DXG A80V Camcorder Review

DXG A80V Camcorder Review

DXG’s A80V is a low cost high definition camcorder capable of recording 1920 x 1080p video to SDHC memory cards. The $299 model features: a 10-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, 5x optical zoom lens, and a 3-inch touch-screen LCD.

DXG A80V at a Glance:

The Good: Inexpensive, decent HD video quality, lightweight, touch-screen.

The Bad: Bulkly, limited optics

1080P Video Recording on a Budget

The DXG A80V is one of the least expensive traditionally-styled camcorders to offer 1920 x 1080p HD video resolution. And unlike the even cheaper pocket camcorders that boast 1080p recording, the A80V has more features (although far less than comparably priced standard definition camcorders – more on that later).

The A80V’s video quality at 1080p is definitely on par with some more expensive HD camcorders (like the $499 Sanyo FH1) but you shouldn’t expect it to perform as well as the higher bit-rate AVCHD models from Sony, Panasonic and others. That said, colors reproduced accurately and crisply. The camera was a solid performer indoors as well, with less digital noise marring the video in lower light than you’d find in either FH1 and lower-cost pocket models like Pure Digital’s Flip UltraHD. Another nice bonus: it offers a built-in video light.

The A80V has several other recording modes beyond 1080p/30 frames per second (fps). You’ll also find a 1080i/60fps for shooting fast-moving subjects. (See a comparison between 1080p/30fps and 1080i/60fps – it’s modest, but nonetheless the motion is crisper at the faster frame rate). You can also bump the resolution down to 720p at either 30fps or 60fps.

There’s also a dual-record option, which records two versions of the same video: one in high definition (1080P) and the other in WVGA.

The thinking here, I guess, is that you can create a lower-resolution video file for easier uploading to the Web. Personally I found it extraneous – why clog up your memory card with an extra file when YouTube and other sites support HD uploads?

High Resolution Stills

The A80V can snap 10-megapixel still photos with a flash to aid in low-light photography. The camera itself isn’t super-responsive. You’ll have to wait a second or often two from when you press the shutter, but the photos it produced were serviceable.

Limited Zoom

The A80V offers a 5x optical zoom lens. That’s not a lot of optical punch in a $300 camcorder and a far cry from the 70x lens you can find on, say, a standard definition Panasonic. On top of that, it uses electronic image stabilization, which isn’t as effective as optical stabilization in curbing camera shake.

The camcorder does offer a manual focusing option (which you operate using the zoom lever). Another useful feature is the ability to set a focus point using the touch-screen LCD. While the overall performance of the touch-screen display was good (see below) I found it somewhat sluggish when it came to this touch-focus feature. It would take the camcorder a few seconds to relocate the focus box and lock-on to its target.

Modest Feature Set

To pack a 1080p camcorder into a $299 price you have to expect some trade-offs. Other than the lens, the other trade off you’ll make is with the feature-set. You’ll get more options than you would with a pocket camcorder, but you won’t enjoy the same breadth of features on similarly priced standard definition camcorders (for instance, no scene modes or shutter and aperture controls).

That said, it’s not totally bare-bones: you can adjust white balance and exposure, as well as choose to film in sepia or black and white.

Responsive Touch Screen

DXG packed the A80V with a 3-inch touch-screen LCD. That’s a larger screen than you’ll find on more expensive models (with or without touch-screen operation) and aside from the sluggish spot focusing, the overall touch-screen performance is very responsive. All the features you’ll need to access are represented as nice large icons on the screen.

When it comes to external, physical controls, you’ll find a small mode dial at the back of the camcorder for switching between video and photo mode. There’s also a small toggle joystick at the back for adjusting white balance and exposure. A small shutter button and zoom lever sit atop the camcorder while behind the LCD screen sit nicely-sized controls for the flash, video light, power and display buttons. All in all, the controls are well positioned, making the A80V quite easy to operate.

Since it’s a flash camcorder, the A80V is light weight at 10 ounces (without battery). It springs to life fairly quickly and can be powered up and down by opening the LCD or via a button behind the display. It is a tad bulkier than other flash camcorder at a little over 5-inches long, but it’s not very obtrusive.

The Bottom Line: The DXG A80V is a Good Budget Buy

At $299, the DXG A80V has very few competitors that can offer the same video resolution of 1920 x 1080p. You can spend about $70 less for a 1080p pocket camcorder, but you’ll lose out on a lot of the features the A80V has to offer. You could spend the same amount for a fuller-featured camcorder with a better zoom, but it would only offer standard definition resolution. So there’s your trade-off.

GE DV1 Camcorder Review

GE DV1 Camcorder Review

GE DV1 at a Glance

The Good: Low cost, durable, easy to use.

The Bad: So-so video quality.

