but I only use it for capture and do all my editing in other applications. Which brings me to the first negative, you can only capture using the Pinnacle software, you CANNOT capture with this device using Vegas, Premier, or any other video software. The hardware is somehow tied to the Pinnacle software. This is relatively minor since it isn't that much work to switch between apps for capture and editing, but still it's annoying.

The other negative as a few have pointed out is that the captured audio is markedly quieter than with my other capture hardware (an old Canopus ACEDVio). There are ways to make this louder if you're using other editors, but again it's annoying and inexplicable.

It has a few sliders to adjust brightness, sharpness, and color during capture which could be useful but I haven't played with them much. Captured images seemed brighter and with better color balance than with the ACEDVio, though I don't think it's because the hardware is better, they're just applying different filters during capture.

I got the cheaper $50 version with Studio 14 because I use other editing software. For that price, it isn't bad and I couldn't find anything in that range that can do DV capture. The sound level and the software requirements are annoying but not enough to make me return it. But if anything comes along that can do DV capture with better sound and has a normal device driver for use in other mainstream editors, I would jump on that in an instant (Hello Elgato).

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I recently purchased this item as a capture card for making machinima with my Xbox 360 and it works just as I hade expected good quality. The item says HD, but that only refers to the program it comes with, the device itself capture SD video, as it uses composite cables. I feel it was a great purchase for beginning Machinimators who are not yet ready to drop 200+ dollars on an HD PVR. Although many reviews say it has problems, I bought the item on the suggestion of a friend, and have been completely satisfied.

Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer

• Capture MIDI data quickly any time, any place
• Email music to collaborators
• Open/edit emailed music within virtually all digital audio workstations
• The easiest way to safeguard your tones
• Compatible with Line 6 gear, and classic and modern MIDI equipment

I made a mistake buying the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer, I should have bought the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer2. The difference being, the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer2 supports core midi on the IOS devices.

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Plugged-in it worked right out the package. Very cool to finally use a kybd with iphone app too.

I'd give it 5 stars.......but for one omission in the design a big one imo.;

as I worked on file I wondered how the iphone battery was doing. The app I use is rather hard on power. That's when it occurred to me that there's no way to run this device except on battery power. It uses the same port. Never thought of that before.

One may think that an hour or so is plenty, but that aspect still needs to be noted here I think.

Not sure why line6 didn't add a usb port for power at bottom of device. Or power jack. Maybe they were concerned about hanging too much weight off the bottom of iphone/pad/pod? Whatever the reason, charge-up good before starting a bigger project. Or wait for the snythstation25 product. I believe that one has power at the docking jack. Apps will start appearing for it in the next couple months I've read.

Other than that, again, very cool.

Cheers.

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Great idea, except for the glaring oversight-no way to keep it on the charger while you're using it. Consequently, it's not a serious tool yet-just an exploratory toy. I'm waiting for the next revision, it can't be all that hard or expensive to put a mini USB plug in the thing, just for the power hookup.

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Feels like a rushed to market product. Doesn't work with existing apps that support midi out. Has it's own proprietary api. If all you want to do is use the Line 6 Midi Memo app it works just fine. But try to use any of the existing apps on itunes that function as midi control surfaces i.e. Sound Prism it fails. The connector is also too long for the iPad and it'll leave you wondering if it's connected properly.

Save your money and buy the camera connection kit and a usb/midi cable.

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I was really looking forward to this when I ordered it, but it is not as impressive as I had hoped.

As has been pointed about by another reviewer, power is a problem.

It really needs a micro-usb jack to allow you to provide an external power source. Of course, if you have that connector on it, there are other interesting functionalities you could add.

The manufacturer needs to really work hard to encourage software developers to add support for this device. I think a program of developer support, including an SDK, and a free device, made available to anyone with a music related app on the app store would be a good start. Established developers with a music app in development should also be seeded.

Other than that, the SDK and support for using it ought to be offered to anyone who owns the device. If this device does not garner broad application support, it is going to wind up in my (too large) box of "that was an amusing waste of money" items.

