Features

• 6-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• 12x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.0-inch LCD display
• High Sensitivity Mode (ISO 1000) for shooting without flash in low-light conditions
• VGA (640 x 480) audio-video clips at up to 30 frames per second, with optional Optical Zoom for Movie feature
• Powered by 2 AA-size batteries; stores images on Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo media

Reviews (23)

Great Camera
I've owned this camera for just a few weeks, and still have much to learn about the many features, but so far I am very pleased with the operation and picture quality of the DSC-H2. This is only the 2nd digital camera I have used. The previous being a Finepix 3.1 MP camera. I'm still trying to get used to all the manual settings, but the automatic settings have been very impressive. I think the accessories included with the camera make it a very good buy. I purchased a Sandisk 1GB Memory Stick Duo Pro to store the photos. It has worked well in the short time I have used it. The minor criticisms I have for this camera are, as with most didital cameras, the compact size of the camera body make handling the camera difficult with my larger hands & fingers. I have hit buttons accidentally once or twice. Something added to the camera body for the left hand would be nice. The viewfinder option to compose a photo is a little dark & I find it is difficult to see peoples' facial expressions until viewing the picture. My eyesight is partly to blame for this, I suppose. The owners manual, at times, can be downright trying. I wish filters could be attached to the lens front rather than the adaptor/hood, but I can see why it isn't with this design. Still, it all comes down to the features the camera does have, the picture quality and the price, and that's why I give it 5 stars. I still have alot to learn about this camera, but so far, everything I've tried has worked well. Even when I guessed at the settings before consulting with the manual. I look forward to experimenting more. A person who just wants to point and shoot shouldn't be deterred by all the features. Just set the date/time and make sure it has fresh batteries and shoot away. Also, I purchased the 4 yr service plan with this camera. I hope I never have the occasion to offer a review on that, but with previous experience with a camcorder, I felt like it was worth the money.

Takes higher quality pictures than my DSLR.
This is my 3rd digital camera . This past May I purchased an Olympus EVOLT 500 DSLR for $799. I was not impressed with the quality of the pictures. So I bought the Sony H2 . I can't believe the image quality . Perfect outdoor pictures underany conditions . The image stablization works very well. I am able to take pictures with full zoom (which is the equivilent of 430mm on a 35 mm camera ) without using a tripod . Even in the evening the pictures do not blur .The shutter speeds are fast enough for sports photography . The 2.8 f/stop allows for fast shutter speeds . The lenses that came with my DSLR did not have that wide of a lens opening . I would have had to buy a much more expensive lens to get 2.8 f/stop.
VERY NICE ZOOM !
At 1st was very dificult, but now i love it, its fun !
Read more

Editorial Review

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01K 6MP Compact Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom features a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens that deliver outstanding, crisp six megapixel images. With a combined zoom power of 14.4x -- 3.6x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom -- and a burst shooting mode that allows you to take up to 8 images at 2 frames per second, the Lumix DMC-FX01K offers professional quality features and performance.Read more

Features

• Features a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens with a combined zoom power of 14.4x -- 3.6x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom
• Mega Optical Image Stabilization features "anti-blur" to keep photos clear and blur-free
• Mega Burst feature takes up to 8 consecutive shots
• 2.5-inch diagonal polycrystalline TFT LCD; playback mode offers 25- or 9-thumbnail displays
• Included lithium-ion battery pack provides up to 320 shots between charges

Reviews (33)

This Camera Has A WIDE ANGLE Lens
If you are interested in portable digital point and shoot cameras, since Canon discontinued the Power Shot S-80, this one is one of THREE digital point and shoot cameras on the market that I know of that have a "true" WIDE ANGLE lens of 28mm! (The other is: The Canon Power Shot SD800 IS for [...]----and another one is Kodak EasyShare V570 which has a 23mm lens and sells for about [...])
Great wide-angle lens and 16:9 format in a stylish, pocketable camera
I love this camera. I originally bought it for my wife but I've been using it more than she has. The wide-angle lens is great and I value it much more than a big zoom. It's great for close-up shots, group photos, and landscapes. The 16:9 format is great for landscapes, sunsets, etc. The display is clear and bright but a little slow.
PERFECT!!!Have fun with movies and wide angle lens!
So first, this camera does show very noticeable noise in low light/ high iso.
Read more