Video Quality

The GE DV1 records 1080p HD video in the H.264 format via a 5-megapixel CMOS image sensor. Indoors, footage off the DV1 can get noisy but nothing out of the ordinary for a low cost pocket camcorder. There is some noticeable over-exposure, particularly in sunlight, but the colors reproduced crisply. All in all, the video is serviceable, but you shouldn’t expect it to compare with the more expensive Full HD camcorders on the market.

The DV1 offers several quality settings, from 1080p/30 frames per second (fps) to a useful 720p option at 60fps for filming faster action. You can also drop recording quality to 1440 x 1080 and 640 x 480, but there’s no practical reason to do so.

The DV1 also snaps 5-megapixel still photos. If you’re dealing with plenty of ambient light and a still subject, the photos are decent. Otherwise, it’s best to stick to video, as the images will blur. Fairly uniquely among pocket camcorders, the DV1 can also snap 2-megapixel photos while recording. These images are hit-and-miss and you can only take up to six, but the feature itself is nice to have.

Optics

The DV1 packs a 4x digital zoom lens with digital image stabilization. As with all digital zooms on pocket models, this one just ramps up the digital noise so it doesn’t add much.

Design

The big selling point with the DV1 is obviously the rugged and waterproof body design. As mentioned above, the DV1 can be submerged in up to 15 feet of water (that’s deeper than Kodak’s Playsport Zx3) but more than that, it can be dropped from a height of 5 feet and it’s sealed against dust.

This makes it one of the more rugged camcorders on the market. If you’re big into outdoor activities, it’s a good choice.

Obviously, a rugged camcorder will impose some trade-offs on the design. To wit: the DV1 is a bit bulkier and heavier than other pocket cams on the market – but not obtrusively so. It can still be slipped into a pocket or purse quite easily. The memory card port, flip-out USB plug and other connectors are housed securely behind latched doors to keep the elements out. But they open easily. While many pocket camcorders have jumped on the touch-screen bandwagon, the DV1 has nice, large tactile buttons for recording, playback, snapping stills, entering the menu and deleting photos. They can all be pressed easily while wearing gloves. The only exception is the power button, which sits rather flush with the side of the camcorder and might present a problem for a gloved hand.

Feature Set

The GE DV1 offers a pretty bare bones feature set, which isn’t surprising given its low cost. You’ll find settings for adjusting white balance (including an underwater mode), a high dynamic range mode for stills and video recording, exposure metering (stills and video), and a continuous shooting mode for photographs at 7fps.

Menu & Display

You’ll access what features the DV1 has through a bright 2-inch display (you can also adjust the brightness manually in the settings). The menu layout is straightforward and easy to navigate, though when you enter it, you’ll start with the still photo features, not the video, which is a bit odd.

While filming, the DV1 uses just the top portion of the display. The bottom is filled with a menu displaying your current settings – such as whether you’re in HDR mode and your resolution. It can also display a histogram while recording, which is pretty rare to see at this price.

Memory

The DV1 records to SDHC cards and comes with no built-in memory. So you’ll need to factor in the cost of a card to the DV1’s bottom line (unless you already have one).

Bottom Line

When it comes to camcorders that can be tossed into the water or survive a fall onto the concrete without shattering, your choices are pretty limited so the DV1 doesn’t have many direct competitors to compare it to. That said, it’s more rugged and can be dunked deeper than Kodak’s PlaySport Zx3 (cheaper too), but doesn’t offer Kodak’s video quality or feature set. So if you need a bare-bones camcorder for a trip to the beach or an outdoor adventure, the DV1 is a good option. At $129, it’s attractively priced to be a good companion video camera to those who don’t want to risk a higher-end model during their death-defying white water rafting trips.

Panasonic HDC-TM90 Camcorder Review

Panasonic HDC-TM90 Camcorder Review

The Panasonic HDC-TM90 is a high definition camcorder that records 1920 x 1080 video in the AVCHD format. It offers 16GB of built-in flash memory, a 3-inch touch-screen display and a 26x zoom lens. It is also capable of 3D video recording with an optional 3D converter lens.

Panasonic HDC-TM90 at a Glance

The Good: Excellent video quality, solid feature set, light and compact design.

The Bad: Small external controls, clumsy menu interface.

Panasonic HDC-TM90 Video Quality

The Panasonic TM90 records video at 1920 x 1080 at 60 progressive frames per second via a 3-megapixel CMOS sensor at a maximum bit rate of 28Mbps.

This high bit-rate setting is not actually supported by the AVCHD format that the TM90 records in, so your video editing options are fewer (at least for now) than they would be if you dialed back to the AVCHD-supported 24Mbps.

Nevertheless, the video quality on the Panasonic TM90 is very impressive. We’re talking about extremely crisp motion, well-saturated colors and nice even exposure. In low light, the results were equally impressive, with very little visible noise, especially vs. other camcorders in its price range. Panasonic said they revamped their noise reduction system for a number of 2011 camcorders and it definitely shows.