Currently I would suggest this for early adopters, with hope that native iOS midi support comes to pass, and that Line 6 develops this product to its full potential.

Sony Walkman NWZS545BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

• 16 GB capacity for about 4,000 songs
• Up to 42 hours of audio or 6.5 hours of video on a single charge
• 2.4-inch, 262,144-color LCD with 240 x 320 QVGA pixel resolution
• Supports MP3, WMA (DRM), AAC, and Linear PCM audio formats; AVC, MPEG-4, and WMV (DRM) video formats; JPEG image files
• One-year limited warranty; 1 year parts, 90 days labor

When searching for a new mp3 player the trail always leads me back to Sony. Its more about overall quality then brand loyalty. Over the years Sony's Walkman line has gone the distance and more. The all new Sony S Series Walkman adds to the legacy.

The S-545 16gb Walkman brings it on with a crisp, color enhanced 2.4" LCD screen that is easy on the eyes. At 2" x 4" x .4", it comes in a bit larger then its older cousin. A larger body undoubtedly is required to provide support for the external speaker system. The speakers won't get confused with my home system anytime soon but they do provide an excellent source. With headphones on, this mp3 player delivers a cornucopia of sound. Missing but not that noticeable is the noise reduction feature. The on board equalizer can be tweaked to one's own preferences or users can choose one of the six presets.

The Navigation pad located directly under the screen is a breeze to operate. Three controls are located on the right side of the unit. One locks in the controls. The second one allows for easy switching from speaker to headset. Volume is the third control. The standard headphone jack and a USB port can be found on the bottom of the unit. The detachable flip out stand is an okay feature that allows for easy standing on my desk or shelf top. I would have preferred that it was permanently mounted.

The S-545 supports mp3, mp4, AAC, AVC, WMV, WMA, and PCM. PCM is Sony's version of WAV. It pairs well with Napster To Go. Its hit and miss with Rhapsody To Go. Sometimes its a smooth transfer, other times its not. Downloading my playlists from Windows Media Player was a breeze without the usual hiccups associated with older mp3 players.

Amazon video is a new option that is also supported. Video can be synced from my computer as well. I've never been big on downloading video to my player. I did download a couple of photographs on this model. The display was outstanding. Unlike my older Walkman, this model doesn't offer the wallpaper photo display option.

The built in FM tuner picked up all ten of my stations. With auto scanner functionality, thirty preset slots are available. The FM radio is crystal clear when using the headset as an antenna. The alarm and timer features are a nice add on. This model also has an impressive on board microphone located on the bottom of the unit. There are three voice settings. Voice playback quality was excellent. Battery life has always been biggie with Sony. On a full charge, I got almost a full thirty five hours of music.

The Sony Walkman S-545 16gb Mp3 player comes packed with a USB cable, flip stand, ear buds, installed operating manual and the standard one year warranty. Body finishes include; black and red in the 16GB model. Pink and violet are additional choices in the 8GB model.

Economically priced, this latest edition to the Walkman line is a durable and reliable product that delivers. Easy to use and loaded with features, the Sony S-545 is a prime time performer.

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Great sounding and easy to use MP3 I have owned. I have had a Philips GoGear (froze and had to format all the time) a creative Zen (stopped working after 6 months) and a Zune 120 GB (great storage but not the best sounding MP3, plus a little to bulky when jogging). This is the easiest MP3 to use and the sound is great. For people who exercise, especially joggers, this is the perfect size and at 16GB holds quite alot of music. The screen size is only 2.4 but is very clear and once you use the transfer feature that comes with the player is easy to transfer photos and videos.

The speakers won't blow you away, but I got it for when I work outside in the garden and didn't want to haul out my speakers to plug in. Plus, when I am at work I can use it at the lunch table and not be rude when people sit with me and cannot listen to music. They do sound pretty good for the size, just an extra bonus on the player.

