Canon XL1s Camcorder

Advantages: Packed full of professional features
Disadvantages: Slow auto-focus

...I have used this camcorder for filming both corporate events and short films and for both it excelled. The camcorder produces excellent broadcast quality images and has full manual control over the image or can be set to full auto for less experienced users. Canon offer a wide range of accessories for the XL1s for the professional filmaker, these include a full manual lens, XLR audio adapter, black and white CRT viewfinder and many more. The camera is easy to use and is fairly lghtweight and portable which makes it ideal for electronic news gathering. The only issue I have with this camera is the slow autofocus speed, however unless you are doing very fast panning shots this is not a problem. In all a very good camcorder from Canon....

Tractorbob 08.01.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon DM XL1S

Denon DM31's quality shines

Advantages: Fantastic audio performance, small, stylish, durability
Disadvantages: Lacks DAB tuner

...Denon have an excellant reputation of producing home entertainment components of an awesome standard. They have produced over the years some fantastic benchmark products, and the Denon DM30 is no exception. Voted as the best micro hifi for atleast three years, Denon DM30 is an excellant product. With micro systems available from just £50, some people may find it hard to justify spending about £220, but for those who desire good audio perfomance this is an essential product. I can provide three good fundamental reasons to spend more money when purchising a micro hifi, they are 1) Sound. A more expensive micro system, such as the Denon DM31 will provide MUCH better audio performance. You will be more enganged in the music and will want to listen to more music. 2) Durability. The lifetime of cheaper micro hifis under £150 is litte...

bowdeni 27.03.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Denon DM31

The camera never lies

Advantages: Pro quality at amateur price. Interchangable lenses, wealth of features, all of which have some worth, and more...much, much more.
Disadvantages: Ah...let me think...there's...no, that's on there too...Pro cameramen and women are likely to mug you. that's about it really.

...Many people will tell you that the Canon XL1 isn't much cop as a serious video camera. When they do, ask them what they do for a living. They will all, without exception, be professional cameramen/women, and will almost certainly have mortgaged their house, kids and dog to buy a brodcast camera (Typical price 2nd hand £20,000)with which to ply their trade. The reason they are so scathing of the Canon XL1? THEY ARE JEALOUS! Why are they jealous? Because the video footage they could shoot with the Canon (Typical cost around £2,000 or £3,500 for the new XL1S) would be absolutely indistinguishable from that captured on their expensive, heavy, large, cumbersome, expensive (did I mention they're not cheap?) broadcast machine. The same thing was spouted to me when at photography college in Scotland many years ago. Professional...

stevethesleeve 18.10.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon DM XL1

Denon DM30

Advantages: Great sound quality, Very stylish, Good build quality
Disadvantages: User interface not user-friendly enough

...I bought this product about a year ago along with the tape player which you can also get and have been very happy with it. Having purchased Denon products before I had no problems in paying a bit extra for what I knew would be a top quality product. The DM30 offers exceptional sound quality both from cd and from the radio, it has a very stylish design with a metal fascia rather than a tacky plastic one which you get on cheaper Hi-Fis. You get a couple of very nice wood-effect speakers which look superb and are designed and produced for Denon by "Mission". The DM30 has RDS, RadioText (scrolls information broadcast from radio stations such as who the DJ is, news, etc.), EON, PTY and other features for the radio. It has input and output sockets in the back so you can connect other AV devices to it. I currently have a tape player...

stavroshamster 01.06.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Denon D-M 30

Rowenta DM825 - Ironing made easy

Advantages: Good glide, large water tank
Disadvantages: None

...Having killed my last iron (I managed to melt a fleece onto the soleplate!), it was time for an upgrade. My previous iron was also a Rowenta, a model down from this one. I had always been happy with the brand, so I decided to go for the DM825. My decision was helped by a recommendation by Which Extra in their best buy guide. The DM825 Professional Luxe Steam Iron (to use its full name), is a very good all round iron. It looks modern and attractive (I've had it about 5 months now and it still looks brand new). It's not too heavy and glides really well, which is a definite advantage as I now get the ironing finished much quicker than before, and I can honestly say the results are very good. All the buttons are easy to use and it does seem to warm up to just the right temperature on each setting. The temperature 'wheel' is just...

