Canon DC320 1.07MP DVD Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom

Comments

1. L. Claassen says:

   September 19, 2010 at 1:48 AM

   Review by L. Claassen for Canon DC320 1.07MP DVD Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom
   Rating:
   I am used to a VHS camcorder (a Sharp Slimcam) that takes fabulous video, but am upgrading to digital for the first time. I did a lot of research and decided that DVD recording was better for me than hard drive or card media because I’m not into the “transfer to computer, edit, burn to disc” video making. I want to pop the finished disc into my DVD player and be done with it. I never saw the attraction to Sony’s touch-screen camcorders. Why smudge up your LCD screen with fingerprints? This Canon has two buttons and a joystick next to the LCD as well as a regular viewfinder in case bright daylight washes out the LCD. I bought the cheapest SD card I could find (Kingston 2gig $14) for the still pictures and Memorex miniDVD-RW’s (3 for $15 at Best Buy) for the video. Both work fine. I’m sure there are better prices out there but I wanted to get started. All I want is simple movie making and, while this unit has some whistles and bells I will never use, they don’t get in the way. There is an “easy” switch to make the camera do everything, and a manual mode that lets you tweak settings if you’re into that. It takes pretty good quality video with the SP (higher quality) setting, I haven’t tried the lower one. But don’t expect eye-popping videos. You will need a hi-def camcorder for that and a Blu-Ray player to watch them unless you intend to use the camcorder as your player. As far as recording standard, home videos, the DC320 is a good value if you pay less than $350. The still camera, however, cannot match my little Fujifilm S3100 and I did not buy this Canon for that. If I happen to have it handy when a photo op arrives, I may use it, but will always have my “real” still camera with me. When you snap the shutter, there is a long delay for focusing before the picture is taken, so candid shots will be challenging. It does have a rapid-fire setting so you can press and hold the shutter for a series of quick shots. But you will have to upload your pix via a card reader of some kind because there is no USB port on this camera. Images can be watched through a standard 3-wire AV cable plugged into your TV if you want. There is no built-in light for still shots, but you can use the LCD screen as a small light source by using a menu setting to switch it on, (it turns white) and turn it towards the front. Better than nothing, I suppose. There is no extra light source for video taking, but there is a night-mode among the different settings. Videos can be recorded in one of two modes – you have to initialize the disc for the mode you want before shooting. One mode lets you erase specific scenes in the camera while keeping others, but requires a limited type of DVD player for playback. The other mode is more universal but restricts your options to erasing the whole disc if you want to start over. DVD-RW discs let you do that, DVD-R’s are pretty much “you shoot it, you keep it” unless you edit with your computer later and burn to another disc. Overall, the menu is pretty intuitive once you learn where stuff is, and the joystick makes for quick navigating, plus you never touch your LCD screen! The biggest complaint I have is the position of the on/off/mode switch. When your hand is through the strap, it is very difficult to operate this switch with your thumb like you’re supposed to, but fortunately you don’t need that switch while you’re shooting. There is a standby setting that lets you power down for a few minutes to save battery power and then power up quickly. The battery life is dismal – maybe 20 minutes of average shooting time, you will want to find a long-life (1 hour) battery to carry as a backup. Videos can be shot in widescreen format which is great for my LCD TV. Battery charging must be done on camera unless you buy a separate charger. Also, you need to remember to close the lens cover when you’re done shooting – no automatic cover at this price. Summary: Nice, easy to use, somewhat flexible camcorder with average resolution. Don’t expect miracles with a camcorder under $600 and you will enjoy this Canon.
2. View Finder says:

   September 19, 2010 at 2:23 AM

   Review by View Finder for Canon DC320 1.07MP DVD Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom
   Rating:
   The good side of this camera is the weight. I carried it almost 80% following the kid through a parade and my arm didn’t get tired. The steadiness was great – no real shaking from the walking (almost running) to keep up. I can’t say much about the lighting, the street lights were amber so it gave a bad hue. I blame the street lights for that, not the cam, but it wasn’t as dark as I thought it would be. You could still see faces.

   I’ve never had to initilize a disc. So the cam is good to go when plopping in the disc.