In addition to the high-quality 28Mbps mode, you can dial back to 17Mbps, 13Mbps, 9Mbps and 5Mbps. On the still photography side, you can snap 5-megapixel still photos. While it’s no replacement for a still camera, it has a flash and a dedicated photo shutter, so it delivers enough functionality to fill in on the fly.

Panasonic TM90 Optics

The TM90 packs a 26x optical zoom lens.

Your magnification can be boosted to 40x with Panasonic’s “Intelligent Zoom” which basically crops your video to produce a “zoom” look. The TM90 offers both optical and digital image stabilization to reduce jitters as you move about or use the zoom. I found it quite effective, particularly as you zoom out.

Another nice optical feature: the TM90 offers a 28mm wide angle lens for getting more of your scene in the frame.

Design

The design of the Panasonic HDC-TM90 is something of a mixed bag. On the plus side, it’s very light and compact at 1.99 x 2.48 x 4.67 inches and .54lbs without battery and memory card. It has a plastic exterior, which contributes to its light weight but also makes it feel a bit cheap. The overall design is sleek – with the battery lodged nearly flush with the back of the camcorder, so it’s quite easy to drop in purse or pocket.

The design negatives come when you flip open the camcorder’s LCD display to reveal a set of small buttons (Intelligent Auto/Manual, image stabilization, and 1080/60p mode) that are flush with the camcorder body and are difficult to engage.

Feature Set

The TM90 offers an “Intelligent Auto” mode for automatically setting exposure settings to maximize video quality based on your shooting environment. Advanced users will like the automatic control over iris, focus and shutter speed. There’s also a pre-record function which will record up to three seconds of video before you actually press “record.”

The TM90 is also able to record 3D video with the use of an optional 3D converter lens ($350). After you attach the converter, the camcorder will automatically detect it and set you into 3D mode, along with instructions for properly adjusting the lens for the most accurate recording. The resulting 3D video won’t be high definition and can’t be viewed in 3D on the camcorder’s LCD display. If you own a 3D TV and glasses, however, you can enjoy the full 3D experience when connecting the camcorder via HDMI cable.

Menu & Display

With a 3-inch touch screen display, the Panasonic TM90 has a bit more room to navigate around on-screen menu items. Unfortunately, a lot of the on-screen menu icons are a bit vague. You can use an info button (marked as an ‘i’ on the bottom of the menu) to get a brief written description, but the info mode shuts off after one use – you’ll have to constantly hit it to learn about a particular function, which can be frustrating.

The touch screen itself is quite responsive and the display rotates around so you can alternate your viewing angles.

Memory

The Panasonic TM90 packs 16GB worth of internal flash memory alongside a slot for an optional SDXC card. It offers relay recording – a useful feature which automatically switches recording from internal memory to a card (if one’s inserted) when internal memory fills up.

You can store roughly two hours and 20 minutes worth of the highest quality HD footage on the TM90’s built-in memory and much more than that (up to six hours) if you dial back the quality.

Panasonic HDC-TM90 Bottom Line

Some design quibbles aside, the TM90 is a terrific camcorder for the mid-range of the HD/AVCHD market. It delivers fantastic video quality with a well-rounded feature set and a terrific zoom lens. If you get the hankering to shoot 3D video, the TM90 can accommodate you, although we wouldn’t recommend it for its 3D features alone (better to buy a dedicated 3D camcorder with a pair of image sensors and lenses).

Top Camcorder Trends

Top Camcorder Trends

Camcorders may not spring to mind when you think of cutting edge technology, but just because they’ve been around a while doesn’t mean technology isn’t constantly shaping, and reshaping, the camcorder market. In fact, thanks to new technologies, recording formats and designs, today’s camcorders are a far cry from models just a few years old. Here’s a look at some of the major trends:

Pocket Parade

Pocket camcorders – those portable, easy-to-use video cameras popularized by the Flip – have become all the rage of the camcorder market. And what’s not to like: they’re easy, cheap, offer decent quality and make sharing videos online simple. By some estimates they’ll make up about 2/3 of all camcorders sold.

This year, thanks to the success of the Flip, there are literally over a dozen competitors. That means these models were begin to diversify, with features such as water-proofing, infrared and optical zooms emerging to help distinguish these video cameras from a very crowded field.

It’s a High Def World

HD camcorders have been on the market for several years now, but this year they’re expected to cross over into 50 percent of the market. They’re still pricier than standard definition models (at least when talking about traditional – not pocket – camcorders) but those prices continue to fall sharply. You’ll find several feature-rich HD models, capable of 1920 x 1080 recording, for under $500.

Flash in the Pan

Flash memory cards, the type found in digital cameras, are rapidly becoming the recording format of choice for digital camcorders. Camcorders that use flash memory are lighter, use less battery power and can store more video than any other format except for hard drives.

The popularity of flash camcorders has all but crowded out DVD and tape formats, leaving only hard disk drives as an alternative.