Serenfach 09.03.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Rowenta DM 825 Profess. LUXE

Hoover DM5530-Average performance vacuum and a danger to toddlers

Advantages: Lightweight, not noisy
Disadvantages: Topples, loses suction

...Pros: * Lightweight * Not too noisy - compared to my previous Dyson and, latterly the Electrolux which all but burst my ear drums! * Bagless * Extendable hose reaches to the top of the curtains * Small - easier storage * Stair stabiliser * Easy to clean the dust filters Cons: * Topples over very easily - I have given up using the flexible hose because inevitably the machine falls over in seconds and either hurts my 1yr old who's usually in the vicinity, me, or damages walls and furniture. Using the Stair Stabiliser does not negate this problem on flat surfaces. * When you click the position into upright before turning the machine off, eg if you are going to use the hose, it deposits a load of the waste it previously collected onto the floor. * Has very quickly lost a degree of its suction and no longer picks things...

stargazer147 21.06.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Hoover DM 5530

They don't call it professional for nothing

Advantages: Looks, picture quality, interchangeable lenses, price
Disadvantages: Bulky and heavy - uncomfortable to hold for extended periods

...In the realm of MiniDV, Canon's XL1 has acquired a God-like following, and not without reason. The XL1 is, at least in the semi-professional stakes, a king of the camcorder world; you will feel humbled to even be in the presence of one. Let's start with outward appearances. You cannot fail to love the design of the XL1. It looks more like a professional film camera than a camcorder, with its massive lens, futuristic black and white body and extending microphone. This baby looks so much more professional than others in its price range such as the VX2000, and this will convince clients that your production, be it wedding video or short film, will be of top quality. This camcorder produces excellent images because of its 3 CCDs, tiny devices that separate light coming through the lens into red, green and blue components. Most consumer...

tomclark 02.07.2001 (22.07.2001) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Canon DM XL1

Become the next Spielberg

Advantages: Afordable price for broadcast quality camera!
Disadvantages: Some add-ons need to be bought separate

...camera with it's new features, or check if the above Canon XL1s comes down in price! Who knows - I might end up reviewing YOUR film on Ciao in the future!...

missixty 13.01.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon DM XL1S

Beautiful DM 12

Advantages: Quality and fabulous sound
Disadvantages: Not cheap, but such quality never is

...I have very large hands, and find many guitar necks too narrow. I already had a Martin D 16 GT and I was well impressed. The DM 12 looks good. The finish is 'satin' and unfussy, without unnecessary adornment. That's not to say it looks basic, it actually looks just right. The instrument is extremely well made, and lighter than you'd imagine. Mine has a rosewood fingerboard and Schaller machine heads with the Martin logo. The action is light and low, with no fret buzz regardless of how I play. The DM 12 that I bought is 3 years old, though in absolute mint condition and doesn't even look as though it's ever been played - strange, but true. The most impressive thing about any Martin that I've ever played is the sound and the DM 12 is highly impressive. The sound is beautifully rich and mature and not thin and jangly like some...

nuxvomica 15.10.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Martin DM-12 Acoustic Guitar

DreamBox Dm7000s Price around £330

Advantages: Great choice of Digital satellite tv and more future proof
Disadvantages: hard to set up

...The Dreambox Dm7000s is a brand new type of digital satellite reciever, instead of the usual type of plug n tune the Dreambox is a reciever that uses computer technology based around the Linux OS. When you first open the box what do you get? 1 reciever,1 power cable,1 remote control,1 manual,guarentee card and 2 AA batteries. The reciever is a nice looking reciever measuring roughly 38cm x 24cm x 7cm nicer than your average looking box, black and silver and a large lcd on the right hand side of the box, the lcd can be blue or orange, on the left hand side of the front of the box there is a pull down flap under this flap is a CI-Module slot where you can purchase seperate Cams and install these (cams are devices that allow official cards to recieve channels), there is also a compact flash slot where compact flash cards can be...

Geewhizza 15.08.2003 (14.12.2003) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of DreamBox Dm 7000-S