I Review Electronics

A growing trend in compact camcorders is to have vertically oriented bodies. The benefit is that the user has all the function buttons in front of them, rather than on the top of the camcorder. Having the buttons next to the screen makes it much simpler to use. Another innovation is to have a built in USB for easy file transfers.

A camcorder that incorporates these features is the Polaroid DVF-130 USB Camcorder. It is well suited for home movie making and other casual shooting.

The Polaroid DVF-130TC USB Camcorder with 2.0-inch LCD Display takes video at a resolution of 480×640 VGA with up to 8x digital zoom. You can record it all to the built in 16MB USB, or you can prolong recording times with an optional SD memory card. As for photos, you can snap them in a standalone photo mode. This handy Polaroid has 1.3 MP still photo resolution.

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This one’s pretty neat. It’s a wearable camcorders that you can mount to goggles, bikes or whatever else you want for a point of view look at your activities. This camcorder will record in 1080p (1920×1080 pixels – 30fps). The battery life is pretty good too, as it can record for up to 4 hours. Not only that but it’s only 4 ounces.

Creative’s Vado HD pocket video cam easily captures video. Record all your fun moments at an HD video resolution of up to 1280×720p. It also features a wide-angle glass lens for larger views and 8GB of built in memory for up to two hours of HD plus quality video.

At a compact size of 3.9″ x 2.2″ x 0.6″ (100 mm x 55 mm x 16 mm) it is a device you can always carry with you. The large 2″ screen makes it easy to set up the perfect shot and later review clips onscreen. It has a 2x digital zoom  that helps it produce sharper and clearer images.

The Vado HD has a flip-out USB connector so you can plug it directly into your computer. The unit recharges through the USB. The Creative Vado HD is the only pocket video camera to feature high quality HDMI connectivity and an included HDMI cable that provides 1080i output to an HDTV.

Pure Digital Camcorder Introduction
This revolutionary new video camcorder is the easiest way to capture and share your memories. This everyday camcorder runs on AA batteries and comes with enough internal memory to capture 30 minutes of video (512MB built in), eliminating the hassle of more expensive, cumbersome alternatives.

Pure Digital Camcorder Design
A compact, affordable, easy-to-use solution for creating and sharing high quality home movies. Pure Digital’s new camcorder allows anyone to easily record and share their memories with just the push of a button. It is the ideal easy-to-carry choice for capturing memories of family vacations, beach trips, weddings and much more. (4.1 x 1.3 x 2.3; 0.3 pounds).

Pure Digital Camcorder Features
Pure Digital Point and Shoot Camcorder features 2x digital zoom; 1.4 inch color playback screen Instant playback, review and delete features On-board software for simple viewing, sharing and archiving videos Video upload, sharing and free hosting options with Google Video and Grouper Networks Simple email functions and video greeting cards powered by Grouper Networks Home movies can be viewed instantly on TV or PC For DVD processin.

Pure Digital Camcorder Performance
The camcorder has a one-touch recording which you can easily playback or delete, has a zoom in and out feature and holds up to as long as 30 minutes. PSV-351 directly connects to any TV or PC where you can save and watch the videos to share to friends and families. It has a built-in software that allows you to send videos via e-mail. The DVD component of the camcorder also allows you to create personalized greetings in video form, which you can also email.

Whats included in the package
Pure Digital PSV-351 with built-in USB arm, manual, AA batteries, carrying case, and TV cable.

Conclusion
Its compact size, ease of use, and unique sharing features ensure you’ll never miss another special moment.

JVC Everio GZMG21 Introduction
Imagine putting a hard drive in a camcorder case that can record hours upon hours of video, no more need to switch out a tape or a DVD. Imagine that camcorder is small–really small, about the size of a large fist. It’s light, too, weighing less than 14 ounces with its battery. Well, the product is the JVC Everio GZMG21 20GB HDD Digital Media Camcorder.

JVC Everio GZMG21 Design
The Everio looks like any other camcorder, but smaller and easier to use. It has a strap handle on the right side, a flip-out LCD on the left side, the battery pack in the back. The bottom side of the camera holds a tripod mount and a Secure Digital card slot. Since the camcorder uses a hard drive rather than tapes or DVDs, the entire case is solid, with no pop-out door for video media as in most camcorders. 5.8 x 7.7 x 7.3 inches.