Ultra-Portable

Thanks in no small part to the use of flash memory, camcorders are getting tinier and more portable. That means you don’t have any excuse not to carry one around with you wherever you go.

Web Friendly

What good is your video if you can’t share it, or turn it into 15 seconds worth of Internet fame? While the higher-end HD camcorders are less computer-friendly, a number are using the H.264 video format for easier editing and viewing on a computer. Together with built-in upload buttons that send video off to YouTube whenever the camcorder is connected to a computer, today’s camcorders are more Web-friendly than ever before.

Back-lit CMOS

While it’s not front and center in many of the specs, the type of image sensor used in a camcorder is critically important. In 2010, a new version of the CMOS image sensor will be more popular with higher-end models. The so-called “back illuminated” CMOS technology offers improved video quality performance where it counts the most: low light environments.

Wireless

Connecting your camcorder to a computer or TV isn’t the hardest thing in the world, but it could still stand to be easier. At least two camcorder makers thus far have introduce products with a form of wireless networking. Samsung has added Wi-Fi to a trio of high-end HD camcorders while JVC has announced a camcorder with built-in Bluetooth. Given that camcorder video files are very large, it remains to be seen whether wireless offers a viable alternative to the tangle of cables, but this is the year we’ll find out.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Review

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Review

The Kodak Playsport Zx5 is a high definition pocket camcorder capable of recording 1920 x 1080p in the H.264 format. It is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet, can survive a drop of up to five feet and is sealed against dust and dirt.

It retails for $179.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 at a Glance

The Good: Slim, rugged design, good video quality.

The Bad:

Sticky center control, no built-in USB plug, mono mic.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Video Quality

The Playsport Zx5 records 1920 x 1080 HD video at 30 frames per second (fps) in the H.264 video format via a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor. You also have the option to record 1280 x 720 video at 60fps for capturing faster moving action or at 720/30fps.

As with the previous Playsport, the video is quite appealing for a pocket camcorder. Occasionally, the colors would drift a bit but the effect is hard to notice unless you’re really parsing your footage. Compared with last year’s Zx3, the video appeared less noisy indoors, which is a plus.

In addition to video, the Playsport can also snap 5-megapixel still images. Unless you’re working with plenty of natural light and a very steady hand, the photo function mostly produces blurry pics.

Optics

The Playsport offers a fixed focal length lens with a 4x digital zoom. The zoom isn’t much help – it tends to simply ramp up the digital noise in your video, so it’s probably

best to avoid it all together. The Playsport offers digital image stabilization to help keep videos smooth during recordings. The video I shoot wasn’t particularly shake-prone, but it’s hard to tell if that’s the stabilization kicking in or the fact that the Playsport is so small that you can get a real nice grip on it.

One thing you’re likely to notice (and it’s reared its head on other pocket cams) is trouble with the auto-focus. Sometimes it’s slow to lock on, leaving you with a second or two of blurred video. It’s not unusual for a pocket camcorder lens, but it’s something to bear in mind.

Playsport Design

The Playsport isn’t the slimmest and trimmest pocket camcorder on the market, mostly because it’s designed to take a beating. Still, at 2.3 x 4.4 x .7-inches and 125g it’s still light and compact enough to slip into a pocket with hardly a notice. The corners of the Playsport are rounded off with a rubberized bumper which not only protects it from bumps but gives it a sturdier grip. While the camcorder seals away its memory card and connector ports to protect them from the elements, both click open easily so they’re quick to access.

The Playsport has seven external buttons – an on/off switch that sits rather flush on the top of the camcorder and is a bit difficult to engage. It’s backlit though, so you can notice when the Playsport is turned on (in case the live preview on the LCD display didn’t tip you off). On the back of the camcorder, you’ll find controls for switching between still and video, playback, trash, settings and a share button – which lets you tag videos for automatic emailing or uploading once the Playsport is connected to a PC. These controls are quite responsive. The record button sits at the center of a four-way controller, which is a bit less responsive than the other controls.

The Playsport comes in three color choices: red, blue and black. Aesthetically, it’s pretty sharp.

Playsport Zx5 Features

In addition to its rugged, waterproof design, the Playsport Zx5 has several video effects that can be applied to videos including vivid color, sepia, black and white, high saturation and “1970s film look” if you want a retro feel to your videos. There’s an underwater setting as well to optimize your exposure if you take the Playsport beneath the waves. You’ll also find face detection, and the aforementioned share button, which lets upload videos automatically to Facebook, Flickr, Kodak Gallery , Twitter, YouTube and several other sharing sites. The share function is definitely a plus, but the Playsport doesn’t have a built-in USB plug, so you’ll have to fish around for a cable when you’re ready to connect.

Menu & Display

Kodak has updated – and improved- the menu system from the Zx3 on the new Playsport Zx5. Good thing too, as the older menu was difficult to understand. The new menu trades vague icons for simple text. It’s not the most dynamic thing in the world, but it certainly gets the job done.