   Downside, its tricky getting to the menu to finalize the disc. But it does it rather quickly. That might be because the discs dont hold much content, even the dual layered discs. Which is the other downside.

   Shop around when getting more discs. Some places like CC, charge double the price just for the discs for the same price at OD with plastic covers.
3. Anthony P. Crusco says:

   September 19, 2010 at 2:41 AM

   Review by Anthony P. Crusco for Canon DC320 1.07MP DVD Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom
   Rating:
   I love this Camcorder,easy to use and great pictures. I like that it records to a DVD, no need to download, it plays directly on a DVD player.
4. K. Kane says:

   September 19, 2010 at 3:19 AM

   Review by K. Kane for Canon DC320 1.07MP DVD Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom
   Rating:
   I really like this camcorder. It was fairly simply to operate. The only complaint that I have is it was a little hard at first figuring out how to start the actual recording. (Of course that could have been avoided by reading the directions first.) Once I figured that out it has been very simple to operate. I saw the Canon DC 410 which is very similar to this camcorder selling for $279.99. I think for the price this camcorder is a great buy.
5. W. Merrill says:

   September 19, 2010 at 4:15 AM

   Review by W. Merrill for Canon DC320 1.07MP DVD Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom
   Rating:
   This is a wonderful camera. The instruction book was easy to follow. As soon as the battery was charged we were shooting great pictures and videos. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants a great camera at a great price.
6. Steve van Lierop says:

   September 19, 2010 at 4:17 AM

   Review by Steve van Lierop for Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
   Rating:
   Product is very easy to use with a good manual included and movie pictures are very clear especilally when made in daylight. Zooming option is excellent but a bit difficult to control when maximized. Camera option to use light at night improves picture quality significantly. However, not all discs are compatible with this camera. Can’t use Sony DVD-R and Sony DVD+RW dsics for handycams. Was successful so far with Maxwell DVD-R discs for camcorders.Info which discs to be used is lacking when purchasing this camera.
7. Leesa says:

   September 19, 2010 at 4:20 AM

   Review by Leesa for Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
   Rating:
   I purchased this item after reading favorable reviews. I’ve never owned a camcorder before, but decided I need to record some of the significant events in the lives of my two teenage sons for our long-distance relatives to enjoy. I like the simplicity of the dvd format; you can record on a dvd-r, finalize the disc, and watch it on your dvd player right away. I don’t want to have to edit a lot of tape every time I record an event.However, you do have the flexibility of doing that with this camcorder, if you use the dvd-ram format.
   
   The manual is easy to understand and I was able to use the camcorder as soon as the battery was charged. The day after I got it, I used it to record a JROTC drill competition and the resulting video was very good. I’ve also used the still photo function to record photos on an SD card. The still photo quality is adequate, but not nearly what you would get with a standard digital camera.
   
   If you are a casual home-video maker, I think you will be very happy with this camcorder.
8. Nirnimesh says:

   September 19, 2010 at 4:44 AM

   Review by Nirnimesh for Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
   Rating:
   Do not buy the Memorex mini DVD RW pack with this Panasonic camcorder. They’re incompatible.
9. B. Zhang says:

   September 19, 2010 at 5:31 AM

   Review by B. Zhang for Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
   Rating:
   I don’t have too much complaints about DVD camcorder initially. I thought it’s a good idea to directly get things done. But after playing it a while I got big concerns with DVD camcorders. For DVD-R/RW materials, this camcorder requires you to finalize the DVD which takes “MINUTES” to finish. After that you can view it on DVD player. I accidently move the DVD-R to play in a external player without finalization. The result is this disc got damaged(can not be finalized) and I can only view it in the camcorder. This is a very painful experience. What if this is your treasure? I think this is going to happen when you have several kids. They’ll sure to mess up someday. I don’t know what the hell can I do to get videos out from the disc to computer. Its software is not capable of getting things out of the disc either(why the camcorder can?). Since I only got it for a day, I’ll return it to B&H.
   
