Canon Optura 50 MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

Product Description

The Canon Optura 50 Digital Camcorder combines 2.2 Megapixel performance with advanced controls. Multiple exposure modes give you more control for a variety of settings, compensating for different lighting conditions and different subjects. Image stabilization captures that shot clearly - no more unsteady, out of focus images. Built-in memory slot let you transfer and share files with ease. Record movie clips to your memory cards multiple resolutions. Night Mode boosts shutter speed for brighter pictures in dim lighting. Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority settings let you control the depth of field while giving you fast-moving, dynamic shots. Movie resolutions - 320 x 240, 160 x 120 pixels, 15 frames/sec. Maximum Recording Time - SP - 80 min, LP - 120 min (with an 80-min. cassette) Fast Forward/Rewind time - 2 min. 20 sec 6 new Scene Modes - Foliage, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Sunset and Spotlight Auto Exposure Bracketing takes 3 shots at once - 1 normal, 1 over, 1 underexposed Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Soft Skin Detail settings Continuous Shooting Mode for sports and action Aperture Priority selects lens aperture for controlling depth of field Shutter Priority selects faster shutter speeds Night Mode 16 bit PCM digital sound Captures still video in JPEG and video in Motion JPEG Built-in flash Inputs - Audio in Outputs - 1 IEEE1394 DV, 1 Video, 1 S-Video Stereo microphone Accepts SD & MMC cards for still image capture Supports Exif Print 2.2 Dimensions - 2.8 x 3.2 x 5.2 in. (70 x 82 x 133 mm) Weight - 1.2 lb. (530 g)

Customer Reviews:

one nice family minidv camera.......2006-12-08

i'm a mac user who wanted a family camera so i can input footage into the mac and edit the footage. after spending way too much time researching video cameras online and at brick & morter stores, i purchased the canon optura 50.

the optura 50 has firewire which is needed to have the footage transfered from the camera into a mac and have the mac edit software (imovie/final cut express/final cut pro) "see" the camera. this aspect has worked flawlessly.

the optura 50's specs are decent. it has the largest chip size of any 1-chip camera. now u can graduate to a 3-chip panasonic but this generation of panasonics does not come with firewire (see above).

the optura 50 also has knobs and buttons to access menu settings. i much prefer this to the sony's touchscreen menu system which maybe fine for setting up a camera but interferes with the camera when in operation.

the optura 50 also has jacks for an external mic and light. all camcorders at this level have so-so on-board mics so the ability to add an external mic is a cheap solution to an obvious problem. but not all camcorders have an external mic input.

the optura 50 produces quality video outside. its color rendition is excellent. indoors it pays to offer all 1 chip camcorders as much light as possible. when that is done, the canon optura 50 does as well as others in this price class. the kid's birthday parties have been fine, bringing the dog home was great, a surprise party for a friend all caught on tape.

for the price and the results i've gotten, i'd buy the optura 50 again. just one person's experience.

Great feature-set and performance for the price.......2006-03-28

The Optura 50 certainly isn't perfect and there are any number of higher-priced cameras which outperform it. However, the feature-set and performance for the price make the Optura 50 an excellent value.

The automatic white balance on the Optura 50 is more easily fooled in difficult lighting than rival cameras so you may frequently find yourself manually choosing a white balance setting. It's not a huge problem since the controls are easily accessed but it's something to be aware of. Low-light is not this camera's strong suit due to image noise.

A more serious issue is that a minority of units exhibit higher than normal tape transport noise. Several people including myself have had to exchange cameras that were much louder than they should have been. I haven't heard of anyone who got two bad cameras in a row though.

Strengths:
Optical Image Stabilization (unheard of at this price-point)
Easily accessed controls
True, high-resolution 16:9 widescreen mode
Microphone-in port with manual audio level control (unusual at this price-point)
Accessory shoe (cold)
Tilting, extendable viewfinder

Weaknesses:
Other cameras provide a better image in low light
Automatic white balance could be both more accurate and more consistent.