The Playsport’s 2-inch display features a glare-shield, which you can activate in the menu to compensate for bright sunlight. The display itself is bright but doesn’t have a great viewing angle, so you need to be holding it straight-on to get the sharpest preview of the video you’re recording.

Playsport Memory

The Kodak Playsport Zx5 comes with 128MB of internal memory so you’ll need to opt for an optional SD/SDHC card to record video of any length. The camcorder supports SDHC cards up to 32GB in capacity – enough to store about six hours of HD footage.

Kodak Playsport Zx5 Bottom Line

The Playsport Zx5 is a very versatile pocket camcorder – it not only takes sharp video but is designed to go underwater and take the odd fall off a table. Despite its sturdy build, the Playsport is sharply styled and not at all cumbersome to carry with you. The lack of a built-in USB plug and a lapse in autofocus top the very short list of quibbles with the Playsport Zx5, which continues Kodak’s tradition of leading pocket camcorders.

Panasonic HC-V100 Camcorder Overview

Panasonic HC-V100 Camcorder Overview

The Panasonic HC-V100 is a high definition camcorder that records 1920 x 1080 video in the AVCHD format.

The HC-V100carries a suggested retail price of $349. Full technical specifications for the HC-V100can be found here.

Panasonic HC-V100 Video Features

The HC-V100 uses the full AVCHD format for 1920 x 1080p high definition recording. It supports 17Mbps recording, not the highest bit-rate available in the AVCHD video format (24Mbps).

The HC-V100 features a 1.5-megapixel 1/5.8-inch CMOS image sensor. The HC-V100 can also record in standard definition if you want to save space on your memory card. The camcorder also supports iFrame recording (at 960 x 540) for movies that can be easily edited on most computers.

The camcorder uses Panasonic’s “Intelligent Auto” mode for automatically matching scene modes such as portrait, sunset, scenery, forest and macro mode, to shooting environments.

The mode employs various technologies – including image stabilization, face detection, an intelligent scene-selector and contrast control to optimize your exposure.

Optical Features

You’ll find a 34x optical zoom lens on the VC100. This optical zoom is joined by a 42x Intelligent zoom (iZoom), which can enhance the magnification of your footage by using a smaller portion of the sensor without losing image resolution. Finally, there’s a 2000xdigital zoom which will degrade resolution when in use.

The lens employs Panasonic’s Power Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) for keeping your footage relatively shake-free. The image stabilization technology has an active mode which can be enabled when walking or when you’re otherwise in an unstable position to provide extra shake reduction.

The V100 lens is protected by a manual lens cover. It’s not as convenient as the automatic covers found on higher-end Panasonic models.

Memory and Display

The V100 records video to a single SDHX memory card slot. Using just internal memory, the HC-V100 can store approximately three hours and 45 minutes worth of the highest quality HD footage.

You can also record to SDXC cards, although there is no relay recording.

The HC-V100 offers a 2.7-inch LCD display. There is no optical or electronic viewfinder.

Design

Design-wise, the HC-V100 cuts a fairly conventional, if somewhat boxy, figure. Thanks to the use of flash memory you’ll still enjoy a light weight body at .4 pounds. The HC-V100 measures in at 2 x 2.3 x 4.4 inches, roughly the same form factor as the entry-level series of Panasonic camcorders, and features a zoom lever on the top of the camcorder and a record shutter located on the side, next to the camcorder’s battery. Open the display and you’ll find buttons video playback, scrolling and info, plus the camcorder’s ports: component, HDMI, USB and AV.

Aesthetically, the HC-V100 is available in a black.

Shooting Features

The HC-V100 is outfitted with a fairly minimalistic feature set. It offers face detection a pre-record function which records three seconds worth of video before you hit the shutter. The V100 also offers an auto ground-directional standby mode, which detects if the camcorder is being held in an unusual position (say, upside down) and automatically stops recording. A low light/color night recording mode preserves colors even in dim lighting.

As far as scene modes go, you’ll find sports, portrait, low light, spot light, snow, beach, sunset, fireworks, night scenery, night portrait and soft skin mode. You can snap 2-megapixel photos while recording video on the V100. Still photos can also be isolated from video footage played back on the camcorder and saved as a separate file. There is a two channel stereo microphone.

Connectivity

The HC-V100 offers a built-in HDMI output for connecting the camera although the cable is not included. You can also connect to a PC via USB cable.

Impression

At $349, the HC-V100 is Panasonic’s bid for the budget dollar, and the feature set reflects that. You’ll get a high-powered lens for an entry-level high definition camcorder, but you won’t get the full 24Mbps HD recording available on higher-end models and you’ll sacrifice features like a touch-screen display, relay-recording and manual modes, increasingly making their way down the camcorder food chain. That said, it packs a more potent video punch than a pocket camcorder (or smartphone) and the retail price will undoubtedly be discounted to make it an even more attractive buy for the budget-minded.The Panasonic HC-V100 is a high definition camcorder that records 1920 x 1080 video in the AVCHD format.