   It seems DVD format(a bad IEEE product) is very painful to deal with even with the DVD camcorder. I really miss the tape camcorders. I think HDD camcorder should be much easier than DVD camcorders. I really feel sad about those competation about different DVD formats, DVD-r/rw, dvd-ram, dvd+r/rw. Why manufactures can not get a agreement to make things easier?

   I tried DVD-RAM which doesn’t need finalization. It’s a good alternative. I got Panasonic 3pack for $7.99 at Fry’s today. You’ll need to burn the content to another DVD-R/RW for viewing in a DVD player(sony player support DVD-RAM format). Though Hard Disk camcorders can serve in this way better.

   Finally I returned this unit to B&H for the reason of Date&Time stamp not working on external DVD player and PC player. Called Pana tech support and knew that the Date & Time is not phsically recorded. In order to play it back you’ll need to play it back in the camcorder currently. My DVD player and powerDVD software can’t support it.

   In summary: I returned it for the following reasons:
   
   1. Date & Time stamp can’t be played back on external DVD player and powerDVD software.
   
   2. For DVD-R/RW, it requires a process “Finalization” to be able to play on DVD player.
   
   3. The DC power in is under the battery pack. Which means you have to detach the battery pack to be able to use the DC. There are many cases that the camcorder refuse to work without external DC.
   
   4. The resolution is good, but the color is really blank. Don’t like it as well.

   Hope my experience is helpful to someone. I’m going to try Canon ZR-700(cheap miniDV). Hope it can work out for me.
10. Lena J. Margita says:

    September 19, 2010 at 6:23 AM

    Review by Lena J. Margita for Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
    Rating:
    I am a total novice to video cameras let alone DVD cams. This little camera works great! I love the 1000x zoom feature.

    One thing that people in the other reviews had problems with was mini-dvd’s not working. Well – if they would have read the little book, they would have seen that the camera only works with DVD-R or DVD-RW discs. Not +R or +RW. Yes! There is a difference.

    Still picture feature was a selling point for me. It takes great digital stills.

    Great, easy to use, light weight, and user friendly!
11. T. Matuozzi says:

    September 19, 2010 at 7:11 AM

    Review by T. Matuozzi for Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam® Camcorder + Camcorder Accessory Kit
    Rating:
    Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycam® Camcorder + Sony Case + 4GB Memory Stick + Camcorder Accessory Kit

    *no* 4 GB Memory Stick included and now I have to wait for Ace Photo & Digital to respond. Very disappointed since this is a gift and was to be given with in the week. The memory stick is one of the reasons I ordered it. And I had no idea that I would not be dealing with Amazon.com since that is the company I ordered from.
    
12. S. Shanahan says:

    September 19, 2010 at 7:11 AM

    Review by S. Shanahan for Panasonic VDRM30 DVD Digital Camcorder
    Rating:
    I absolutely adore my camera… but I’m glad I got it as a gift. It’s extremely expensive. The dvd viewing capability is good, the film quality is excellent but…
    It has no light. In dim/dark situations, it films ok and plays ok on the viewer but other readers like the computer or dvd player can’t see anything. There needs to be a light for this. It looks like there is a place to buy one and attach it to the top but I can’t find it anywhere at the Panasonic website.
    The software is also a bit of a problem. It doesn’t work well with Windows XP.
    So, while the camcorder itself is excellent, it’s peripherals aren’t.
13. Anonymous says:

    September 19, 2010 at 7:15 AM

    Review by for Panasonic VDRM30 DVD Digital Camcorder
    Rating:
    I have had my Panasonic VDR M30 camcorder since Christmas, 2003. I have made five calls to their tech support line, where their technical people admit there is a problem and tell me they are working on fixing the drivers for the camcorder’s software to make it work with Windows XP. They refuse to return my telephone calls, and they refuse to exchange my camcorder for another model. They treat their customers very poorly. I would give this product, and this company, zero stars if that were an option.
14. Anonymous says:

    September 19, 2010 at 7:35 AM

    Review by for Panasonic VDRM30 DVD Digital Camcorder
    Rating:
    I purchased this camera for the birth of my first child. I figured this was the way camcorder technology was going (actually, this is considered a “palmcorder” due to its small size). All digital. Compatibilty with Windows XP is questionable. I had difficulty getting software to load. Resolution at high zoom is grainy. Other than these two issues the camera has a nice dynamic controller joystick for on-screen navigation. It also is extremely small and easy to carry. Be prepared to fork out a pretty penny for DVD RAM recording media until more manufacturers start making is type of camera.
15. Anonymous says:

    September 19, 2010 at 8:30 AM

    Review by for Panasonic VDRM30 DVD Digital Camcorder
    Rating:
    I bought this video camera to record the birth of my child. I got it and immediately checked it to make sure that everything was in working condition. It worked fine. Several months down the line I took the camera out to make sure what kind of card I needed to purchase for taking still photos. When I turned it on and tried to use it, I got the recording of sounds in the room but no picture. Now keep in mind I thought that I was maybe looking at the lens cap, but it was no longer covering the lens. I adjusted everything pertaining to the darkness of the screen and was still unable to get anything other than a black screen on the LCD or through the view finder. Thank goodness it is still under warranty or I would just be out $800.
16. Jeevan Patil says:

    September 19, 2010 at 8:40 AM

    Review by Jeevan Patil for Panasonic VDRM30 DVD Digital Camcorder
    Rating:
    Small, cute, fairly intuitive – works good, except night vision(not that great). Needed to refer manual for seeing couple of things – “DVD needs to be finalized to play in DVD/laptop” & “how to connect AC power to finalize disc”. Very convenient that output goes to DVD disc directly! Price much cheaper than Sony DVD camcorder
17. Archie L. Brown says:

    September 19, 2010 at 8:43 AM

    Review by Archie L. Brown for Sony Handycam DCR-DVD810 – Camcorder – widescreen – 1070 Kpix – optical zoom: 25 x – DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD+R DL (8cm), flash card
    Rating:
    Great little camera for what I use it for. It’s easy to use and switch between the media types. The CD’s make it easy to record and pop right into a DVD player. The A/V cord makes it easy to plug right into the TV and watch movies. I use it to film my grandson’s basketball games and it works just fine. Great zoom feature
18. Rhonda Morgan says:

    September 19, 2010 at 8:56 AM

    Review by Rhonda Morgan for Sony Handycam DCR-DVD810 – Camcorder – widescreen – 1070 Kpix – optical zoom: 25 x – DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD+R DL (8cm), flash card
    Rating:
    pic quailty is ok…. it’s not HD by no means… but it works good for the price. like the fact you have 3 ways of recording. had problems with the battery to start with but the company replaced it.
19. Samual B. Johnican says:

    September 19, 2010 at 9:18 AM

    Review by Samual B. Johnican for Sony Handycam DCR-DVD810 – Camcorder – widescreen – 1070 Kpix – optical zoom: 25 x – DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD+R DL (8cm), flash card
    Rating:
    I own this camcorder and I like it.Although I bearly use it.I like the triple recording formats,such as dvd,internal hard drive,and memory stick.When I was looking into buying my first camcorder which this is.I could not make up my mind because of all the different formats.This c/c has all those formats.The instruction manual is a little long but the c/c(camcorder)is nice and very compact.I recommend it!
20. New England Book Reviewer says:

    September 19, 2010 at 9:37 AM

    Review by New England Book Reviewer for Sony HDR-UX20 4MP DVD Hybrid Plus High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 8GB Flash Memory & 15x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    I’ve had the HDR-UX20 for about 2 weeks now and have used it to record my sons football games and daughters volleyball games. I record the games to an 8GB duo pro memory stick at SP HQ quality and have been satisfied with the results. When I get home I insert the memory stick into a Sony VRD-MC5 DVD recorder, push record and copy the video to DVD. The mini DVD’s only record about 20 mins of HQ video so I use full size DVD’s on the MC5.

    I like the versatility of being able to record in HD, and recording on the internal memory, memory stick, or DVD. I had my last video camera for 7 years, so I wanted something that gave me maximum flexibility in recording media, and wanted to be able to record in HD and SD.

