Cam I See You?

Advantages: Great for special events.
Disadvantages: Pricey!

...As most top quality items do, we get a nicely packaged item, with all the appropriate information, such as the instruction manual, which is overall very easy to follow and it even includes diagrams for those of you out there who are not over technically minded. The XM2 is Canon's replacement for the DM-XM1 three-CCD MiniDV camcorder. If you have seen a Sony VX2000, you will notice that these two camcorders look quite alike. Although the image of it looks quite sturdy it actually isn't (measuring 11.8 cm x 30.6 cm x 13.6 cm) , also weighing in at 1.12 kg, it makes it all that comfortable to hold. So, no tired arms! The Canon XM2 digital camcorder is the ideal choice for recording broadcast or web content, making educational videos or registering an event like a wedding. A point worth raising is that the battery lasts for a fair...

benraiben 29.10.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon XM2 camcorder - Mini DV

Canon MD205 Mini DV Camcorder for all the family

Advantages: Compact. Good zoom. Good image quality Budget price.
Disadvantages: No separate battery charger supplied. Lots of PC disc space needed for film editing.

...on the computer (although it can be very time consuming). A separate battery charger was NOT supplied with my camera so the battery has to be charged from the mains supply whilst in the camera itself. I find this a bit limiting and a separate battery charger would have been a useful accessory to have. All in all I have been very pleased with my Canon MD205 Mini DV Camcorder and would recommend it as a good 'budget' camera for a family to use to create lasting memories....

Moongazinghare 27.03.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon MD205

Willing to spend £3700 to film a special event?

Advantages: Great for special events
Disadvantages: It is far too pricey.

...model, but the camcorder has right and left non-directional microphones, adjustable via dials on the camcorder body. Also present is an option to which allows you to change the frequency response to normal, voice, which allows a lot more crisper speech, and also "wind screen", which obviously is used for reducing wind noise, which can be an awful pain! These settings are useful and you can also prevent distortion or overloaded levels by turning on the mic attenuator. After watching recordings with this camera, I have to say that the quality of the sound recorded, with each of the features, is very pleasing. Another useful new addition to the cam is the feature which allows you to set "Clear Scan" , which prevent flicker when filming a computer or TV screen; Analogue-DV-analogue pass-through conversion; colour-bars generation; and custom...

benraiben 21.04.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon XL2 camcorder - Mini DV

Disgo camcorder

Advantages: Easy to use and price
Disadvantages: none

...This Disgo camcorder is a great little gadget. I saw this camcorder on the TV program 'Something for the Weekend' on BBC1. They described it a fun, cheap and easy to use camcorder. I have since brought one for myself. I have to say it's defiantly fun, cheap and easy to use! The camcorder has 60 minutes of recording time, runs on two AA batteries and has its own USB connecter integrated, this connects to any laptop or PC via the USB socket. The camcorder is approximately 15 centimetres tall and 4centimeters wide. Simple buttons and on screen prompts make it simple to use even for technophobes. There is no need to download software as it comes in built to the camcorder. The software itself is extremely straight forward to use. It is a very attractive, stylish product and has a screen that flips out so you can see yourself should...

bostonianbeer 13.02.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Disgo Video Plus SD Camcorder

Canon XM2

Advantages: Value for money
Disadvantages: Not good enough for commercial use

...Overview: I think this camera is a great all round choice for people who want a top range video camera without paying ridiculas prices. its about the cheapest you can go before you start to reduce in quality, its right on the border, Right cam for you? For instance; if you just want something to mess about with (mates and stuff): not for you, get a cheaper hand cam for about £150 Trying to start up video making company: probably not the best choice, go for something better quality Student: bang on, make high quality videos that will look great on portfolios while keeping some money in the bank. better than you average camera with great manual focus, £1300 - 1500 is probably a fair price to pay. Features: Av out (great for crane work) DV firewire out (faster import...

the7animator 27.10.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon XM2 camcorder - Mini DV

A beast of a camera

Advantages: Every Function you Could wish for!
Disadvantages: Hard to find said functions!