The HC-V100carries a suggested retail price of $349. It is a close cousin of the $449 GZ-HM320. Full technical specifications for the HC-V100can be found here.

Panasonic HC-V100 Video Features

The HC-V100 uses the full AVCHD format for 1920 x 1080p high definition recording. It supports 17Mbps recording, not the highest bit-rate available in the AVCHD video format (24Mbps). The HC-V100 features a 1.5-megapixel 1/5.8-inch CMOS image sensor. The HC-V100 can also record in standard definition if you want to save space on your memory card. The camcorder also supports iFrame recording (at 960 x 540) for movies that can be easily edited on most computers.

The camcorder uses Panasonic’s “Intelligent Auto” mode for automatically matching scene modes such as portrait, sunset, scenery, forest and macro mode, to shooting environments. The mode employs various technologies – including image stabilization, face detection, an intelligent scene-selector and contrast control to optimize your exposure.

Optical Features

You’ll find a 34x optical zoom lens on the VC100. This optical zoom is joined by a 42x Intelligent zoom (iZoom), which can enhance the magnification of your footage by using a smaller portion of the sensor without losing image resolution. Finally, there’s a 2000xdigital zoom which will degrade resolution when in use.

The lens employs Panasonic’s Power Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) for keeping your footage relatively shake-free. The image stabilization technology has an active mode which can be enabled when walking or when you’re otherwise in an unstable position to provide extra shake reduction.

The V100 lens is protected by a manual lens cover. It’s not as convenient as the automatic covers found on higher-end Panasonic models.

Memory and Display

The V100 packs 16GB of internal memory and a single SDHX memory card slot. Using just internal memory, the HC-V100 can store approximately three hours and 45 minutes worth of the highest quality HD footage. You can also record to SDXC cards, although there is no relay recording.

The HC-V100 offers a 2.7-inch LCD display. There is no optical or electronic viewfinder.

Design

Design-wise, the HC-V100 cuts a fairly conventional, if somewhat boxy, figure. Thanks to the use of flash memory you’ll still enjoy a light weight body at .4 pounds. The HC-V100 measures in at 2 x 2.3 x 4.4 inches, roughly the same form factor as the entry-level series of Panasonic camcorders, and features a zoom lever on the top of the camcorder and a record shutter located on the side, next to the camcorder’s battery. Open the display and you’ll find buttons video playback, scrolling and info, plus the camcorder’s ports: component, HDMI, USB and AV.

Aesthetically, the HC-V100 is available in a black.

Shooting Features

The HC-V100 is outfitted with a fairly minimalistic feature set. It offers face detection a pre-record function which records three seconds worth of video before you hit the shutter. The V100 also offers an auto ground-directional standby mode, which detects if the camcorder is being held in an unusual position (say, upside down) and automatically stops recording. A low light/color night recording mode preserves colors even in dim lighting.

As far as scene modes go, you’ll find sports, portrait, low light, spot light, snow, beach, sunset, fireworks, night scenery, night portrait and soft skin mode. You can snap 2-megapixel photos while recording video on the V100. Still photos can also be isolated from video footage played back on the camcorder and saved as a separate file. There is a two channel stereo microphone.

Connectivity

The HC-V100 offers a built-in HDMI output for connecting the camera although the cable is not included. You can also connect to a PC via USB cable.

Impression

At $349, the HC-V100 is Panasonic’s bid for the budget dollar, and the feature set reflects that. You’ll get a high-powered lens for an entry-level high definition camcorder, but you won’t get the full 24Mbps HD recording available on higher-end models and you’ll sacrifice features like a touch-screen display, relay-recording and manual modes, increasingly making their way down the camcorder food chain. That said, it packs a more potent video punch than a pocket camcorder (or smartphone) and the retail price will undoubtedly be discounted to make it an even more attractive buy for the budget-minded.

Panasonic HC-V10 Overview

Panasonic HC-V10 Overview

The Panasonic HC-V10 is a high definition camcorder that records 1280 x 720p video in the MPEG-4/H.264 format.

When the HC-V10 first hit shelves, it carried a suggested retail price of $249. This camcorder has since been discontinued, but now it can still be found used from some online retailers. The HC-V10 It is a close cousin of the Panasonic HC-V100. Full technical specifications for the HC-V10 can be found on the Panasonic website.

Panasonic HC-V10 Video Features

The HC-V10 uses the MPEG-4 format for 1280 x 720p high definition recording. It supports 15Mbps recording. You can also drop the resolution to 840 x 480 resolution, 640 x 480 or iFrame recording (at 960 x 540) for movies that can be easily edited on most computers. The HC-V10 features a 1.5-megapixel 1/5.8-inch CMOS image sensor.