JVC Everio GZMG21 Features
With a high-capacity 1.8-inch hard disk drive built into a compact body that weighs-in at less than 1 pound, Everio G camcorders are the perfect companion to record your moving and still memories. Its onboard 20GB hard drive can record as much as 25 hours of video at the lowest quality or 4.5 hours of video at the highest setting. Its 680,000-pixel CCD works with an image-stabilized 32X optical zoom lens. The GZ-MG21 can shoot both standard 4:3 and wide-screen 16:9 video. The 2.5-inch LCD is nice and bright.

JVC Everio GZMG21 Performance
Once you record video to the camcorder’s hard drive, you can transfer it to a computer via a USB 2.0 connection. The video uses standard MPEG-2 encoding format, although you’ll have to rename the .mod file extensions to .mpg so that many players will recognize them.

Whats included in the package
GZ-MG21 Everio camcorder, AC power adapter, BN-VF707 rechargeable battery pack, AV cable, USB cable, remote control, shoulder strap, lens cap, and user’s manual.

Conclusion
Just keep on shooting, because the built-in large capacity hard drive easily stores hours and hours of your video inside a lightweight compact camcorder. Plus shoot thousands of digital still images. So whether you’re at home or on the go, you’ll always be ready to record or playback your memories.

Sony DCR-SR100 Camcorder Introduction

The compact Sony DCR-SR100 30 GB Handycam Camcorder represents a breakthrough in digital home recording. With a 30 gigabyte hard disk drive that stores hours of video and hundreds of high-quality stills, a 10x optical/120x digital zoom, a built-in microphone that allows you to record in Dolby Digital 5.1ch surround sound, and many other features you’d only expect to find in the hands of professionals, Sony’s DCR-SR100 will turn your home videos into instant classics ready for the big screen.

Sony DCR-SR100 Camcorder Design

The Sony Handycam DCR-SR100 is designed around the its long, wide 10X zoom lens and the 2.7-inch-wide touch-screen LCD; it’s horizontal, barrel-oriented camcorder, that’s odd looking but not unattractive. It is quite solid and comfortable to hold–not too heavy at 1.3 pounds–but it’s big enough to require a carrying case. (3.17 x 2.7 x 5.87 inches / 80.5 x 68.5 x 149 millimeters).

Sony DCR-SR100 Camcorder Features

It records directly to a hard drive! Its 30GB drive can store as much as 440 minutes of high-quality video, 1,250 minutes of low-quality video, or 10,000 3-megapixel still images. You can play the video directly on a TV via the bundled composite cable or copy the files to your PC; the camcorder mounts as a hard drive via a USB 2.0 connection.

Sony DCR-SR100 Camcorder Performance

At the heart to the DCR-SR100 is a 3.0-megapixel, 1/3-inch advanced Hole Accumulation Diode (HAD) CCD with a total of 2048 megapixels. Add to this the camcorder’s professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lenses with advanced optical multi-layer coating, and the result will be some of the finest video performance you’ll find in any camcorder device. The multi-coated lenses mean that your videos won’t suffer from unwanted glare and flare that lesser quality optics give you.

What’s included in the package

DCR-SR100 camcorder, power adapter/in-camera charger, InfoLithium rechargeable battery, remote commander remote control, AV cable (stereo), software, USB cable.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to like about the Sony’s DCR-SR100′, from its fast power-up, its responsive zoom operation, and generally zippy autofocus. The camcorder begins recording within a second of pressing record and imposes only minor shutter lag when shooting still photos. The autofocus and autoexposure adjust quickly to changes in subject, illumination, or zoom. It is one of the highest rated products from Sony.

Overall Rating
Design
Features
Performance

Sony DCR SR100 Introduction

Now that Sony has perfected the art of DVD camcorders, Sony is now entering the hard-drive camcorder market with its Sony DCR SR100 digital video camera, its very first try at HD camcorders. The DCR-SR100 is the first competitor to JVC’s Everio models, the unrivaled leader in HD digital video cameras.