Features

• 5.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints
• 10x optical zoom (equivalent to a 38-380mm on a 35mm camera)
• 1.8-inch low-temperature polysilicon LCD display
• Ultra-high light sensitivity (up to ISO 1600), plus special "Natural Light" and "Anti-Blur" modes
• Stores images on xD Picture Cards; powered by 4 AA-size batteries (4 AA alkaline batteries included)

Reviews (45)

Nothing Less Than Amazing
I went from taking the camera out of its packing to taking professional quality pictures in twenty minutes.It's amazing!

Great camera but only ONE issue....
I will not repeat what other reviews have stated already, all the reviews below are pretty much correct with this camera being a high quality and easy to use etc etc.
Fujifilm Finepix S5200 Professional Camera @ Economy Price
These cameras are as simple to use as any I have ever seen and the quality of the pictures are as good or better than cameras costing 3 times as much. Great Buy. ... Read more

Features

• 6.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• 2.0-inch LCD display; 10x Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon optical zoom lens
• Continuous VGA video with MPEG-4 compression
• Auto options plus manual settings; 17 scene and 5 color modes, plus on-camera enhancement features
• Powered by AA size batteries; stores images on SD memory cards (includes 32 MB internal memory)

Reviews (28)

Good camera, Terrible software
When you're looking at a camera, you rarely read much detail about the software.The manufacturers only focus on the camera details.While this a great camera, the software and limitations of the proprietary Easy Share program make uploading your pictures a terrible experience.If you are happy with the Easy Share software, this camera will work fine for you.However, if you are like me and prefer to use advanced photo editing programs, you will despise this camera.Yes, it comes with a USB connection.But Kodak has limited you so that ONLY the Easy Share software recognizes the camera to transfer pictures.You cannot access the camera or pictures through My Computer, Windows Explorer, or any other photo software.You MUST use the Easy Share program to transfer pictures, and then they go into Kodak "albums" in the software.I did not believe this could possibly be true with a USB connection, but after spending 20 minutes on the phone with Kodak support, I was assured it was designed this way.The camera will not be recognized by Windows XP or anything other than the Kodak Easy Share software.Besides this being annoying, it is problematic if your software crashes and you have no other means to get your photos off your camera.
Great Camera at Great Price Point
Great Camera!The picture quality is excellent. Love the 10x optical zoom and many different scene modes available. The easy share software makes it easy to view, print and share the pictures. It is definitely not a pocket camera but feels like a professional camera in your hands. To me, that is a good thing. Buy the camera, a large storage card and start shooting!

Great Novice Camera
I've been using the z650 for about 4 months now.I'm no pro, but I think I would qualify above the average everyday camera user.I chose the z650 for various reasons including 10X zoom, 6MP, Kodak easy-share system, and because it is a good camera for beginers looking to take the next step up in overall photo quality.I never opened the manual and was using all the features almost instantly (I would say I'm moderately technology literate), but if you struggle with tech you will probably be reading through the quick start booklet.The 2.5 camera screen is good for getting an idea of what your shot looks like, but the real photo is much more brilliant and sharp than the what shows on the screen.Did I mention the ease of use factor.Get the UV filter for the camera, they're cheap and really help with outside shots! Also, plan on getting a large memory card and an additiona set of rechargable lith batteries.Overall, I would highly recommend this camera for the basic camera user looking to take the first step into photography.(Saw some gripes about the weight, but unless your counting grams in the backcountry this camera is really quite light and can be taken anywhere) ... Read more

Features

• Comes with NP-BG1 Rechargeable Battery, Battery Charger, Multi-cable, Wrist Strap, CD-ROM with drivers and software, Sony USA 1-Year Warranty
• 8.1 Megapixel Effective Super HAD(TM) CCD Super HAD(TM) (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCDs allow more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise / Up to 3,264 x 2,448 resolution still pictures and up to VGA 640x480 30 fps for movie imaging
• 3x Optical Zoom - Focal Length f= (35mm conversion) - 7.9 - 23.7mm (38 - 114mm)
• Real Imaging Processor 14-bit DXP Super Resolution Converter
• AF Method - Single AF, Monitoring AF / AF Area - Multi-point (5-point), Center Weighted; Focus Mode - Auto Focus, Macro, Focus Preset