Last, a great price for an 16GB

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I bought this to upgrade my current Sony MP3 Walkman which was the previous generation (NWZ-E436)and had probably one of the best sound quality of any mp3 player, much better than the ipod and this player continues that quality. I'd say it's slightly better than the previous generation due to the bass boost. The LED screen is about 0.5" bigger than the E series and also has built in speakers which are decent but fairly weak in volume. The S series is also bigger than the E series as well to accommodate the speakers and the larger LCD screen, but still remain about the same size as a credit card. The one caveat is that the resolution of the LCD display remains at 320x240 which is the same as the E series so visual quality is not improved upon. The menu system is very intuitive and easy to navigate through from watching videos, listening to the radio or mp3, and viewing pictures. Not sure why people would use a device this small to view pictures. Picture quality is good I suppose. Unfortunately, you can't zoom in on photos and the player has problems with large jpg files over 1MB so you'll need to resize photos in order to make it less than 1MB. The software included is the same as the previous generation which I didn't really bother with and most people won't either since it's much easier to use windows explorer and just use cut/copy & paste. In order to delete music you'll still need to hook up to a pc and delete it through windows explorer.

What separates this generation from the previous generation is the bass boost feature which does exactly what it says. Also, you now have the ability to record sound through the built in microphone which has adequate quality if you want to record a lecture. Another great feature added is the ability to record FM radio which only a few mp3 players allow due to copyright issues. The sound/music that you record can be deleted directly from the player without connecting to a computer which is convenient. Another thing I've noticed is that the sound level is a lot louder. On the NWZ-E436 I usually listened at level 21-24, but on this one I usually listen at level 14-19, where the maximum is 30.

Only certain types of videos are supported including mp4 and wmv with support for resolution up to 320x240. There's several free software available over the internet which can convert certain videos or dvd to mp4 or wmv. Not all of them will work. It's too bad Sony didn't include a video converter. Quality of video is adequate but nothing like the Zune HD which can play 1080p video and can connect to your tv. Video playback is smooth without stuttering and sound is excellent as well. When viewing videos in order to fast forward you'll need to press the right wheel or down wheel depending on how your video is oriented. For instance, if you view it vertically then you press the right wheel and conversely if you view it horizontally or panoramic then you'd press the down wheel. The included headphones is fair but I recommend buying a separate one. Make sure to buy an in-ear headphone to isolate sound. An affordable and high quality one is Creative EP-630 or EP-830 which also sounds better than the Klipsch S4 headphones that some review sites are touting over.

Other features include adjustable equalizers, clock, alarm, stand, and timer. The battery life is fairly long depending on how loud you listen and amount of video playback viewed. What's "missing" is wi-fi and internet connection, camera, touchscreen, games, and telephone that some people may be looking for in a one package device. If you want a complete package then get a blackberry, handheld pc, or next generation iphone. If you're looking for a great mp3 player with lots of features then this is probably the best mp3 player under $120. If you just want a great mp3 player for music, radio, and podcasts then get the E series which is cheaper with the same great sound quality.

Update: I've had this player for about a year now and it still works great considering the amount of abuse that it has received from being dropped onto concrete while jogging, placing them in my tight jeans with my keys and sitting on it, and placing them in the bathroom while taking a steamy shower. So far it has stalled only twice when the battery was running really low. I also decided to buy a Zune HD to consider replacing it but I surprisingly found that the sound quality on the Sony was much better even though the Zune costs upwards of $290. I'm thinking of returning the Zune HD but the video for that player is incomparable to any mobile device. I'm debating whether to try the Sony X series which also has the same video quality as the Zune and has even better sound quality but costs $400. Anyways, for anyone still debating whether to get this, if you only want a dedicated mp3 player for radio, music, and podcasts accept no substitute. This is the best period.