...Hi, First thing I'll say is that this camera isn't mine! It's one I use a lot at work, so if anything it probably gets more use, and on a wider varity of projects. This camera is really designed for the business and high end user. The unit itself is a reasonable size. Ist's not too large to make it difficult to use, but it is lasrge enough to make it easy to keep a smooth picture. Weight wise It's fine until you start adding extras. I often use a wide angle lens, and glare shield which can add a lot of weight to the front end of the camera. If you the add something to the active shoe, you can be fighting to keep the lens from pointing at your feet. This has never really proved a problem to me though, as when i'm using all the extra equipment, I'm normally using a tripod as well. The camera uses Mini DV tape and SD cards...

tribal_tiger 01.04.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon XM2 camcorder - Mini DV

If you're not after HD, then go for this one

Advantages: Excellent lens quality, clear image, good colour reproduction, manual overrides, colour viewfinder
Disadvantages: Not brilliant in low light, mic could be better, not HD

...The Canon XM2 is the middle child of the camcorder world. Often sighted as too expensive by true amateur ?point-and-shoot? users, yet overlooked by the budding Spielberg who leap straight to it?s older brother the Canon XL2. So is this camera a stop gap in the pricing war, or are there other reasons to consider? If you're looking to get high quality picture definition from your camcorder then nothing short of 3CCD will do, and the XM2 delivers. When a camera records an image, it does so by using a light sensor behind the lens that takes the place of the film in traditional cameras. By focusing the light on this sensor an image can be recorded, but the size of the sensor dictates how sharp the image quality and colour reproduction can be. With suppliers and consumers determined to make consumer electronics smaller and smaller...

gnipping 10.05.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon XM2 camcorder - Mini DV

Cheap, robust miniDV camcorder

Advantages: price, robustness, light weight, widescreen
Disadvantages: miniDV (in a tapeless world), nothing really

...Firstly the cons: it takes miniDV tapes. Despite tape offering a great archiving, robust and cheap to buy storage medium, I feel it has had it's day on consumer camcorders. Realtime downloading, moving parts in the camera and more noise all conspire to suggest you would be better served with card or diskdrives now. Pros: it's a very cheap way to get a great widescreen camcorder for little money. With Canon you get their excellent menu systems (camcorders and photocameras are different but good), a camera you know will work and access to loads of cheap 'pattern' batterys, bags and bits. The LCD screen is good, sound quality is very good really, image is spot on (vibrant enough without being 'stark'). It has a mic and AV-out for plugging into a TV, firewire for transfering the data and an external battery so you can get larger batteries...

FastboyEddie 18.12.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canon MD235

I saved 500 pounds on a camcorder......

Advantages: cheap prices, upto 60% savings against High Street prices, fast website, EXCELLENT & helpful customer services
Disadvantages: as of 2004 the site doesn't exist! (see update)

...If you are looking to buy the latest camcorders at the very best prices chances are you will find some of the most competitive prices at go2camcorder. I first came across the site go2camcorder.co.uk whilst looking to buy a digital camcorder last month. After searching all other online Electronics sites such as; Comet, Amazon, Empire Direct etc and even unbeatable.co.uk; which despite having the name ?unbeatable? are infact easily beatable on price; Go2camcorder came out best on price. Those of you who use product/price search engines such as pricerunner will notice how often go2camcorder consistently comes out as the lowest price for the same electronics product. go2camcorder.co.uk Go2camcorder is one of the largest wholesalers of electronic products in Europe. It is also owned by one biggest pure Internet electronics retailers...

Connoisseur_Haggler 12.12.2001 (16.04.2003) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of go2camcorder.co.uk

Budget DV Camcorder, Packed full of features.

Advantages: Small, Light, Cheap and full of features that the expensive cameras have.
Disadvantages: Does not have a DV Input

...Having bought my last camcorder 15 years ago and also the fact that when you held it on your shoulder it felt like you were carrying a sack of potatoes I decided it was time to go out and buy a new one. I went to my local dixons and had a look at the cameras they had on display and decided to go for a Mini DV camcorder as I liked the idea of linking the camera up with the computer which would allow me to edit my little home masterpieces! Move over Steven Spielberg!! While I was in the process of looking my friend had been out and bought one. I had a good look at it (Canon MV450i). It was very small and looked perfect but I was quite taken aback when I was told it was £750. I decided it was too expensive for me. So I came on ciao and had a look around and eventually found one, which, had the features that I wanted, and one that...

atlantis140 04.06.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of JVC GR DVL150EK