The camcorder uses Panasonic’s “Intelligent Auto” mode for automatically matching scene modes such as portrait, sunset, scenery, forest and macro mode, to shooting environments. The mode employs various technologies – including image stabilization, face detection, an intelligent scene-selector and contrast control to optimize your exposure.

Optical Features

You’ll find a 63x optical zoom lens on the VC10. This optical zoom is joined by a 70x “enhanced optical zoom,” which can enhance the magnification of your footage by using a smaller portion of the sensor without losing image resolution.

Finally, there’s a 3500xdigital zoom which will degrade resolution when in use.

The lens employs Panasonic’s Power Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) for keeping your footage relatively shake-free. The image stabilization technology has an active mode which can be enabled when walking or when you’re otherwise in an unstable position to provide extra shake reduction.

The V10 lens is protected by a manual lens cover. It’s not as convenient as the automatic covers found on higher-end Panasonic models.

Memory and Display

The V10 records directly to an SDHX memory card slot. There is no relay recording.

The HC-V10 offers a 2.7-inch LCD display. There is no optical or electronic viewfinder.

Design

Design-wise, the HC-V10 cuts a fairly conventional, if somewhat boxy, figure. Thanks to the use of flash memory you’ll still enjoy a lightweight body at 0.47 pounds. The HC-V10 measures in at 2.1 x 2.5 x 4.3 inches, roughly the same form factor as the entry-level series of Panasonic camcorders, and features a zoom lever on the top of the camcorder and a record shutter located on the side, next to the camcorder’s battery. Open the display and you’ll find buttons video playback, scrolling and info, plus the camcorder’s ports: component, HDMI, USB and AV.

The HC-V10 is available in a black, silver and red.

Shooting Features

The HC-V10 is outfitted with a fairly minimalistic feature set, which is not surprising given its price. It offers face detection a pre-record function which records three seconds worth of video before you hit the shutter. The V10 also offers an auto ground-directional standby mode, which detects if the camcorder is being held in an unusual position (say, upside down) and automatically stops recording.

A low light/color night recording mode preserves colors even in dim lighting.

As far as scene modes go, you’ll find sports, portrait, low light, spot light, snow, beach, sunset, fireworks, night scenery, night portrait and soft skin mode. You can snap .9-megapixel photos while recording video on the V10 (not a great resolution). Still photos can also be isolated from video footage played back on the camcorder and saved as a separate file. There is a two channel stereo microphone.

Connectivity

The HC-V10 offers a built-in HDMI output for connecting the camera although the cable is not included. You can also connect to a PC via USB cable.

The Bottom Line

The HC-V10 compensates for the lower resolution specification with a super high-powered lens. If sharper video quality is more important to you than a long zoom, consider Panasonic’s slightly more expensive V100 which is the company’s least expensive model to feature 1920 x 1080 recording. It does, however, have a lower zoom lens at 32x.

Use wish promo code for today and get products at the cheapest price

Use wish promo code for today and get products at the cheapest price

Who doesn’t love shopping? We all love to go shopping. Sometimes it is more exciting if we find an online shopping site with amazing offers. There is no doubt today we have millions of online shopping websites, but the problem is only some of them are beneficial and secured. Here you will get to know about an online website with unlimited offers and a wide range of product selection. If you usually purchase items from online websites, then you might be heard about promo codes. This code contains some alphabets and numbers when you purchase something online and add this code you will get discounts.

What is a wish shopping app?

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Now when we are talking about online shopping websites, then wish shopping is one of the top choices for people who want discounts and fair prices. Let’s take this deeper, and firstly we will see what wish shopping is? Well, as like other apps, it is also a shopping app that can be used from iPhone and Android. Also, its cheap prices generated more attention from millions of people.

How to browse for a wish shopping app?

wish shopping app

To start your shopping, you need to firstly register yourself by creating an account by linking Gmail or your Facebook account. That is now you can see a page with so many items, which are baby and kids, phone upgrade, home decor, gadgets and fashion, and so much more. With this section, you will also browse a particular section of mug and T-shirts that can be customized to your demand.

What makes it the cheapest shopping site?

The reason behind these unbelievable discounts is they ship their product to their customers in Asia and China directly from the manufacturers. So that it will be a result of providing you with huge discounts. You just need to select a product by comparing both because here you will not get and brand information, so makes sure to choose a product by focusing. About the quality, you are paying an extremely cheap amount so you should not expect great quality. It would be average quality up to its prices.

What should I expect from a wish shopping app?

About the expectations, you can trust them for the cheapest prices by great discounts and promo code for wish. With all the items you can see how many people had purchased it, for example, if you are buying boots, then after its price, there are a number of purchases written such as 10,000+. It will be helpful for you to select whether it is good or not. When you scroll, you can find so many cheap products such as t-shirts, which are $140 in other stores, and here it is at $15.