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I've stayed away from Sony products for a very long time. After hearing the reviews for this Walkman on the Cnet MP3 Insider podcast, I picked one up the same day. It's hard to beat the price for what you get. Large capacity and a small footprint. The sound quality is great, I love the preset and the custom EQ. If you like deep bass you can adjust it to your liking. One great feature is that you can sort the songs based on the ID3 tag information, but you can also search the file system in case your tags are not proper. I love how you can either use the included software to sync your songs or you can just drop your files onto the device. If you don't like the Sony software you can use MediaMonkey to manage your music. I'm glad they went with internal batteries because it made it possible to make the device much smaller. There are many features packed into this tiny DAP. The internal speakers are a nice touch. I think Sony did a fantastic job on this one.

I had an iPod for the last 5 years, and was fairly happy with it because I was stupid. The build quality of my iPod was good, and their scroll wheel is probably still the best. Every other category gets crushed by Sony's walkman. A major reason that I wanted to switch mp3 players was my hatred for iTunes. I wanted a player where I could just drag albums similar to a USB drive, and it would work. No 3rd party software required. The Sony does this. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to just move over entire directories of music with one drag. Not only that, but I can copy the music off the player in the same way, unlike all Apple products.

The screen is nice and bright and crisp. No problems there. FM tuner works great. What's really remarkable about this player is 2 very very very key things about mp3 players: battery life and sound quality. Sony really crushes Apple here. My player really does get 42 hours of playback. This is really unbelievable. Sometimes it's just nice to know that you can leave for a weekend trip with your mp3 player charged, and not worry about running out of juice no matter how much you use it. Anyone who enjoys music enjoys hi fidelity in the sound quality. I use earbuds so that I can hear everything at low volume while also blocking out all of the outside world. With these types of headphones, you really hear how much better and fuller the music is on a Sony than an iPod.

So, on top of the fact that this player is about 30% cheaper as well, I will probably only buy Sony's from here on out. Really a great product. A couple of things I don't particularly like though: speakers suck and I'm not too sure why they are even on this unit. Very strange, but this doesn't detract at all from what the device is actually used for. The other downer is the scroll wheel/play button combo. Significantly too small and just not a totally smooth interface. I find it hard to believe that anyone would prefer this over Apple's interface--which is what all of their products are known for: nice interfaces, ok hardware, wrapped in 73 layers of proprietary crap.

Night Owl Security Products LION-42500 4-Channel H.264 Video Security Kit with 2 Night Vision Camer

If you are looking for a decent DVR with the price right this is it. The cameras that nightowl provides with their kits are not very good. I would suggest better cameras. I have installed two of these. The Falcon and the Lion. Internet setup is kinda tricky unless you are network savy, but it is not impossible. I would recommend you go to and see if your router is on the list. I have AT&T DSL with a 2-wire gateway. The instructions that come with the dvr for internet remote acess are really worthless. So if you are not "network savy" find someone who is or you could post your router make and model and I would do my best to help you. I am able to see my cameras from every computer in my house and at work or anywhere there is high speed internet. To me that is so cool. I would have given 5 stars except for the cameras. In fact dont spend the extra money and just buy the dvr with no cameras. I have these cameras hooked to my dvr. VideoSecu Outdoor Infrared Day Night Vision Home Security Camera Weatherproof 1/3" SONY Super HAD CCD 3.6mm Wide View Angle Lens 420TV Lines 30 IR LEDs A12

TDK DVD-R Media 4.7GB for Data- General Use 10 Pack (non-authoring)

I have made about 22 or so disks. Not yet a single coaster made. This disk does get a little worse in picture quality toward the middle of the disk. BEWARE

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I

I'm usually a digital SLR user, but I've been waiting for a camera like this to come out so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera were:

1. AVCHD 1080i FULL QUALITY video. Check the bitrate -it's the same as the camcorders. Better than the flip or handheld 'HD' bitrates

2. Wide Picture Stitching. I am astounded by the quality of these pictures. Dumbfounded. Check out the ones I've posted.

3. GPS Tagging. Yepbeen waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature into its software.

4. Low-light performance. For a point-and-shoot, you're not going to beat this. Sure, it's no DSLR, but it's pretty great for the price.

5. Pricea zillion features and a totally reasonable price!!!

Mac Compatibility:

I tried out the camera with iMovie, and it worked seamlessly!!! I imported 2 minutes of low-light video footage AVCHD in about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class-6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked great.