Sony DCR SR100 Design

Width 3.2 in
Depth 5.9 in
Height 2.7 in
Weight 1.3 lbs

Sony DCR SR100 Features

Camcorder Sensor Resolution: 3.3 Mpix
Camcorder Effective Video Resolution: 2 Mpix
Camcorder Effective Still Resolution: 3.0 Mpix
Optical Sensor Type: Advanced HAD CCD
Optical Sensor Size: 1/3″
Shooting Programs: Spotlight, sunset & moon, landscape, portrait mode, beach & ski, super night mode, sports lesson
Special Effects: Sepia, Mosaic, Pastel, Monotone, Old Movie, Luminance Key
Digital Scene Transition: Wipe fader, overlap fader, white fader, black fader
Image Stabilizer: Electronic (Super Steady Shot)
Digital Storage Media: Hard disk drive – 30 GB
Lens Type: Zoom lens – 5.1 mm – 51 mm – f/1.8-2.9

Sony DCR SR100 Performance

The most notable feature of the SR100 is the 30GB hard drive of course. But this device also features a large (1/3 in.) image sensor, a 2.7″ LCD display (widescreen, touch-panel) and does come with a built-in flash/accessory shoe. Lets not forget that digital video cameras can take pictures too, and this DCRSR100 can snap 3 megapixel stills. The lens is a professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens. The audio is Dolby 5.1, which is the same as high-end DVD digital video cameras. 10x optical and 120x digital zoom.

Whats included in the package

Sony Handycam DCR-SR100
A/V cable
USB cable
Power adapter
1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery

Conclusion

Considering this camera sells for just over a thousand, the 10x optical is weak, other cameras in this price range have 12x optical zoom. A good feature is the SR100’s integrated data buffering and shock-absorption technology to prevent video loss if the camera gets jolted. The SR100 also makes editing video easy, not leaving you with cumbersome tapes or unchangeable discs as a final product. The hard drive can hold between 400 and 1200 minutes of video, depending on the quality so there’s no need to keep buying MiniDV tapes.

Overall Rating
Design
Features
Performance

Panasonic PV-GS400 Introduction

The PV-GS400 is a great camcorder which produces truly stunning video both in normal and low light. In addition to its excellent image, the PV-GS400 offers a great four-way hybrid ring for controlling focus, zoom, shutter and iris. When you throw in additional manual control, audio control, a great zoom controller and 4 Mega Pixel stills, the PV-GS400 offers better value than any other consumer camcorder on the market today.

Panasonic PV-GS400 Design

The Panasonic PV-GS400 has the classic Handycam-style layout and a high-quality metallic-silver finish. It measures 3 inches high, 3 inches wide, and 7 inches deep and weighs 1.5 pounds. The Panasonic PV-GS400 offers the usual assortment of ports: composite A/V and S-Video, USB, and FireWire. The external-mic jack is essential for recording high-quality audio, and it doubles as a jack for the included MagicWire wired remote, a clever handheld mic that includes buttons to stop and start recording and control the zoom. The A/V port also doubles as a headphone jack.

Panasonic PV-GS400 Features

12x optical zoom with optical stabalizer.
700x digital zoom
Allows manual controls over these features: Focus, exposure, shutter speed, aperture, white balance, mic sensitivity
Leica Dicomar lens
Tape Format: MiniDV
Still Photo Resolution: 2288 x 1728 pixels
LCD Features: The Panasonic PV-GS400 is equipped with a 3.5 inch LCD, larger than previous Panasonic GS models. The LCD screen can be rotated 180 degrees.
The GS-400’s viewfinder can also be extended and angled about 45 degrees. A dioptric adjustment slider is located on the underside of the viewfinder.

Panasonic PV-GS400 Performance

The heart of the Panasonic PV-GS400 is its three-chip imaging system. Each chip is 1/4.7 inch in size, relatively large for a consumer camera, and has a whopping megapixel of resolution, which accounts for the camera’s excellent wide-screen performance and decent still-picture capabilities.

What’s included in the package

* Panasonic PV-GS400 MiniDV camcorder
* CGA-DU14 li-ion battery
* AC Adapter / Battery charger
* Wired and wireless remote controls
* Lens cap w/retaining strap
* Shoulder strap
* A/V cable
* USB cable
* CD-ROMs with MotionDV Studio, SD Viewer, USB and Video Stream drivers, and ArcSoft PhotoSuite
* 101 page manual

Conclusion

This camera is great, the only negative feature found is it’s relatively short battery life. The small battery may only last about an hour of actual usage. The MSRP of this Panasonic PV GS400 is $1,499 however the street price is at about a thousand dollars at this moment.