Sharp VLZ3U MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and Memory Slot

Product Description

The VL-Z3U Digital camcorder is a one-handed solution that features an integrated rotational pivot point in the center of the unit for ease-of-use and more comfort while recording. This unique body design leads to a smaller camcorder and allows total flexibility while recording. The VL-Z3U Digital camcorder incorporates CG Silicon LCD screen technology for a high-resolution image during playback and when framing subjects. CG Silicon LCD technology from Sharp is a new solution in size and resolution for high style digital applications. This model also includes a memory card slot for still image capture and a USB port for easy transfer of stills to a PC.

Amazon.com Product Description

With a free angle range of 225 degrees, you can easily swivel the Sharp VL-Z3U to shoot from a high angle, low angle, or even back at yourself without straining your wrist. The VL-Z3U is also a well-equipped digital camcorder that features a 10x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD display, black and white viewfinder, and a memory card slot for digital stills.

Image Stabilization
Sharp uses electric picture stabilization that keeps your images smooth and steady. Natural jerks and shaky holding will be smoothed over with this function turned on.

Optics
The 1/4-inch CCD has 680,000 pixels for sharp and clear imaging. The 10x optical zoom is effective for most purposes, but if you need extra close shots the camcorder can zoom up to 500x digitally. For low-light situations, the camcorder can operate in slow shutter mode for slow-moving or stable objects and night lumi mode for bright objects at night.

More Features
The VL-Z3U features a 2.5-inch color LCD and a black and white viewfinder. The LCD monitor incorporates new CG silicon technology to achieve high luminance and definition, making viewing easy even in broad daylight. The rechargeable battery snugly clips inside the frame of the camcorder, rather than outside like most other camcorders. This makes the camera less bulky and easier to carry.

The camcorder also has a memory slot that is compatible with Secure Digital or MultiMedia Cards, so you can take digital stills and import them onto a computer via the USB port. The standard IEEE1394 (Firewire) connection can be used for digital video editing, while the standard AV output terminal is used for viewing on TV or dubbing.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV is the new preferred format for personal and broadcast-quality video, highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. With up to 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 20 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Contents
This package includes the VL-Z3U camcorder, AC adapter, lithium-ion battery pack, A/V-S cable, lens cap, USB cable, and USB driver software.

Customer Reviews:

Concurr with the last few reviews before me.......2007-01-15

this camcorder is pretty long in the tooth & I doubt many are still buying it, but in case you are thinking about becoming a new owner -- add my experience to the last few who posted reviews prior to mine. This machine was great on paper, and worked pretty well the first year or so (during which I wasn't using it that often -- maybe once or twice a month). But after a year it got to the point where it wouldn't load a new cassette right away, then only after trying repeatedly, and then, finally ... it wouldn't load a cassette at all.

Great product on paper that I thought I got for a good price here at amazon, but ended up costing me a lot when you figure how little use I got out of it.

Dew Indicator Light.......2006-06-12

After a year and a half the dew indicator has stopped the camera from working completely. When this first started happening I had to let the camera sit open for 2 hours, I missed some pretty important events for that reason. Now--even though it has been indoors in low humidity for a month the dew light is on and the camera won't work at all. I am very dissapointed as I shouldn't have to buy another camera in such a short time. I won't buy a sharp product again.

Avoid Sharp DigiCams! Production DISCONTINUED/DEW problems.......2006-05-04

I am appalled that others have experienced the horrible DEW problem with this camera. When the temperature and humidity changes, the digicam provides a warning and shuts down. This is outlined in the user manual, but I was very disappointed that the camera would shut down for days on end. We missed great moments of our toddler and family events because of this camera, which was a fairly expensive purchase.

Upon calling 1800-BE SHARP, their customer service line, I was informed that Sharp no longer produces these digicams anyways!! Since the warranty had expired, the only service centre they could recommend is in Los Angeles whereas we live in Northern California. Our solution is to buy another, much better, non-Sharp product.

Avoid this product if you want a satisfactory/happy filming experience

Great when it works; but frustrating overall.......2006-01-31

I have had this camera for almost two years now...just after the one-year mark (when warranty expired!) it started having problems. Before then it was great. Small, nice LCD, strong zoom, easy to use, nice video. I never tried it for digital snapshots, though.

Problems started at the worst possible time...trip to Brazil half for vacation and half to document my wife philanthropic work that she is doing (and starting a nonprofit org). For no apparent reason, as we were in a drought, the "DEW" warning kept going off and not allowing any use of camera. After days of frustration, we just gave up on it.

Back in the states, weeks later the DEW problem seemed to have gone away but then the camera started eating the video-tape!!

So, I bought a new tape....and, guess, what? The "DEW" indicator goes off again -- at my kids TaeKwonDo testing for Black Belt!

Ironic how you save a couple bucks shopping around for a value product and then realize you have lost priceless memories due to poor engineering/manufacturing....I am now using our 10-year old Sony videotape camcorder...big but RELIABLE.

I'm going to try soldering the DEW problem per other review...pathetic that consumers are soldering Japanese camcorders!

update: GUESS WHAT? I called Sharp USA and complained to Tech Support and they transferred me to Customer Service who knew immediately about this issue and they told me to send it in to the repair facility and they would issue a special approval for a free repair even though i have owned it beyond the 1-year warrany period...they said they'd pay for labor & materials,..i only have to pay for shipping. I am satisfied.

Good video and fair snapshots 4.5 stars.......2006-01-21

I just returned from a trip to Nepal and India and found the VLZ3U to be just the ticket. It takes great video of a quality that enabled me to extract pictures of Everest and a tiger in the wild equal to most digital still cameras. The still pictures taken with the camera to the card were great for snapshots but are of too low a quality to alow much of a blow up. I did, however, take over 1500 picture that are just fine if I don't try to make them much bigger than 5x6. The "DEW" problem has cropped up 3 times in two months with no cause that I could determine as the humidity was not high at any point. I did find that I could remove the "DEW" hangup by removing the battery and immediately replacing. When I did this the "DEW" disappeared and I was able to take both still and video.