Update: I've had time to play around with the different settings -you can see some of my results in the customer uploaded images. The panoramas today came out great! I am still awed by this feature (amazon's tiny photos don't do it justice). Shooting inside in the MOMA was excellent. Outside, I tried the HDR mode, with limited success (still need to experiment, but see what I got). The handheld twilight mode does what it is supposed to, impressively.

*****Pros: Clear, Crisp pictures & movies. Sound is accurate. HD is excellent. Auto mode allows an average user to take excellent pictures in all but very difficult conditions. Software converts AVCHD to data, standard and WMV formats.

*****Cons: Have to remove battery from camera to recharge it. Camera has no AC adapter.

**Summary: Highlights:

* Sonys smallest and thinnest AVCHD capable digital camera (1080i)

* 10x (25mm equivalent) professional-quality optical zoom G-Lens (same lens as professional DSLR)

* 10.2 megapixel back-illuminated ?Exmor R? CMOS image sensor combined with BIONZ image processor

* ISO: Auto/125/200/400/800/1600/3200, Panorama, Anti-Motion & moviesHD (1920 x 1080 pixels),

* High Speed Shooting ? 10 frames per second at 10 megapixel full resolution

* 3-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD display with a special anti-reflective coating

* Backlight Correction HDR and GPS + Compass and Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode technologies

*****Comparison Prior to purchase:

Review Data: I reviewed over 50 web sites, spoke to camera stores and had the specifications reviewed by photographic professionals.

*WEB Site Reviews: The web sites I reviewed gave mixed reviews but in general this camera came out one of the best point and shoot cameras. In fact many of the complaints I read were by people comparing the camera with high end SLR?s or DSLR?s clearly not an unbiased or practical test, in my opinion a device should be compared with products in the same class to be fair.

*Store and Professional Reviews:I spoke to most of the major and many other camera stores that carried various brands that were familiar with this camera all of them stated they did not have a point and shoot better than this camera. Some stated the camera was as good as some SLR?s and some pointed out the lens and the CMOS image sensor was the same as that found on high end DSLRs.

My Test Results:

*****Indoor Camera mode: Camera tested in the Auto mode, photographed people and pets ? Tested under natural light, incandescent and fluorescent lights all shots were clear and sharp. Camera Tested in a darkened room in Auto mode flash worked picture quality was excellent. Extreme test Camera tested in an almost completely dark room with light seeping through a window blind, picture blurry -camera had trouble adjusting due to streaks of light coming through blind. Repeated test without sunlight comming through blind in the dark camera worked excellent but I had to use "Easy" mode instead of Auto. It pays to try the cameras different modes.

*****Outdoor Camera Mode Camera tested in Auto mode; photographed people and pets pictures were clear and sharp. The camera compensated for my movements, people moving and animal movement even when using zoom at its maximum without a tripod. Photographed a man made waterfall you could actually see the water streaming down the rock. Photographed several high trees all came out straight, even a palm tree. Tested camera at sunset and at night to get the best results you need to learn the cameras mode.

*****Movie Mode: (Inside and Outside)

Photographed people and animals playing inside and outside, a man made waterfall, a television program. Camera adjusted to my movements and gave clear and crisp movies. Sounds were accurate and clear.

*****Viewing:

The camera has a 3 inch LCD display; I had no problem seeing what I photographed even in sunlight.

*****Software:

The camera includes software that allows you to save your pictures as data, WMV, HD and standard mode. All modes worked well.

Conclusion: As far as I am concerned this camera is better than any point and shoot on the market. I agree with a lot of the professionals that stated it was almost as good as a SLR or DSLR when used by the average user. Even in the Auto mode it excelled in many difficult situations both as a fixed camera and movie camera. Due to the camera size you have to be careful not to block the microphone on the top of the camera. If you are a professional photographer this camera is probably not for you though I did talk to one professional photographer that stated they used this camera as a backup at a wedding and the pictures came out as good as their high end cameras in many situations.