    The unit is built well and is fairly intuitive. I read the reviews which said the touch screen is too small, however I find it easy to use and it works well for me. Everything I’ve used so far works as advertised.

    I would highly recommend this handycam.
21. Cameraman says:

    September 19, 2010 at 10:04 AM

    Review by Cameraman for Sony HDR-UX20 4MP DVD Hybrid Plus High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 8GB Flash Memory & 15x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    The good:
    
    - It’s very flexible. The ability to record to 8GB internal or a 8GB flash card (“Memory Stick Pro Duo”) is excellent. No moving parts, so the battery lasts forever (or at least a good long time).
    
    - Picture quality great in good lighting.
    
    - You can record to the memory or card, and then use the camera to burn to a mini-DVD only those clips you want — even at your mother-in-law’s house (in the same format as you recorded).
    
    - You can record everything in HD, transfer the files to a PC, and then burn them to a full size DVD in either HD (in AVHCD format to play on a BluRay player) or SD (standard definition to play on a normal DVD player).

    The not perfect:
    
    - Low light performance gets grainy pretty quickly. It works fine — just not a wonderful picture.
    
    - The video editing software that comes with the camera is very basic, too. No ability to create transitions between scenes or any other expected niceties of a movie-making package. I’m using an old copy of SONIC DigitalMedia Plus to make DVD’s from the files — works great for SD recording (the folks I sent DVD’s to don’t have BluRay).
    
    - The touch screen is a little small — you get used to it.

    All in all — great product — would buy it again.
22. Farrah says:

    September 19, 2010 at 10:47 AM

    Review by Farrah for Sony HDR-UX20 4MP DVD Hybrid Plus High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 8GB Flash Memory & 15x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    I bought this product because of the previous 5 star reviews from customers, but when I started to actually use the product, I was disappointed. I have a ps3 and a 1080p tv, so I wanted to start capturing my kids on HD. I was able to use the camera right away thanks to a quick start mode..really handy since I wanted to start practicing right away.

    The camcorder’s menus are relatively easy to figure out once you push enough buttons…however I don’t like using the touch screen on such a small screen. I have size 7 fingers, and I can’t imagine trying to hit the right button without frustration if they were any larger.

    The Dolby 5.1 sound produced by this camera was wonderful! I couldn’t believe it was just a regular camera mic and not a professional add-on.

    The video quality however, left much to be desired…mostly in indoor shots, which is where I intend to do a lot of shooting. I have a well-lit house, lots of windows… and when it’s extremely sunny inside, the shots were fine. However, when it was cloudy, and the indoor lighting was just normal, I saw noticeable noise on the playback, even on the highest setting. It looked worse than standard definition tapes from technology 15 years ago. I didn’t feel spending $599 on a camera that could not produce at least an acceptable indoor light performance was justifiable. Amazon was great, and since I kept all the packaging and the camera in like-new condition, I sent it back and got a full refund, minus 7 bucks for shipping.

    If you’re looking for better indoor performance, after doing some more research, I’d suggest the Canon Vixia HFS100, or the HF100.

    Edited to Add: I recently purchased the Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom since it fit better in my budget than the HFS100, and the quality of overall performance is so much better than the Sony UX20. Very happy with the low-light performance…amazing difference. Don’t waste your money on the UX20.
23. Coby says:

    September 19, 2010 at 11:07 AM

    Review by Coby for Sony HDR-UX20 4MP DVD Hybrid Plus High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 8GB Flash Memory & 15x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    This camera looks great to me. So far the video quality is excellent, and practically indistinguishable from what you’d expect from a DVD-quality movie. I have not tried it on a Blueray, though. It is very important to use the options menu, especially white balance, exposure control, etc. Using a fully automated mode rendered unnatural skin color and somewhat washed out picture, at least in my hands. Also in very low light the quality is not great but I assume there is not much to be done (to be sure, the quality is great with average indoor lighting).
24. M. Bryson says:

    September 19, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    Review by M. Bryson for Sony HDR-UX20 4MP DVD Hybrid Plus High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 8GB Flash Memory & 15x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    This is a great camera! The battery life is excellent. The video is very clear. And the sound is the best I have ever heard in a camera…and we have a miniDV, and Canon flash based camcorder. I would highly recommend this camera to others!
    