Product Description

All PCF WP models offer a fully waterproof, nitrogen-filled body, outstanding optical performance with aspherical optical elements, excellent viewing comfort and a stylish body design. In addition, they are fully encased in a protective rubber housing. Because of their rugged waterproof and fog-proof design, the Pentax PCF WPs are ideal for use around and on the water, as well as for observations in harsh weather and extreme climates.The waterproof and fogproof body of PCF WP models is rated JIS Class 6 (submersible down to 1 meter depth of water), allowing them to be washed clean when they get dirty or are accidentally soaked in salt water. They have fully multi-coated optics to eliminate harmful ultraviolet rays while improving light transmission for high contrast images with no glare or flare. High quality BaK-4 prisms transmit more light at the edges to enhance illumination for easier viewing in dim light. All models incorporate aspherical optical elements to produce clear, bright images with minimal distortion. All models feature a long eye relief of 20mm or longer, making it easier for the user to see the image even when the eyes are moved away from the eyepieces. This feature is especially convenient for those who wear eyeglasses. A mechanical focus lock feature allows users to lock in at a specific distance for convenient focus-free viewing. Click-stop diopter adjustment locks in right eyepiece diopter setting. Ruggedly constructed with rubber covering to protect the optical and mechanical systems. The rubber slide-style eyecups are easily pulled out providing easier image viewing for eyeglass wearers. In addition, the eyepiece caps are designed to double-function as rain shields to make viewing easier in the rain or snow. Combine the built-in tripod socket with a tripod and the optional Tripod Adapter-N to stabilize the binoculars and prevent unwanted shake, making extended observations easy and comfortable.

Customer Reviews:

Solidly built, but not perfect.......2005-05-27

The construction of this bino is very solid. The weight is not too much for hand-holding. The shaking caused by high magnification is not too much for hand-holding, but to get good sharp views, you need something like a tree or fence to support it. With the back of a chair to rest it on, you can see the 4 big moons of jupiter. They're like little points of light on either side of the larger disk of jupiter. There are only 2 flaws with this pentax. First, there seems to be a small amount of chromatic abberation that makes the focus not as sharp as i would like it to be. I am a perfectionist. Maybe with this high magnification and larger lens it should be expected, but i would not be surprised if the oberwerk 20x60 for $120 has better sharpness. Secondly, the lens caps have to be pulled out for you to see, but their click-stop is too far away. As a result, 25% of the binos field of view is lost. Gone. Wasted. A crying shame. The designers really screwed up. This is the main reason i do not recommend buying this bino. I sent an email to Pentax and they forwarded my email to "marketing". Maybe if they would forward this kind of feedback to the designers instead of "marketing" they would get a clue. Anyway, the oberwerk is probably better for a better price for distance views, but the oberwerk's short-focus distance is 60 feet (not too short!). One thing they did get right about this bino is the short focus (26 feet) is as short as possible and the click-stop diopter is really good. Keep in mind, at this higher magnification of 20x, your field of view is not as great and some vision is lost to shaking. If you're looking at nature stuff, a standard lower magnification of 10x like in a 10x50 will give you nicer (wider) views that make you feel you're more part of the action. The 20x magnification is more for gathering information at a distance than for "experiencing" and enjoying nature. Another good thing about the 20x60 type bino is that it doesn't seem a whole lot larger than a 10x50 like a 20x80 which can be a real monster size. 20x60 is a good compromise between a 10x50 and 20x80.

Pentax 20X60 PCF WP II Sport Optics Binoculars - BLACK

Average customer rating:

Pentax 20X60 PCF WP II Sport Optics Binoculars - BLACK

Manufacturer: Pentax
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Accessory

Nitrogen-filled waterproof (JIS Class 6) construction allow these binoculars to be used in the most extreme weather conditions and be submerged to 1 meter (not designed for underwater use)
Aluminum-diecast body adds strength and durability
Long eye-relief for viewing with or without glasses
Mechanical focus lock feature allows user to lock in at a specific distance for convenient focus-free viewing
Click-stop diopter adjustment locks in right eyepiece diopter setting

ASIN: B00092EIFW

Product Description

The high-performance PENTAX 20x60 PCF WP II binocular sports large objective lenses and provides 20X magnification for superior light gathering at dusk or dawn. Add to that a 114 foot field of view and waterproof construction, and this high-performance model provides superior viewing in even the lowest light conditions and harshest climates. Ruggedly constructed with a rubber housing to protect the internal optical and mechanical systems Helicoid eyepiece ring with four click stops give the most comfortable eye relief Binocular Type - Porro-prism center focusing (built-in focusing arm) Lens Construction - Objective Lens - 2 elements in 1 group Eyepiece Lens - 5 elements in 4 groups Coating - Lens - Full multi-coating Prism - Multi-coating Magnification - 20X / Objective Lens Diameter - 60mm Field of View - Real - 2.2 degrees /Apparent - 44 degrees / Field Of View At 1000 Meters - 38m / Field of View at 1000 yards - 114 ft. Diopter Adjustment Range - +/- 4 m -1 / Diopter Adjustment - Right diopter ring (click diopter adjustment) Included Accessories - Objective lens caps, Rain-shielding eyepiece caps (eyepiece lens caps), Case, Neck strap Dimensions (Height Width) - 8.82 x 7.67 inches (224 x 195mm) Thickness - 3.35 inches (85mm) / Weight - 45.1 oz. Pentax Limited lifetime warranty

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