*****Cost: I managed to find the camera on sale at for $293.99 when buying 2 accessories @ 15% off.

*****Below are some of the camera specifications to see them all you can go to .

* Optical Zoom : 10x

* Total Zoom : Approximately 20x with Precision Digital Zoom Macro Mode : iAuto(W:Approx.5cm(0.16')

* Drive Mode : Normal / Hi-Speed Burst (High/Mid/Low) / Bracketing

* Shutter Speeds : iAuto(2" 1/1,600) / Program Auto(1" 1/1,600) /Manual(30"-1/1600)

* Aperture : iAuto(F3.5/F8.0(W)) / Program Auto(F3.5/F8.0(W)) / Manual(F3.5/F8.0(W)) (2 Steps with ND Filter)

* ISO : Auto / 125 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200

* Focal Length (35mm equivalent) : 4.25-42.5mm

* AF Modes : 9 points AF / Center Weighted AF / Spot AF

* Burst Mode : Approx 10 fps at 10.2MP (Maximum 10 shots)

* HD Output : HDMI / Component (1080i)

* Flash Modes : Auto / On / Slow Syncro / Off

* White Balance Mode: Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Fluorescent / Incandescent / Flash.

* Image Stabilization : Optical

* Imaging Sensor : 1/2.4" (7.59mm) "Exmor R" CMOS Sensor

* Processor : BIONZ?

* LCD Type : 3.0"1 Clear Photo LCD (230K pixels)

* Lens Type : Sony G-Lens (same as DSLR's)

* Scene Mode(s) : High Sensitivity / Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Soft Snap / Landscape / Beach / Snow / Fireworks / Advanced Sports / Gourmet / Pet

Buy Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Now

I'm comparing this camera to my most recent camera: Canon SD1000 and Sony TX1. I'm just a casual photographer. The most surprising thing about this camera is the weight. If you've owned some high end Sony or Canon PowerShot cameras then holding this camera doesn't "feel" normal, it's way too light for it's size...but that's a good thing....sort of. They achieve this weight reduction by using plastic for many of the body parts (the SD1000 and TX1 are mostly, if not all metal). The back is definitely plastic, I'm not quite sure about the front. The mode dial (although very welcome) feels cheap.

That's about it for the bad news. The good news is the GPS locks FAST out of the box and the picture quality is very good, on par with 10-12 mega-pixel cameras. The Sony "extra" features such as panorama and 1080 HD video work as advertised and add value to the Sony versus the only current competitor (with GPS and a mega-zoom) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 which has not been released yet. You can compare images between the two cameras on the Imaging Resource site as well as some others.

I'm was going to purchase both this camera and the Panasonic to see which one I liked better, however I'm going to be keeping the Sony. I'm very happy with the ease of use, picture quality and the Sony extra features (such as panorama).

For a case, I'm using the Case Logic TBC302. It fits the camera perfectly with barely enough room in the front pocket to hold a spare battery. The Case Logic TBC303 is much larger but not too useful, for example you can't put the battery charger with the camera. It could hold some credit cards or papers, though.

Update: Software

I usually never install the included software because it's so bloated or just not very good to use. However, the Sony PMB (which is on a CDROM or on the internal camera memory when plugged into your computer) is VERY good. Good in that it's not bloated and it just works. You can do everything you expect such as organize and edit your photos or even update/assign GPS data. Also you can download updated GPS data (which helps the camera lock to GPS faster). I would dare say the software is nicer than Picasa or iPhoto due to the speed and built in GPS features. Some other things you can do but I have not tried yet: you can burn a video DVD (either a normal DVD or a AVCHD DVD with 1080i quality, but you need a PS3 or compatible player to watch those).

Update: GPS

I'm happy to report the GPS function works very well. I took a drive while snapping pictures as a test and then examined the recorded locations. The location was being actively updated because it was able to differentiate my position between shots taken seconds apart going about 40 MPH. Very pleased.