Reviews (19)

Excellent Camera.
I bought this camera several weeks ago and have test-driven it in the forest preserves of Chicago and in Upper Michigan.It does a terrific job.I am an artist who studied film in school and yet never used a digital camera.I wanted something that was kind of between a point and shoot and an SLR.I wanted some manual functions to fool around with, and yet I also wanted the easy shot for family photos and such.I didn't want to start my digital experience on an expensive SLR, so this proved to be a great buy for me.It's very small and compact and yet very powerful.

Best all around digital camera
If you are looking for a digital camera with many high level functions and features, the SonyCybershot 8.1 mp is a great buy.It is highly affordable and takes photos with excellent precision, day or night.The camera is very user friendly and the ease of use is a plus.The memory stick is sold separately and is a must purchase accessory if you plan to take many photos.I am happy with the clarity of the photos and the video functionality that you may want to have handy.The camera is an excellent buy!!!

Good Picture....but Poor stability
You got to have extremely steady hand, or camera stand to use this camaera.
Read more

Features

• Ideal for recording up to 2 hours of DVD quality home movies and video clips
• Archive and back up, up to 4.7GB of important data
• Read compatible with most DVD-ROM drives and DVD video players
• Compatible with 8X DVD-R drives from Pioneer, Apple, Sony, Panasonic and others
• Advanced Azo recording dye optimizes read/write performance

Reviews (7)

7/23rds coasters
7 out of 23 of these discs turned into coasters, at 8x speed with my Powerbook G4.(The other two discs had data corruption.)That's unacceptable, and I'll never buy Verbatim again.

These DVD's are really good...
These DVD's are really good... I have yet to have any problems...

Superior! Superior! Superior!

Read more

Features

• 7" high resolution display
• Clear frame with 3 other interchangeable color frames
• Holds up to 60 digital photos with internal memory
• Operates on AC or with rechargeable battery
• 720x480 resolution

Reviews (2)

Finally, a Not Disappointing Digital Picture Frame
The Philips Digital Picture Frame deserves its fine reviews. In fact, it's the first picture frame that lives up to the potential of the product category. I've found other picture frames to be disappointing. Not so with this frame. It works well on many levels; it's attractive, delivers a bright and detailed image, has a satisfying user interface with intelligent options, even the packaging is unusually clever. Nice job Philips.
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL DIGITAL PICTURE FRAME
You cannot go wrong with this item!! I am an investigative person and was looking for the perfect digital picture frame to give my fiance as a gift. I read many reviews and it wasn't until I read one that stated "Don't waste your money on this (name of frame omitted), just buy the Phillips." that I even considered the Phillips frames. Mainly this was because all the info I found on it did not mention that it had a card reader and most did not have any customer reviews. I did however find the same product but with out the additional colored frames, that had plenty of reviews to read. I included the link below if you would like to read those as well.
Read more

Features

• 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 3x optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
• Bright Capture Technology for low-light photo capture and better LCD viewing in low or bright light
• Digital stabilization eliminates blur from camera shake or moving subjects
• Stores images on xD-Picture card (includes 19.1 MB internal memory); powered by Li-Ion rechargeable battery (included)

Reviews (27)

Stylus 710 offers great quality photos and very lightweight.
I was very excited when I bought this camera about 4 months ago.I bought it to carry with me in my pants pocket.I drive around a lot and love to stop and take interesting photos around South Florida....whether they are mailboxes, churches, buildings, or any other items that catch my eye.To say the least, its very easy to use, I've used it a lot....great quality photos can be printed either directly from the camera or my computer.The video recorder also works easy.One negative comment about the screen....very nice to view photos, but when taking photos in the sunlight, its very hard to see the subject. Be sure to buy a memory chip because the hard drive will fill up very fast, especially if taking HQ photos.I bought a 512 meg after market chip which will hold about 500 HQ photos.Another plus is the rechargeable battery and charger that come with the camera...very convenient and economical. The CD software that comes with it is kinda slow and antiquated....however the redeye removal works pretty good.The real downside to the software is when you want to back up your photos, it puts a gun to your head and won't do it because it insists that you buy the next version.I can't believe that Olympus did that....shame. Overall a neat little camera to have...lightweight, easy to use.

