Only used once but am very impressed with the quality of video. I recorded a live band and the picture in the low light was awesome and the sound was great with no distortion. Crystal clear. I hand held and had on tripod and it was quick to vocus and stability was great. I would recommend this for anyone wanting a great video camera. Let ya know how it is after I use it a few more times.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
bought this as early Bday gift for my wife 2wks prior to leaving for photo safari in Africa. No prior experience except 35mm. Video tutorials made easy to learn. Outstanding pics and video of Lion, leopard cheetah, elephant, cape and black rhino. Only problem was when a bull elephant tried to take the unit out of her hand with his trunk in the landrover. the image stabilization feature didn't hold as the unit bounced off the inside windshield as she hit the back floorboard-ROFL Zoom worked perfect and post elephant, unit continued to work so shockproof came through as advertised 2nd battery finished out the 21 day trip with power to spare... Butch K.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
I've been window shopping for a video camera for a while now. My smartphone just doesn't cut it when it comes to decent videos (and the sound). If you don't have the money for a Panny v770, this will do just nicely. I mostly got it for the audio settings and mic input so I can record my friends at open mic night. After testing some of the settings, I was pleasantly surprised at how many cool effects it has. You can film slow motion at half speed (17mpbs only), and fast motion (many different speeds plus time lapse). You can draw on the picture as you're filming, very cool for your inner child. Now, the reason why I picked this instead of the newer 800 series was that this was the last series to have AVCHD format. But comparing that and the highest mp4 format really wasn't much of a difference, at least when I watched on my laptop. The highest mp4 quality is really good, even the 2nd best is really good (you need that for slow motion & other settings you can't get with the 35mbps and the avchd). The best thing I like about this is how lightweight it is! Slap on a small tripod and it feels like you're filming with a super8 camera! And I love how flexible the audio settings are. There are many settings you can choose AND adjust the volume for it as well. It will show you how loud the volume is and you can adjust while filming. Perfect for music gigs. Mine didn't come with a battery so I bought a generic charger with two batteries. I'm thinking of buying a couple more batteries because you can only get a couple hours out of one battery. I also would recommend getting the ac adapter for the camera. The onboard mic isn't bad, but I would recommend getting a battery powered external mic. Plugging a regular mic in will not work. I'd recommend the takstar 698 stereo mic. Lastly, I recommend getting a mount for the camera and the mic (there isn't a cold or hot shoe on the camera) as well as an external light for really dark areas. I play a lot of venues where it's always dark, so change your settings to Night Mode (NOT low light, it halves the frame rate). Auto mode works for most situations and has a white balance setting where you use the LCD touch screen to pick what is white and the camera will adjust accordingly. Very cool. If you need the manual, you can Google it. You will need it because there are so many settings and limitations of certain settings.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The key here is getting the right tool for the right job. This camera, even today, has all the right features. The menus are not easy to maneuver, which does require forethought if you're a Tweaker, and looking to be creative. However, if you're looking for an excellent 'run-and-gun' Camera, just set it to Auto and you'll be more than impressed. Bottom line, its one of the best bangs for the bucks!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I love my new camera equipped with everything I need to preserve precious moments in time with my new Grandson. I can't wait to upload and transfer to a DVD. You never know when a moment arrives and is gone, and you have regrets about not having it on file. I don't want any regrets.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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