Update: Picture Quality

On closer inspection, the picture quality is a bit soft..I wish I could have the camera automatically adjust the sharpening inside the camera (make it more sharp) but this is not a big deal as the PMB software has easy edit controls. You can also manually unsharp after you take the photograph. The low light performance is remarkable, especially the low-light modes that actively combine multiple images (hand-held twilight and back-light HDR modes do this). As long as you're steady and you're not shooting a moving subject you can get some pretty remarkable, low-noise images at night.

Other final comment: when you turn the camera off, there is a slight delay (fraction of a second) before the lens retracts. Not really an issue but just something I'm not used to with my previous cameras and something I just noticed as I'm usually taking quick impromptu photos, on..photo...off. The interface, although totally functional, is not as "refined" as on my Sony TX1 (with touch screen), the LCD resolution is noticeably lower but, again, totally functional.

The mode dial is still bugging me, I feel it's the first thing on this camera that will go...But only time will tell.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Here

I have been looking for a new P&S for a while and compared the Sony hx5v v. Canon sx210is v. Panasonic zs3 (as a prelude to the zs7). The most important consideration was image quality followed closely by convenience, a well defined menu system, lens quality, fit and finish and pocketability. The Sony and Panny both had a gps function which was not important to me.

The panny zs3 had poor low light performance and no manual controls. Several bona fide review sites stated that the IQ for the zs7 was inferior to the zs3 so I quickly made a decision that the zs7 was not in contention.

For a comparison between the Sony and Canon I spent lunchtime on a couple of days walking around town taking only photos with the Sony on the trip out...and with the Canon on the walk back to my office. With the same drill in the evening to compare low light performance. I accumulated several hundred photos. When taking the photos I would use whatever mode or camera setting was appropriate at the time. Specifically, I did not set the cameras on Auto and just shoot in that mode. I also took a fair amount of video. A couple of days later I loaded all photos and video onto my computer and began viewing and this is where the Sony fell down. The images were very soft. At a small size they looked fine in fact they looked very good. However, with any magnification, the in-camera noise removal processing was evident and very heavy handed. Other review sites stated this, but I had to see it for myself, and even at ISO 125 (the lowest Sony allows) the images were soft. At pixel peeping levels it was very bad. Details were lost and it all looked like plastic. And if the details aren't there, no amount of work in PS or LR will bring them back to life. The evidence of noise at magnification was low, but I'd rather have native noise and remove it with Neat Image than be stuck with an over processed image. Also, there is no manual mode at all...all auto function. There is no iris for f-stop control, so to limit light Sony has chosen to use a neutral density filter and you get only 2 f-stops. Therefore, you get one depth of field for all images. That is almost anti-camera to me.

Sony claims their CMOS sensor is superior to a CCD sensor. That is apparent in the ability to shoot full resolution images for 10 fps bursts, as well as the hand held twilight and anti blur modes. But, to my eye, I don't see any low light benefit of the CMOS over the CCD and image quality did not compare well, though I don't think that had much to do with the sensor as much as Sony's noise algorithm.

The white balance is inconsistent indoors. You can get a custom WB by shooting a white object, but the native AWB will leave you disappointed. Outdoors the colors are warm no problem there. And it is easy to use anti blur mode to get a quick snapshot anytime and have a good result.

I did not give the video an adequate review since the stills were so disappointing. However, the microphones are situated in the exact wrong location. It is difficult to keep from covering one or both of them as you are filming. It is a very poor design. The flash is weak and poorly located it is easy to block with your fingers. The light from the flash falls visibly off-centered in the image.

The Sony has some great technology. The 10 fps burst is great, the hand held twilight and anti blur are clever and practical. The menu system is well designed and intuitive. It is a good point and shoot camera for someone that wants only that without the need for printing beyond 4x6 or only for casual viewing on the computer.

The Sony was returned and the Canon sx210is won out. Far better image quality, it has a manual mode with up to 15 second exposure, very good HD video at 720p and good sound, superior low light performance, better flash power as well as being able to adjust the eV +/for flash photography, better color gamut, the 14x optical on the Canon is nice some vignetting at 14x, but that is fixable in post process. I do wish the Canon had a faster burst mode.