Not so great pictures
I bought this camera because of the small size and the weather proof.Mywife was asking for a smaller camera and we decided on the 710.Pictures are great in the daytime and outdoors and even in small indoor with flash.
camera returned
Pictures were grainy.Zoom was pathetic.All the camera seemed to have going for it was the compact size and its all weather advantage.Returned camera b/c of the overall disappointment. ... Read more

Features

• 10.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• 3x Anti Shake optical zoom; large 2.8-inch wide-format LCD monitor
• Zoom Continuous Shutter mode allows the user to compare a wide-angle and a telephoto shot in same display and take both simultaneously
• High-sensitivity shooting mode, up to a maximum of ISO 3200
• Stores images on SD memory cards; powered by one lithium ion battery (included)

Reviews (27)

Designer loves this Camera
Smart & High Performance Camera....Super compact, classy design (Eva-10 hard case fits a bit tight hight-wise but protects the camera very nice) super light-weigth, excellent quality of images at day, with flash, with low light (grain controled by changing ISO and practicing), nice optical zoom, amaaaazing macro (see things you havent seen in your plants), antishake function helps shaky hands, super fast to start up, super simple and intuitive to understand, browse and set up, easy to access predetermined "best shots",ready to use with Macs and Ipods. Huuuuge screen to see your pix. Video is nice quality (optical zoom disabled in video). Long lasting battery. Fits 120 10MP pix (or 6 to 28 minutes of video) in a 512 MB SD card. Base plugs 3 cables (usb, electric, video), keep it in your desk, snap your camera in, click one button and you are ready to download/print/watch a slide show in your tv. Comes with basic printed manual and CD with manual in 7 lenguages (260+ pages each)... do you really want printed manuals? (quit wasting paper!), You noticed you can (dont HAVE to, but CAN) shoot 10 Megapixels? (in case you want to have a 9x12 in 300 dpi image)... sweet !!!Did you see that price tag? :-D

Very grainy in less than very bright light
I give the Casio Exilim Z1000 poor marks only after much thought about what a drag it is to give a negative review for such a sweet-looking camera. I researched the Z1000 before buying it. I read the few reviewers who complained about the graininess of the photos at lighting conditions that were less than very, very bright, but they were over-shadowed by many more glowing reviews.
Casio quality and customer service
I bought a Casio Exilim 3 years ago. Since that time, the viewer cracked and the cost of the repair was 90% of the camera's price. Then the software began to malfunction, intermittently, by that time out of warranty. I find Casio has great features on paper but after the sale service not at all satisfactory.So, what to do? I bought a very simple 5MP Kodak Easyshare. It is interesting in the end, after weeks of research, I would choose Kodak. My brother in law had one, it was very reliable, everyone in the house could use it, and it was reasonably priced. And judging from user reviews, Kodak will turn around a broken camera in 48 hours. I'll take that over a bunch of bells and whistles anyday. ... Read more

Features

• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 optimized dpi color, 600 x 600 dpi black
• Up to 12 ppm color print speed, 16 ppm black
• PictBridge support for direct-from-camera photo printing
• Wireless printing with IrDA and optional Bluetooth
• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (41)

TERRIBLE RELIABILITY
Even though I have used my printer (a Pixma 5000) very lightly, it jams regularly on Canon photo paper and then spills ink everywhere. Today it went into "service error 5700" and it doesn't work any more, even after rebooting it five times.
great portable printer
I absolutely love this printer.The size is great, portable to use with a laptop while on the go, quickand just an overall great printer.

