» Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Throw Away purchase
Comment: My video camera was working great but yesterday it started acting up and was not replaying video in a normal mode. The video was choppy and the sound came out in blips here and there, it is in a permanent state of slow fast-forward or so it seems.

I have had this video camera for about 15 months and have been very happy with its easy and user-friendly approach. I look to Sony for quality, however I have been less than satisfied with their accoutability. I do not believe in extended warranties. I think they are a crock and if a product or company has to be backed up by an extended warranty they are not worth buying or supporting, or you had better just resolve to purchasing a "throw away" product.

Having said that I have just recieved the news that my video camera is in need of sony service repair. My warranty is 75 days out of date, but even so when I was told that it was an internal malfunction with the camera I do not feel that I should be the "test-dummy" for Sony's longevity of the purchased product. I can buy a new one for $250.00 on Amazon or have it repaired for half that price, but then only recieve a 90 day warranty on the work. That does not pencil out financially for me and is essentially not worth the hassle when it can be replaced for a seemingly small amount.

You get what you pay for, as the old adage goes. If you are looking for a product with longevity this is not it. Hence the title "Throw Away Purchase"

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Piece of junk
Comment: One year and one month after purchase, in other words one month after the warranty expired, the tape door stuck open. I've used it maybe 4-5 times and stored it gently and safely in its padded case out of harm's way. Then last week I pulled it out, ejected the tape, put in a new one, and clack...the door won't close and take in the tape. I did some searching on the net and found many, many people having this same problem with Sony devices. It's a shame because other than it catastrophically failing 30 days after the warranty expired, I really liked it. What's happened to Sony? Sad.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: It's great!
Comment: I have no complaints. It is challenging to figure out a good software to use to put it on your computer. I have a DVD recorder and just transfer it directly from the camera to a DVD. Great camera though! I'd recommend it for a simple little video camera!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Sorry I bought this item
Comment: I am very disappointed with this camera. The image stabilizer does not work. I exchanged the first camera I bought for a second and was presented with the same problem. I tried the second camera for a while thinking I was at fault. Nope. The IS does not work. However, I am very pleased with the way I was treated by Amazon. I will now first look to them for any purchase.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: No-Budget Filmmaker Says Yes!
Comment: I purchased this camera as a replacement for my aging Sony Handycam TRV37. The TRV37 was a great Hi-8 camera that served me well over several film projects. As it got older and I decided it was time to upgrade to MiniDV I found my way to the HC26.

This little bundle of a digital camera has performed superbly and it's immensely modest price allowed me to immediately turn around and return to the guerrilla film making that I had been doing with my old Handycam.

As a no-budget film maker it is important to get the most that you can out of every dollar spent and the HC26 really was worth every penny. The size of the camera is convenient for those wishing to remain unobtrusive during shooting. The optics capture a crisp and clean image that even looks good when blown up to projection size. I know this because I had a film, shot entirely on my HC26, that appeared in the Maine International Film Festival in July of 2007 and it looked great.

For those looking to make movies on MiniDV but don't have the money to spend on the high-end MiniDV cameras the HC26 is worth the investment.

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