Last Canon purchase for a while..........2006-02-27

I own any number of Canon products (printer, film camera, Rebel XT, Powershot A40...), and I'm done. Their business model is just set up so that you just have to keep on buying, and it's driving me nuts (for example, the printer only works well if you use the premium Canon paper, and it has 6 ink tanks, only 3 of which I can ever find in the stores, so I'm forced to buy extra inks that I don't need in a "pack" so that I can get the photo cyan that I actually need -- at a cost of $70. Next time, I'm just buying a new printer. The A40 was ok, but is now broken (just this morning I was considering buying the A60 as a replacement, but when I found out that I still need to buy a whole bunch of stuff to get the video I took onto my computer, I decided I'm going with Nikon.)).

For the camcorder, the whole purpose of buying a DIGITAL camcorder was so that I could transfer to the computer, edit, burn to disk, etc., without having analog loss issues. I've read as much as I could, but NO WHERE did I see that if you don't have a firewire connection or a special video card, you can't transfer with this camera. I actually have the video card, but it stinks (which is why I wanted to upgrade from my existing analog camcorder to a digital one), so you end up with a horrible transferred picture. The included USB cable, as well as the "DIGITAL VIDEO SOLUTIONS" disk are not for VIDEO solutions or transfers, they are for STILL IMAGE transfers (of the 48 pages in the "video" solutions software manual, only 5 relate to "video" transfers -- they deal with how to install the driver, and are for the Optura 60 and 500 only -- the rest is dedicated to the relatively useless still image functions, how to download those, use direct print or something, etc.). How the frig' someone can sell a DIGITAL VIDEO device with NO means of transferring to a computer or doing anything with the video is beyond me (even if you do have a firewire connection, they don't include the firewire cable). Note that the Optura 60 includes all the same cables, etc., that the Optura 50 has, but for some reason video transfer with the (same) included cables is enabled for the Optura 60, but NOT for the Optura 50. I was already on the fence about getting the 60 or not, and had I known I might have picked up the 60 instead. But now I'm just stuck.

The main reason I went with the Optura line is that, all else being equal, it takes the same batteries as the XT, and I already had two of those batteries, with a portable charger. So now I have three, which was convenient on our recent trip. Of course, the $50 I saved on being able to use my extra batteries is going to be more than eaten up by having to buy/install a firewire card and cable, as well as having to buy video editing software. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just something basic to capture the video and let me burn it to a DVD. But Canon doesn't even include that.

As to the merits of the camera itself, with the exception of trying to get the video to some other device, it is pretty easy to use. I can't speak to the quality of the video just yet -- I've spent most of our first day back trying to figure out how to get the video to the computer, and then went nuts when I realized that I just can't with my current configuration and what they include. Most reviews I read before purchase said the zoom range wasn't that great, but it wasn't that bad, either. I tend to disagree -- I really would have liked a little extra room on the wide range in particular -- filming family (young kids) on the trip I found myself continually having to back up to fill them all in the frame (admittedly, they are young kids, so they were getting pretty close -- if you have a more compliant subject this may not be an issue). In keeping with their business model, though, you could get a wide angle attachment for "only" $120. One of the function buttons gets hidden by the screen if you tilt it -- a pretty stupid design, since most people hold the camcorder slightly below eye level, and tilt the screen, and that's when the button is blocked.

The other feature that distinguishes this camera from others is the steady shot (optical on this one vs. digital on most camcorders). I thought this feature worked relatively well, but nothing spectacular.

All in all, I wouldn't buy this again, and I'm done buying Canon products. I just can't help feeling like I'm being nickel and dimed. If you are interested, consider the additional costs of cables, DV cassettes (at least I knew those weren't included ahead of time, and was able to compare accordingly), video capture/editing software, and possibly the wide angle attachment. Even with all those issues solved, though, the limited zoom range is the killer (the attachment shifts the entire zoom range, so it's still only 10x, and doesn't get as close on the tele end, unless you have the action stop and then go back and forth putting it on and taking it off -- too much of a hassle, if you ask me). As for me, I'm done with them.