Canon garbage printer
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Read more

Features

• Up to 19 ppm print speed; up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi resolution
• 8 MB built in memory; USB 2.0 connectivity standard
• Optional ethernet, wireless, and Bluetooth connectivity
• 250-sheet input tray plus 10-sheet priority input tray for specialty media
• PC and Mac compatible; 1-year warranty

Reviews (24)

Great Little Printer
I have been very impressed by this printer for the price.It zips through pages and looksa lot better than the Brother and Samsung purchased by our office.I am using it on Mac OS 10.4.7 & 10.3.9, but installations at the office in 2 Dell XP Pro PCs went without a hitch.The noise level strikes me as pretty quiet, especially compared to the old HP LJs that I used to support.
Works great, even XP x64 support
I have had great experience with this printer.I even bought a jet direct card for it, and and it works great.I recently installed XP 64-bit only to find there were no drivers for this printer supported.However, I used the HP4L driver and it works good enough for my purposes.

Works for me...
...and I do mean it works. I'm planning to buy this printer for my home PC because I've been using this model daily at work for about 10 weeks. I print a high volume at work - approximately 1/2 a ream of paper every day over a 9-10 hour period. I use an entire toner cartridge about every 10 working days. The HP Laserjet 1022 has been a champ, printing mainly on standard printer stock, but also various Avery 8.5x11 label sheets - with multiple runs thru the printer, the occasional envelope, and some two-sided pages as well. The prints are uniformly crisp and clean until the toner begins to run out; by removing and shaking the cartridge, then re-inserting it, i've been able to get an extra day's printing out of each cartridge, roughly another 100-200 sheets. And it prints so fast!
Read more

Features

• 7-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 3x optical zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
• High Sensitivity Mode (ISO 1000) allows for shooting even in low-light conditions
• User-friendly controls and simple on-screen Function Guide text
• Powered by a lithium-ion battery (battery and charger supplied); stores images on Memory Stick DUO or Pro media (includes 58 MB internal memory)

Reviews (12)

Sony Sucks - Lost the Love!
The camera takes good pictures as long as you have a steady hand. Some pictures come out dark and some shadows on pictures.Some pictures come out blurry - no stabalizer. This camera's randomly broke after about 1 year and I did not drop the camera (just like another reviewer).I bought a Sony PDA and the same thing happened to that lcd - randomly broke - has a crack across the LCD. Of course, Sony said it was my fault and that I must have done something to it and refused to honor the warranty on that PDA - after 1 month? Since the camera was out of warranty, I knew there was nothing they were going to do. So if you want a DECENT camera with lousy customer service to support it - go for it! But if you want a great camera and a great company to support their products, look elsewhere. I used to be a great financial supporter of Sony products - monitors, computers, camcorder, memory sticks, etc. I am not buying anymore Sony products - I have lost the love for Sony and their products! Beware!
Fragile screen, breaks easily and not covered by warranty
I had my Sony DSC W70 for just one month when the viewing screen suddenly cracked without being dropped or hit. The glass itself was intact, but something underneath was clearly broken. Mailed it in to the factory service company for Sony, and I was informed 3 weeks later that it is not covered by warranty and will cost $181 to repair. This is 2/3 the cost of a new camera and does not make sense financially.
Poor Customer Service and Not Worth It
Don't buy this camera really.I had it for a month and was taking good care of it.I was initially thrilled.The LCD screen got damaged -- no I didn't drop it.The treatment from customer service was so poor and disturbing that I was shocked. The customer service representative actually questioned my integrity and proceed to talk to me as if I were an idiot.A $181 repair bill for a $300 camera is not feasible.It was a great camera at first, but I demand better treatment and respect from the company.Look for a better camera, look on the web for comments on their customer service and don't buy this camera.I had read very negative things about Sony but didn't think they applied -- they really are true.I don't like being called a liar by anyone especially when I am the customer.The camera is a month old and it is now garbage.While I understand policies are policies in terms of a warranty, I will not accept such poor treatment and customer service.I teach photography and will tell my students the same thing -- if customer service and respect matter to you, then do not buy this camera. ... Read more

Features

• Records and plays back both high-definition (1080i resolution) and standard-definition video on MiniDV
• 2.1-megapixel ClearVid CMOS image sensor; 1.43K effective
• Variable-speed Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 10x optical zoom lens; digital zoom to 80x
• 2.7-inch widescreen touch-panel LCD
• Super SteadyShot image stabilization

Reviews (27)