Usage of wish promo code for today:

If you are an existing customer of the wish app, they will send your deals and promo codes for daily use. So that you can turn your wish list to cart. These codes also offer you free shipping so you can save more and more money with this. There are so many websites that are providing daily wish promo codes by clicking their link you can get updated wish promo code for today. Just apply it on ordering and save your money.

Things to definitely buy from wish:

Women’s loose-fitting and tank tops, smartphone cords, cases and screen protectors, women’s socks and sunglasses are, electronic items and Bluetooth accessories, women’s slippers sandals, etc. Are some of the highlighted products which you should go through once. There are some of the wish promo code for today, which helps you to save more than $200. It allows you to get 50% OFF of the products. It has a redeem date also. 

Highlights which makes wish shopping special:

There are some features of wish shopping app, which makes it #1 top shopping website installed in the year 2017 of the United States.

  • The Wish shopping app is the biggest advertiser on Facebook. And spend $100 million per year for ads on Facebook
  • Compared to other popular shopping apps, it has more ratings on play stores that are 4.5 stars.
  • Additionally, On the ios app store, it has 4.5 ratings.
  • It has more than 32.5 million users on iPhone and Android.

There is no middleman between you and manufacture by wish shopping app. Therefore it doesn’t charge so much. After getting into the wish shopping app, you will never buy anything from any shop. Your all the orders will be in your hand at factory prices. There are thousands of people on the internet who provide you promo code for wish. Some of them provide you with free shipping, and some of them will give you huge discounts.

Is the Best Printer with Cheap Ink Still Exist?

Is the Best Printer with Cheap Ink Still Exist?

Printers must be the special thing for people who highly active with printing things. It must be disaster when the only one printer that you have is on bad-mood. In this situation, you have to check it and change anything that have not been budget before which means there will be some unpredictable budget that taken out. The disaster one again and again!

So, you need the truly best printer with cheap ink. There must be some affordable printer yet the ink still expensive. It becomes the trouble one, because what we use everyday is the ink that must be refilled not the printer which does not need to be refilled to when it ruined.

Read also: Best Sites for Couponing and Saving Money

As the highly recommendation as the best printer with cheap ink, you can have Epson. One of the famous brand, Epson can be predicated as the best printer. However, the price of its printer itself is more expensive than the other brand.

It can be said that Epson can be classified to the high-price printer. In the other hand, when we looking deeper that Epson has more benefits that the other. Although it has more expensive price for the printer, but Epson gives the more affordable price for its ink.

It can be said that Epson offers the best price while you give the big mount for the first, but in daily you can save more your money. The printer can be seen as the expensive one yet the ink must be the affordable one. Even you have to take much money at the first but you can get the low price for the daily need of your printer, in this point is the most special thing is ink. So, it means that the best printer with cheap ink is Epson. Expensive first, inexpensive later.

Best Sites for Couponing and Saving Money

Best Sites for Couponing and Saving Money

It is also an essential knowledge to do couponing to cut some unneeded budget for your grocery shopping. Yet, it can take a long time to know which sites to get certain types of items. Therefore, this article has done the research for you in finding the best sites for couponing. The following are some of the best websites to save money:

money-coupon

The Krazy Coupon Lady

This site is the number one website out there for anyone to save some cash. This option of the best sites for couponing offers many items for your monthly grocery shopping, such as food, toiletries, medicine, and even cooking utilities. Besides, this site offers the best prices from the best known stores worldwide. It is convenient for anyone to save the budget with so many offers in Krazy Coupon lady.

Diskonio

As alternative, another website for your money-saving habits is Diskonio.com. This is one of the best sites for coupons as visitors can easily get freebies, deals, and variety of coupons just by getting informed. This website is dedicated for extreme coupons, especially for mothers who like to cut some grocery budget. This site is one of the kinds as it gives step by step process of living a frugal lifestyle. Members of this site can be informed daily of all the savings they can get by adding their email into the newsletter archive.

Hip 2 Save

Hip 2 Save is a website created by and dedicated to the many frugal mothers who are looking for deals in their next trip to the grocery store. It was built by a dedicated mother named Collin Morgan who began the site when her first child was born. Morgan knew the hard economic situations that a family can get through day to day. Her frugal lifestyle and habits became a hobby to her, so she created a blog to spread her knowledge. A few years later, Morgan became every mother’s friend with all her deals and coupons being informed in her site. Therefore, this is one of the best sites for couponing as it will ultimately help you find great deals for your family needs.

She Saved

Another good option to go to find best deals on and offline is She Saved. This site is full of good deals from food choices to clothes. This website is unlike the other ones in this list as it is dedicated to not only help you saving money, but also save the time. The founder, Keri Lyn, wants to promote precious family moments. So, she offers the site of eight years to be a good source of information for the best shops and deals to help any parent to do their monthly shopping without a hassle.

Furthermore, this site even gives the other home related information, such as do-it-yourself articles and a budget traveling guide. Well, it is overall one of the greatest best sites for couponing. Yes, it is surely perfect for any mother or parent.