Want Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP CMOS 10x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera with Optical Steady Shot I Discount?

I've had the HX5V since I replaced my Canon SD800IS in March, '10 and have been very pleased with what it has to offer. It captures great images but with a caveat. It is not, strictly, a point and shoot. It has features such as the hand-held twilight, anti motion blur and iPanorama that take some knowledge and practice to make the most of. Most of the complaints I have read here relate to a misunderstanding of the camera features and not a failure in design. I'll address some of the the issues and how I have avoided or dealt with them.

Colors: Most compact digital cameras come with auto-ISO and auto white-balance as the defaults. I always over-ride the auto-ISO with the lowest ISO setting and adjust manually from there if needed. Auto WB is left on, but virtually no current camera will decipher the odd mix of light that compact fluorescent lighting puts out. That's why there is a custom WB setting. When custom white-balance is used properly, colors are rendered nicely. In daylight, I have had no problems and under incandescent outdoor lighting it seems to render colors quite well.

Distortion: Most P&S cameras don't start out at 24mm equivalent on the wide end (one of the reasons that I bought the camera). If you are not used to composing using a wider-angle lens, your shots can produce some perspective distortion. Buildings and interiors need to be shot carefully at wide angles to minimize the "leaning walls" effect caused by the exaggerated perspective of wide angle lenses that is often mistaken for lens distortion. The lens itself is remarkably free of distortion at both the wide and long end of the zoom range. BTW, people shot up close with a wide-angle lens will NOT like how they look!

Lack of detail: The HX5V is not a DSLR. Its 10MP files will never support the detail that you can get with a large APS-C sensor. If you are obsessed with detail and like to view your pictures in minute detail at 100% zoom with your nose 12 inches away from your monitor, this is not the camera for you. That said, it will fit in your pocket and produce sharp, detailed images suitable for 8x10 prints or even larger...if used properly. Auto-ISO will automatically boost ISO in low-light conditions. As stated before, this camera is a compact, not a DSLR. Though it does better at ISO 800 than most, it still has a tiny sensor that is susceptible to noise and the accompanying loss of detail from noise reduction processing at higher ISO. In low light, I have used the hand-held twilight function with excellent results. This mode isn't magic and if the camera moves too much during the multiple exposures, it won't do the job. If you choose your subject well and keep the camera steady, the images in this mode can be very impressive. Digital zoom can cause problems at the long end. Since this feature simply takes a smaller center section of the image and blows it up, resolution suffers. I'm happy with the 10x optical zoom and turning off the "digital zoom" option prevents its use and accidental image degradation.

iPanorama doesn't work: Nonsense. It is actually one of the best in-camera panorama solutions out there. Like everything else, there is no free lunch. You have to practice moving the camera steadily and smoothly across the scene and keep in mind that since it is using the video mode to capture the 100 or so image slices, you are limited to a 1080 pixel tall image (unless you trick it and use the vertical mode sideways to get a 1920 tall panorama).

In general, the HX5V will function as a point and shoot camera but to get the most out of its remarkable feature set, you need to take the time to learn the functions and how to best take advantage of what they have to offer. It is not a camera for everyone but it can be a great 24x7, take-anywhere tool with some class-leading features if use it well.

I have posted some images on my share site with examples of low-light, indoor, outdoor, panorama and extremes of the zoom range.

You can find them at: Well I guess you'll have to take my word for it. Whenever I post the link, Amazon moderators strip it out. Since there are no ads at the site I can't imagine they are fearing revenue loss to my humble competition. Look up the images gallery at Digital Photography Review for examples(a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon). I'd post the link...but it might be removed by a moderator that doesn't know that they own DPReview

You can run a full-screen slide show of the images there as well.

If you want a great compact camera with a load of useful features and are willing to do some of the homework necessary to get the most out of it, the HX5V is an excellent choice. Get one and enjoy it!

Happy shooting!

Dave