Fantastic camcorder
I'll leave the techno-speak to those who care about how this camcorder operates. However, what I will say is that it's very easy to use, light, compact and has an amazing picture quality. Obviously it's expensive, particularly if, like me, most of the time it will be used to film the kids. However, it's a quality product and the latest model, so you have to expect to pay a premium. Only gripe - for this price they could have thrown in a firewire cable, but that's nit-picking.
How to Edit on a PC
This is a good cam for the price, great picture, OK not good or great sound.I went with the HVR-A1U for better sound control.
Superb quality at first glance...
Opened up my HDR HC3K box last night. The HC3K just means that it has a few extra goodies (extra battery, sony HDV tape, cleaning tape). Initial impression even before turning on the camcorder was it felt solid in the hand and not too big. It felt a little more compact than the DVD based DVD405. Played with the controls for a few mins and then started shooting video in reasonable indoor lighting. Below are the pros and cons:
Read more

Features

• 6.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• 2.5-inch LCD display; 0.7-inch slim design and durable metal body
• 3x optical zoom; Digital Image Stabilization Mode
• 16 pre-set shooting modes, including QuickTime Movie
• Stores images on xD Picture Cards; powered by Lithium-Ion battery (battery and charger included)

Reviews (3)

Awesome compactness, feature set and price, but flimsy
This camera is exceptionally compact.Place a credit card on top of it, and only a tiny area of the camera is visible around the edges.Incredible!
Wonderful camera - but it fritzed out within 3 days
I researched several cameras in this price range before buying the Olympus, and was extremely happy with it - until it ceased to function properly (a heavy gold tint to every picture, with horizontal bars across the image) after three days, just as I was beginning to shoot a 50th birthday party for my best friend.I don't feel comfortable buying another, asobviously I have a better chance of getting another lemon.I'll be getting a bulkier but hopefully more durable Canon.

Excellent so far
So when I bought this I noticed that there was no reviews on Amazon for it. I was looking for a small camera that was around 5 MP, had at least 3x optical zoom, and had rechargeable batteries. I was actually going to buy one of those Casio Exilims. But I noticed this camera in a Best Buy advertisement and it was about $50 cheaper than the cheapest Exilim. But like I said, there were no reviews so I was a little anxious about buying this. However, because I had my mind set on buying an Exilim, and this had all the same features it seemed but was so much cheaper, I decided that this was a steal and went with it.
Read more

Features

• High transfer rate for fast copy/download
• Non-volatile solid-state; no moving parts maximizes battery power; Data is not lost when power is turned off
• Operating shock rating of 2,000Gs, equivalent to a 10-foot drop to the floor
• Compatible with all digital cameras, handheld PCs, digital audio players, and other devices that feature a CompactFlash slot
• High storage capacity

Reviews (6)

Sandisk 2GB
I just cam from Las Vegas and the sandisk has a disk error that doesn't allow for more photos after only using 40mb. I have tried to format the disk using the camera and through Windows XP. It doesn't allow it to be formatted. Bad investment!!! Would not recommend the product unless there is a way I can get a refund or an exchange.

Good for Canon a95
Fantastic, take all the videos and pictures you want with the best quality.

Is It Worth Buying
I have been using 3 - 128mb, 1 -256mb, and 1 -8mb card with my 2.1 megapixel camera.That got me about 648 photos which has been great for vacations, etc.With the purchase of a new 7 megapixel camera, I found that my photo storage dropped to about 202 photos which was definitely not enough.With the 2gb card, I can take a minimum of 650 photos without changing cards.With my existing cards, that totals at about 850 photos.That number goes up if I use my macro or supermacro settings (they drop the image size to the medium setting).I have had no problems with any of my compact flash cards (all of them being sandisk), all have worked consistently and without issue. ... Read more

Features

• Record high-definition video on a HDD with AVCHD technology
• ClearVid CMOS sensor for high-quality HD or SD images
• 3.5-inch widescreen hybrid touch-panel Clear Photo LCD
• Professional 30mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens
• HDMI, USB 2.0, component, and composite connectivity

Reviews (3)