Canon Optura 50 MiniDV is a Great Camcorder.......2006-02-24

We have been using the Canon Optura 50 miniDV camcorder for almost a month now and we are very pleased with its performance. The picture quality is very good, it is easy to operate, and the digital camera is easy to use with good quality pictures. I have not yet tried the software to burn DVD's, but if that works as well as the camera it should be a breeze. I highly recommend this camera to others.

Not bad given the other options.......2005-04-11

I was looking for some very specific features when I bought this camera (I actually bought an Elura 90, used it for a week, and switched to the Optura 50 for the S-video I/O.) I'm a strictly family documentary person -- most of my videos are done at home in poor light and using the widest angle settings.

This was my list:

mac iMovie compatible
light sensitivity (good images in dim home lighting at night)
analog to digital conversion w/ S-video I/O
reliable, tough - ideally made in Japan
wide-angle for images taken from 4-12 feet
quiet motor
warranty & service (1 yr base, 2 yr when extended by my AMEX card)
price comparisons include travel charger & extended life battery
image quality
focus capability - ideally a manual focus ring
16/9 ratio playback ok
sensor: 2mpix, 1/3.6 ccd
external mike jack
top loading

Overall the Optura 50 meets most of the items quite well. I think the indoor image quality is pretty good; better than the Elura 90. Not as light sensitive as my old SONY Hi-8, but it's far smaller and lighter. This was my biggest concern, but I think the camera passes this one. The best results come with 3 CCD cameras with larger sensors -- typically costing $3,000 or so.

Canon includes a ridiculous, worthless, still image camera. Sigh. (I have two fine Canon still cameras.) What a waste. They do, however, also include an S-video for higher quality analog I/O (you have to buy your own S-video cable though!). The 2005 Eluras now lack this feature (arghh).

The Optura 50 doesn't have enough wide-angle range for my tastes (I still do 3/4 capture as my iMovie s/w expects that) but it does better than the Elura 90. It's probably as good as one will get nowadays.

Mac OS X compatibilty is excellent. The manual is sparse but adequate. Digital passthrough is tricky to figure out (read the manual carefully) but it works well.

The camera is indeed made in Japan and it feels reasonably robust -- as much as any competing device. The charger is compact, but I bought the reasonably priced very nice travel charger and an extended life battery.

Product Description

256 Mb Internal Flash Memory. Broadcast Wirelessly Through Any Fm Radio Or Listen Privately Through Headphones. Record From The On-board Microphone Or Through The Line-in. Playlist Management Software To Customize. Includes Detachable Backpack.

Customer Reviews:

Hard to use & poorly made.......2005-07-19

I was looking for a small device to record lectures. After extensive research, I chose the Neuros 256mb because it got good reviews, had a 'line in' option, and also plays mp3s. When it works, the Neuros' recording quality is decent. The toggle button stopped working the third time I used it. I contacted Neuros support. They were helpful and replaced it immediately.

I'm pretty tech savvy and intuitive, but this thing is counter-intuitive. There aren't many menu options and it's tough to find your way around the device. The user manual isn't much help - it devotes a whole 5 or 6 lines to the subject of using the Neuros to record. I finally went to their website and looked at the online demo to figure it out. I've set the Neuros to record at the beginning of a lecture, only to find out that it stopped recording a few minutes into the lecture. Another time I was able to capture the entire hour-long lecture, but when I tried to upload the recording to my PC, it didn't show up in the Neuros "library."

Though it's lightweight, it has a clunky feel to it. Maybe it's just the bright orange display, but it looks and feels like it came from the 1980s.

Lastly, I don't care for the pc software that allows you to upload the mp3 recordings to your computer. The software is also not very intuitive.

A decent MP3 player, but a great multipurpose recorder.......2005-03-13

If you're reading this are probably interested in getting the Neuros MP3 player and multiformat recorder. I'll give you a few basics that may help you decide.

I bought this because I want a recorder that record FM channel and this unit could. But also that it could broadcast on an FM channel was an added bonus, and didn't require an additional part. Another feature that won me over was the line in recording. So I could record from an audio source using an eighth inch audio cable.

