Sharp Viewcam VL-NZ100 Mini DV

Author's Rating:

Pros: Better than expected results in low light, quiet, 3" screen, easy to use, good value.

Cons: No viewfinder, accessory shoe, or analog inputs; minimal features due to low price.

The Bottom Line: 
Not full-featured but very inexpensive. It is simple to operate and very quiet. Excellent picture. Possibly the cheapest way to create a good quality DV on the market.

Author's Review
I bought this unit after fussing with several more expensive units that did not seem to offer good value for the money. I fully expected not to like stepping down to this model after using mid-priced Panasonic and Sony models for several weeks. But, possibly because of my lowered expectations, I was quite favorably impressed. And, I have remained impressed with this Viewcam's basic functionality after several weeks of use. The bottom line is that you can simply study this model's spec sheet and, if it has the features you want, you will be happy with this camera. It has none of the vices that many models have but that do not show up on spec sheets, such as noise or handling issues.

What won me over immediately was the ability of this camera to render an indoor scene illuminated by a single table lamp. I had become accustomed to the grainy, dull appearance of such shots from other, more expensive cameras. The first time I reviewed a tape from such a scene I was so surprised that I went back and carefully controlled several comparison shots. I don't know how to measure the difference but the quality of low light scenes was dramatically better than, say the Panasonic DV102, which costs $100 more. I am not comparing it with a low speed shutter feature, which will definitely expose a very low light scene but with such jerkiness that it would only be used in an emergency.

If you have used 2 1/2" LCD panels of other cameras, this camera will additionally please you with its 3" panel, which is your bonus for giving up a viewfinder. The extra 1/2" is very noticeable and it was all I needed to accept the lack of a viewfinder. Since you can tell what this camera does by its specs, I will list some of the shortcomings here:

In addition to having no viewfinder, this camera has no accessory shoe, no analog inputs, and only a minimal (10:1) optical zoom. I found I missed the range more at the wide angle end than at the telephoto end, so check this against your needs if considering this model. The configuration takes a little getting used to, and I found myself fingerprinting the lens all the time as I handled the unit (I have never used a "Viewcam" before). There is no simple way to arrange a hand strap that lets you "palm" the camera while you're not shooting. If you use reading glasses, you must wear them while shooting (because of the lack of a viewfinder with a diopter adjustment). The battery life is not great, probably because of the large LCD that must be on all the time you're shooting. I have read other "Viewcam" reviews that say the LCD can be easily scratched. I concur with that, however I do not agree with the complaints about not being able to use a tripod. Both my tripods have their screws close enough to the edge of the platform that the camera fits on securely. (The 1/4" threaded hole is under the lens section, naturally, and the battery underhangs the swiveling LCD section. This allows you to raise up the tripod above your head and still swivel the LCD down to view the image.)

OK, that covers it. If you haven't been turned off by the lack of features, you will be pleased with the value received for this model. My summary ratings are relative to the price of the camera; I am not trying to compare this unit with models costing many hundred dollars more. A comparably-performing Sony unit, for example, might be the similarly-priced TVR140, which uses Hi-8 tape. If you can afford more, there are plenty of pricier, full-featured models. But, if you only expect to use a camcorder occasionally (the average use is 10 hours per year, according to Consumer Reports), this model would be a sensible purchase. One additional note: this model has a memory card for stills that appear about average for a camcorder platform.