Excellent Camcorder,Can be used with a Mac
This camcorder uses a new file format (AVCHD) which is based on current popular standards. AVCHD is simply a streaming version of H.264 video with Dolby 5.1 surround sound audio. When producing an HDD camcorder, Sony had to decide between using the current standard and making a new one.Since the current standard is MPEG-2 video and stereo audio (eg: HDV) at a constant bitrate of 25mbps, the AVCHD format provides a number of features: 1) Better audio, with 5.1 channels recorded by the camcorder.2) Better video as AVC is H.264-- a modern codec that privides much higher quality data for a given bitrate than the ancient MPEG-2 video that HDV is based on. 3) Much more flexibility-- to be HDV compatible would have meant recording constantly at 25mbps, and this is too fast for the CDR version (the HDR-UX1) and is unnecessary.15Mbps H.264 should provide better quality video than MPEG-2 at 25Mbps!
Not Mac compatible, poor software, good hardware
I purchased this camcorder last week and have confirmed with Sony that it is absolutely not Mac compatible. Sony's software is Windows-only and their proprietary AVCHD format is not supported by anyone other than Sony (so far) it seems. There is not any software I could find for the Mac that works with the camcorder. Perhaps this will change with time.
A excellent little camcorder
I received the camcorder a couple of days ago to replace my older Sony miniDV camcorder that is nine years old (still works well).I bought the new one after buying a Samsung 46" LCD flat screen and seening what I have been missing in HD television and it made the my existing camcorder look mediocre.I needed an HD camcorder to go with the HD display.
Read more

Features

• 1/6-inch CCD imager with 290K effective pixels
• Digital8 format records digital audio and video comparable to MiniDV on affordable Hi8 tapes
• 20x optical zoom with SteadyShot picture-stabilization system
• 2.5-inch SwivelScreen LCD
• NightShot Plus Infrared System captures natural-looking video in low light

Reviews (21)

Excellent alternative to mineDV camcorder
I wanted to purchase a digital camcorder to record family events, parties, kid's performaces at school, etc. Until now, I was using 9 year old 8mm Sony TR86 camcorder that at the time of purchase was very basic...no LCD, no stabilization, etc. But at that price (it cost over [...] then) that all what I could afford. And I can tell you for 9 years, this camcorder was servicing me very well but now my son needs that camcorder to record his school's projects.
My second D8 camera
This review is really about the Sony D8 cameras. I've just ordered this camera after my original one was stolen. I bought my original D8 back in 2000 and took it all over the world. It was thrown into backpacks, taken to the beach and had the dust of three continents in the viewfinder. Throughout it all it performed flawlessly. In six years I never took it in for servicing, though I kept meaning to get it cleaned I never did. I took hundreds and hundreds of hours of video and never had a glitch. My wife is a choreographer and I've filmed many dance performances and this camera often took better quality images than the professionals hired for the job.
Can't beat it for the money
This is the second camcorder I've purchased. Learning to use it and getting decent footage was a breeze compared to my old VHS-C camcorder. The battery life is decent and the picture quality is very good.
Read more

Features

• 1/5.5-inch CCD imager; 1-megapixel still-image resolution allows for photo-quality prints to 6 x 8 inches
• MiniDV recording format offers up to 520 lines of horizontal resolution
• 12x optical zoom with Super SteadyShot picture-stabilization system
• 2.7-inch high-resolution touch-panel SwivelScreen LCD display rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles
• Super NightShot Plus Infrared System captures natural-looking video in low light

Reviews (11)

