Nice, compact camcorder

Author's Rating:

Pros: Nice images, easy to use as a point-and-shoot camcorder, steady shot works well.

Cons: Construction seems a little flimsy. Complex nested menus are difficult to navigate.

The Bottom Line: 
Recommended. You can't go wrong with this camcorder.

Author's Review
I bought this camcorder to replace a similarly small Panasonic DV camcorder that broke ("Dew Detected" error that prevented it from working; lots of other users of some Panasonic DV camcorders have had the same problem). It is a very nice little camera and has performed admirably. In the point and shoot mode it is very easy to use and produces nice movies. I was concerned that a little camera like this might be prone to lots of jiggling, but the Steady Shot seems to work well to prevent this. Unlike some users, I actually like the touch screen control over the menus, though it would be nice to have external buttons for the most common actions (e.g., fade control). I bought an extended battery (NP70) from Lenmar, which is still very light and has an impressively long life. The tiny size of the camcorder is really wonderful; it makes the "compact" Hi8 cameras of a few years ago seem very clunky. The sliding lens cover is a nice feature that I've hankered for in other camcorders I've owned.

The first time I used the camcorder the images were completely washed out and I have yet to figure out how that happened; it has not happened since, after shooting several tapes. Which brings up one downside of the camera: the menus are a bit complex and buried and they are not quickly accessed unless one has them memorized. My other main criticism is that the construction does not seem very robust: it seems a bit cheaply built with lots of delicate plastic parts. The covers for the power cord jack and video outputs are very flimsy and look like they'd break easily. The temptation to carry this wonderfully compact camcorder in a pocket of one's trousers is offset by the concern that it might be easily damaged by doing so. It has been noted in a number of reviews that the mic pics up camera noise; that is a problem at low sound levels, but it could be easily fixed by using an external mic.

Overall, I can highly recommend this camcorder. The technology has improved enormously over the past 5 years or so and it is a joy to carry around a camcorder that is about the size of a point and shoot 35 mm film camera. And to think I wrestled with a humongous VHS camcorder 15 years ago! Just be sure to treat this one gently.