    It is easy to import into your computer. I haven’t tried to edit the content yet..but was able to easily get it into my machine.
25. K. E. Connors says:

    September 19, 2010 at 11:50 AM

    Review by K. E. Connors for Canon DC20 2.2 MP DVD Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    I took a chance on a Canon, in part because of Sony’s lengthy rap sheet of offenses against its customers, in part because a lot of people really seem to like their products. Up to this point I’ve used a miniDV Sony purchased in 2000. Unfortunately, my gamble with Canon didn’t pay off. Two major problems:

    1) There is a noticeable scraping noise every 5 seconds as it engages the DVD drive, which the microphone picks up unfailingly in quiet situations. (Imagine filming your sleeping newborn and noticing during playback a sound much like mice hard at work just off camera.)
    
    2) It was hot to the touch within minutes of being powered up, i.e. before I finished recording sample footage. (I was using the AC adapter, not the battery.)

    In case it is relevant, here is what pg. 124 of the instruction manual says:
    
    “Problem: The disc’s rotation can be faintly heard. Solution: The disc is activated from time to time. This is not a malfunction.
    
    Problem: Occasionally the operation sound can be heard. Solution: The disc is activated from time to time. This is not a malfunction.
    
    Problem: Pressing the start/stop button will not start recording. Solution: The camcorder has exceeded its operational temperature. Disconnect the compact power adapter and remove the battery pack and let the camcorder cool down before resuming use.”

    I didn’t buy it from Amazon.com (I didn’t want to wait for it to ship over the holidays) & I’m not looking forward to paying a restocking fee to return a “not malfunctioning” but basically unusable product.

    P.S. The two stars I gave it are for its compact size and cool appearance. Better luck next time on the rest.
26. Camera Nut says:

    September 19, 2010 at 11:52 AM

    Review by Camera Nut for Canon DC20 2.2 MP DVD Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    I thought I would try this camcorder as I have used Canon products before and have always liked them. The controls seem easy to follow. I spent some time reading the book and playing with the camcorder getting used to how the controls work. Video playback quality was very good. I made some test videos on mini DVD-RW disks and loaded them onto my computer and burned them to regular-sized DVD’s. Everything worked great. Overall, I am very pleased with this camcorder.
27. hinabucket says:

    September 19, 2010 at 12:10 PM

    Review by hinabucket for Canon DC20 2.2 MP DVD Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    Size of camcorder is awesome and best sellng point. It’s also pretty to use.
    
    Video is excellent when shooting outside, and inside with plenty of light.
    
    Video is only average when indoor lighting is moderate to fair.
    
    Battery life is OK – about what you find on other camcorders in this category.
    
    Stay away from Memorex disks. Only getting 14 minutes (instead of 20) when shooting in highest mode. Have heard similar complaints from a Sony camcorder owner.
28. florida90 says:

    September 19, 2010 at 12:43 PM

    Review by florida90 for Canon DC20 2.2 MP DVD Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    The camera does heat up when attached to the charger.I complained to Cannon support about the camera getting hot enough to the point that you cannot touch it.
    
    They didnt know anyhting about it (even though the manual that came in the box does point out issues with reaching optimal temperature).
    
    I returned it after a week.
    
    Although I should say that it is a very slim/light camera and does have a superb video quality.

    If it wasnt for the battery/charging I would have kept it
29. Thor JR. says:

    September 19, 2010 at 1:35 PM

    Review by Thor JR. for Canon DC20 2.2 MP DVD Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    This is a good camera and couple that with the price and you have a great camera. The picture quality is much better than similarly priced DVD camcorders and the optics are first rate. I will say that if you have a hard time with directions then may consider buying a hard drive or mini DV camera instead. Using a DVD camcorder is not as user friendly as using a mini DV or hard drive camera. Most of the negative feedback that I have read regarding DVD camcorders has been a direct result of the user not understanding the directions or misplaced expectations. As far as the free sample software that comes with this camera, it is virtually of no value (that is probably why it’s free). Expect to buy the upgrade from Roxio or buy your preferred brand from a software retailer. For that matter if you are planning on doing heavy editing you should strongly consider buying a hard drive camcorder but if you are like me and just do the occasional edit then this is a great choice. The biggest drawback to this camera is its limited optical zoom (this probably because of its compact size). For the casual user (shooting birthday parties, Christmas, etc.) this will not be a big concern but if it becomes a concern down the road, then just buy the 1.5x or 2.0x lens attachment. As far as still picture shooting goes, this camera does an average job. It will not replace your digital camera but for what it is, it is fine. I have heard that the DC 20 is being discontinued and is being replaced by the DC 22 but the bottom line is: the Canon DC 20 is the best value in the 2 MP range.
30. R. Cutter says:

    September 19, 2010 at 2:34 PM

    Review by R. Cutter for Panasonic VDR-M53 DVD Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    I just bought this camcorder and am not a good reader of manuals. I had it recording in a matter of minutes. You do have to format the mini dvds, but that is easy to find in the manual. The quality of the recording looked great on my computer screen. I bought office depot mini dvds and they worked fine, for the great price. This Panasonic is great and recording straight to mini dvds is a wonderful idea. I would have given it a 5 star rating, but the finalizing of the mini dvd took a while and you have to plug it in, you can’t do this using the battery. Also I was warned, that if you use the dvd-ram instead of the dvd-r, they will not work on all players and they prefer to work on Panasonic equipment. This is why I opted for the non re-writable mini dvd-r from office depot. I also bought the PNY SD card from them and the card reader, all very affordable and easy to use.
31. D says:

    September 19, 2010 at 2:39 PM

    Review by D for Panasonic VDR-M53 DVD Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    It does not have any USB connectivity. There is no way to hook this up to your computer except through the TV type of hookups. Other than that it works great.
    
    You need a software to convert the DVD to something els to be able to edit it on your computer though (to edit movie and make copies)
    
    I like that it write direct to DVD so if you don’t want to edit it, there is no need to bother with the computer.
    
    Be aware it only works with certain types of DVD’s. Won’t work with DVD-RW. Has to be DVD-r and only a certain typre of RAM disk.
32. NPJ says:

    September 19, 2010 at 3:20 PM

    Review by NPJ for Panasonic VDR-M53 DVD Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    Has good features, but the biggest downsides are it does not have a USB port and it uses DVD-RAM discs (re-writable) which do not work on most of the DVD players.

    Note that it does not use DVD-RW discs that come with most notebooks and desktop computers and allow re-writing.

    So there seems to be virtually no way to transfer your videos to your computer, other than buying a DVD Multi drive that can read DVD-RAM discs.
33. SylvaniaG says:

    September 19, 2010 at 3:38 PM

    Review by SylvaniaG for Panasonic VDR-M53 DVD Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    If you buy this camera, remember to buy also additional DVD copy software (IntelVideo Copy – around $70), plus only Panasonic DVD-Ram mini DVD disks (also expensive). Also, after my experience, if you erase one DVD-ram disc at least twice, on the third use the movie will have many video or audio problems. Not knowing this problem, I ruined my friend’s baby shower video. Panasonic customer service is not helpful at all. A representative was even surprised that my camera does not have USB cable!!! Other then that – let’s say, once you cannot return this camera to the store, because I opened it and used it, you can still enjoy lightness of the camera. One more thing: you need to purchase the light also; this camera does not have built-in light – you will need it. … So, how much does the camera cost after all???
    
34. Cheryl says:

    September 19, 2010 at 3:55 PM

    Review by Cheryl for Panasonic VDR-M53 DVD Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom
    Rating:
    I bought this camera because of consumer reports great reviews. But I’m bound and determined to get my images onto my PC. I purchased a DVD-RAM compatible drive for my PC and still can’t get it to recongnize either DVD-RAM or DVD-R disks. Do I need special software? And if so what? Roxio DVD builder is not doing the trick.

    Other than that, the camera works great, images and sound are clear, and camera is easy to opperate. If you figure out a new cell phone, you can figure out this.