Why Complain?
Because there is no reason to complain about this 'nearly' perfect camera.OK, so far I've had a bad experience with this camera (tried to hook it up to computer with USB... got lackluster quality. Tried Firewire... Oops! Guess what? Didn't work! Time to send it back, and I am still waiting for it to return so I can actually transfer and edit something on my computer!), but, with that aside, I am just going to focus on the core features of this camera, not how the outcome of the quality is (which I am positive is very good... with Firewire!).
Look elsewhere if you need to shoot indoor video
I bought this camera after looking through reviews on a plethora of sites; one of my primary requirements was to shoot indoor video. One good thing about this camera is that it is surprisingly small and light, which would no doubt make it easy to carry on trips. The other good thing is that it shoots fairly good outdoor video. But these are pretty much its only two strengths, and they are far outweighed by the lousy quality of the video I got when I tried the camera indoors. In the default mode, the picture is dark, extremely noisy, the colors are wildly inaccurate, and it looks as if the video is being shot through a yellow snow storm. Things improve slightly if the white balance is set to indoor mode, but the color fidelity and the graininess is still unacceptable. Another issue that I noticed was that the camera takes a noticeable amount of time to focus in on objects when you move it around, but this was a relatively minor inconvenience when compared to the abysmal low light performance.
Amazon's measurements might be a little misleading
I've just receive my camcorder and am very excited to learn about what it can do.But, just for those who may have been new to this field like me ... the real dimensions are:2-5/8"W x 3-1/8"H x 4-1/2"D weight: 0.94 lb. with battery.This isn't make or break deal information because it depends on what you are looking for, but sure would have prevented my surprise in getting such a small package deal.Still, we need to say ... it sure looks cute!Good luck with your purchase decisions.
Read more

Features

• Built-in 60GB hard drive for easy file storage and one-touch DVD burning
• 1/5.5-inch, 1-megapixel CCD delivers crisp images
• 12x optical zoom; 800x digital zoom
• 2.7-inch widescreen LCD monitor
• Handycam station included

Reviews (4)

No optical viewfinder; stay away
No optical viewfinder.I had trouble using the LCD to compose in outdoor shots.Washed out so badly in bright sunlight I was guessing what I was filming.Critical oversight in a camera this expensive.Then again, none of the HD camcorders from Sony or JVC seem to have an optical viewfinder.Wonder why?

Every thing is good except low light performance
I agree with the previous reviewer. The low light performance of this camera is pretty bad. Deeps reds are more like deep pinks...but other colors are quite natural, though a bit flat.
Nice idea, Poor Low Light Performance
Despite what the other reviewer say the low light performance of this camera is very poor.All the colors are washed out, and inaccurate!Red show up as some kind of orange, when shooting indoor.
Read more

Features

• 1/5.5-inch CCD imager; 1-megapixel still-image resolution allows for photo-quality prints to 6 x 8 inches
• MiniDV recording format offers up to 520 lines of horizontal resolution
• 12x optical zoom with Super SteadyShot picture-stabilization system
• 2.7-inch high-resolution touch-panel SwivelScreen LCD display rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles
• Super NightShot Plus Infrared System captures natural-looking video in low light

Reviews (11)

Why Complain?
Because there is no reason to complain about this 'nearly' perfect camera.OK, so far I've had a bad experience with this camera (tried to hook it up to computer with USB... got lackluster quality. Tried Firewire... Oops! Guess what? Didn't work! Time to send it back, and I am still waiting for it to return so I can actually transfer and edit something on my computer!), but, with that aside, I am just going to focus on the core features of this camera, not how the outcome of the quality is (which I am positive is very good... with Firewire!).
Look elsewhere if you need to shoot indoor video
I bought this camera after looking through reviews on a plethora of sites; one of my primary requirements was to shoot indoor video. One good thing about this camera is that it is surprisingly small and light, which would no doubt make it easy to carry on trips. The other good thing is that it shoots fairly good outdoor video. But these are pretty much its only two strengths, and they are far outweighed by the lousy quality of the video I got when I tried the camera indoors. In the default mode, the picture is dark, extremely noisy, the colors are wildly inaccurate, and it looks as if the video is being shot through a yellow snow storm. Things improve slightly if the white balance is set to indoor mode, but the color fidelity and the graininess is still unacceptable. Another issue that I noticed was that the camera takes a noticeable amount of time to focus in on objects when you move it around, but this was a relatively minor inconvenience when compared to the abysmal low light performance.
Amazon's measurements might be a little misleading
I've just receive my camcorder and am very excited to learn about what it can do.But, just for those who may have been new to this field like me ... the real dimensions are:2-5/8"W x 3-1/8"H x 4-1/2"D weight: 0.94 lb. with battery.This isn't make or break deal information because it depends on what you are looking for, but sure would have prevented my surprise in getting such a small package deal.Still, we need to say ... it sure looks cute!Good luck with your purchase decisions.
Read more