And here's a few things about this unit. It doesn't have a microphone preamp so you can't just run a microphone into it. You'll need to buy a preamp that is kind of a bummer. And the lowest MP3 you can record at is 64 K.

This is the bonus feature section!!!
One of the biggest reasons to get this player is that has open-source firmware (this means that the community of Neuros users can adjust the firmware that are released an ad features). This is already available through the garbage-branch firmware this firmware adds so much to the recorder is a must-have. Go to the Neuros web site and check out the user forum. There's tons of information. Also, this unit has the bonus feature of being able to record in wav (which is uncompressed audio). So you won't get any distortion by compression, and also it's able to record in ogg vorbis which again I believe is an open-source audio compression format that is lossless.

So, this unit has a lot going for it. I was able to record seven plus hours of FM radio. On one charge of the battery that was after I upgraded to the open-source firmware.

One quick note there many versions of the Neuros available. There is a 128 MB/256 MB Mini player, with those you can buy a backpack. That is actually just a laptop hard drive in a case, thus allowing you to add 20 to 100 gigs of hard drive space. No thing to note is that you cannot pop out the mini Neuros from the ones that do not have the flash memory inside. I hope that made sense, if not go to the Neuros web site.

neuroaudio.com

Have some fun and get it done

Average customer rating:

Neuros Audio 40215 00 256 Mb Mp3 Player

Manufacturer: NEUROS
ProductGroup: CE

Product Description

256 MB INTERNAL FLASH MEMORYý BROADCAST WIRELESSLY THROUGH ANY FM RADIO OR LISTEN PRIVATELY THROUGH HEADPHONESý RECORD FROM THE ON-BOARD MICROPHONE OR THROUGH THE LINE-INý PLAYLIST MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TO CUSTOMIZEý INCLUDES DETACHABLE BACKPACK

Product Description

Whatever the need or the workload, the ML186 sets an impressive pace. Select any of four speed settings and get a quality product in less time. Fastest is the blazing 375 cps "Super Speed" Draft mode, followed by the 333 cps High-Speed Draft, 250 cps Utility, and the Near-Letter Quality of 62.5 cps.The printer's small footprint makes it ideal for use in your system configuration. And the operator panel control of character sets, form length, and other frequently used functions makes the ML186 quite easy to use. (The printer has a "lockout" feature to prevent unauthorized setting changes.)Demand only the best. Put the rugged, affordable MICROLINE 186 to work in the shop or behind the counter. Today.

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Parallel)

Average customer rating:

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Parallel)

Manufacturer: OKIDATA
ProductGroup: Office Product
Binding: Office Product

Test Printer Node | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
ASIN: B000OVUI20

Product Description

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Parallel)
MICROLINE 186 Workgroup Parallel Printer, 240 dpi x 216 dpi, 9 pin - monochrome. 14.2w x 11d x 5"h. Weight 9.9 lbs. Printer output: 375 char/second super speed (maximum) and 333 char/second high speed. 128 KB RAM. 120v, USB.

Average customer rating:

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Parallel)

Manufacturer: Okidata Corporation
ProductGroup: CE

Dot Matrix | Printers | Office Electronics | Categories | Electronics

Office Electronics | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Test Printer Node | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
ASIN: B00073HT86

Product Description

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Parallel)
MICROLINE 186 Workgroup Parallel Printer, 240 dpi x 216 dpi, 9 pin - monochrome. 14.2w x 11d x 5"h. Weight 9.9 lbs. Printer output: 375 char/second, max. speed 333 char/second. 128 KB RAM. 120v, USB.

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Serial)

Average customer rating:

Microline ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Serial)

Manufacturer: Okidata Corporation
ProductGroup: CE

Dot Matrix | Printers | Office Electronics | Categories | Electronics

Office Electronics | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Test Printer Node | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
ASIN: B00070PURQ

Product Description

MICROLINE ML186 Dot Matrix Printer (Serial)
MICROLINE 186 Workgroup Serial Printer, 240 dpi x 216 dpi, 9 pin - monochrome. 14.2w x 11d x 5"h. Weight 9.9 lbs. Printer output: 375 char/second, max. speed 333 char/second. 128 KB RAM. 120v, USB.

Product Description

Nu-kote International produces more than 3, 000 products for use in over 30, 000 types of imaging devices. As the world shrinks and printing technology expands, count on Nu-kote to keep its edge. The company will do it through a commitment to quality, value, innovation, financial strength and superior service.This ribbon is compatible with Panasonic printers KX-P1090, 1180, 1191.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Printer Ribbon.......2005-07-12

It is a very great product, provided that you'v already have the right printer. If you don't maybe don't try this, since it is a little bit outdated. Howerver, you can also try to old printer and this products in combination, if you can find good deal.

Product Description

CT-13R37S is a 13" diagonal TV with Easicon remote control. It combines a nifty design and a high functionality with the comfort you need. CT-13R37S features a built-in Closed Caption decoder, recall/rapid tune, V-Chip program lockout, a precision notch filter, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Great Price and cool for kids room!.......2003-08-01

I got this TV for christmas and put in my room it was the perefect size and great for my first TV (in my room).
It has great picture quality and I totally recommend it.

Awesome TV!!!!.......2003-02-06

i got this for christmas and i love it! it works with my game system and my VCR! great picture too. i recommend this tv for a kid's room

affordable good tv.......2002-10-12

if you want a small tv, like a 13 inch tv, than you should definitly get this tv. it is small but not too small, good picture, an alarm, and a cool remote. ideal for a guest bedroom or even a master bedroom. great for kids' rooms too. i prefer the silver vrs. the black!

Product Description

The E450 10 Mbps Ethernet card features Plug-n-Play auto-configuration technology. With a jumperless design, your Ethernet card connection automatically configures to your networking environment without the need to reconfigure manually. This Ethernet card comes bundle with Mac and PC drives at no extra cost. You can have your choice of different networks with the 450's dual media connections (10Base-T, 10Base-2) without having to buy separate cards for your Mac or PC. You'll get faster network connections than ever before with 32-bit bus mastering and twice the bandwidth with the Full Duplex technology.

Product Description

LG Electronics is one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers, producing a large range of consumer electronics and IT products. LG has created reputation for progressive technology and innovation with the latest technological developments in consumer electronics, home appliances and IT products.PRODUCT FEATURES: The large screen, coupled with ultra high brightness and multimedia speakers, makes it well-suited for home entertainment and for presentations for large groups of people; FLATRON LCD's Ultra high brightness module sets a new standard in brightness; Wide Display is ideal for watching TV & DVD movies in their origin wide screen format; User can enjoy convenient access to AV devices such as DVD players, VCRs, video games, camcorders, and more; Multitasking function allows user to enjoy an image from two different sources at once; DVI delivers sharper and cleaner images without any data loss making it suitable for graphic and multimedia users; OSD Lock function prevents unwanted changes to the display settings; Mounting slots at the back allow the LG's LCD monitor to be hung just like a picture; LightView function allows users to freely adjust brightness and color temperature according to their application, like day/night, photo, text, and movie.

Average customer rating:
Lancast 100M TXTO100M BWDM 1310TX-SA MEDIA CONVRT ( 2133-1Y-01 )

Manufacturer: Lancast Inc.
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Networking Kits | Wireless | Networking & Online Communication | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
ASIN: B00021XI3S

Product Description

Package of Ten 3.5" high-density diskettes for Macintosh

Maxell 3.5 HD 1.44MB Formatted Mac Mf2HD (50-Pack)

Average customer rating:

Maxell 3.5 HD 1.44MB Formatted Mac Mf2HD (50-Pack)

Manufacturer: Maxell
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Maxell | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Product Description

Besides being the industry standard for performance and reliability, Maxell floppy disks offer technological advances for improved data protection. Maxell 3.5" disk features include the patented Dual-Interlocking Flex Shutter , a self-cleaning, multi-layer disk liner to keep the magnetic surface clean and error free, an innovative multi-binding system to help extend laptop battery life and a disk shell that withstands extreme conditions even at temperatures as high as 140 degree F.

Electronics:

Electronics

Electronics