Sharp VL-H860U Hi8 Viewcam Camcorder

Sharp VL-H860U Hi8 Viewcam Camcorder
Manufacturer: Sharp
Product Type: Photography

Editorial Review:
Product Description
You live the ultimate life? You want the ultimate camcorder to come along with you. This incredible, top of the line, camcorder from Sharp gives you all the features you need in a high resolution, high-end camcorder. From the baby's first steps to the parents 50th wedding anniversary this incredible product will record it all in the crisp clear resolution of the Hi8 format while the big, bright 3" Color LCD Screen allows you to see the action as soon as it happens. The monitor is coated with a special anti-fingerprint resin to help reduce fingerprints and make it easier to wipe them off.Hi8 extends the performance of standard 8mm format to near-professional heights. The Hi8 circuit allows the ViewCam to record a video signal with 400 lines of resolution, 40% better than conventional 8 mm. This gives you an amazingly vivid picture with superior color resolution and greater detail. The D.I.S. circuit senses movement of the user holding the camera and helps to reduce image shake and jitter, delivering a more stable picture thus giving your videos a cleaner, more professional look and feel. Title Writer allows you to customize your own titles with up to 15 characters. 270 Degree Twist Operation allows the flexibility needed for shooting from different angles. Shooting from the waist so that kids are taped at eye level is a snap and it's just as easy to shoot over a crowd by angling the screen down. The Auto LCD Brightness Control function automatically changes the backlight brightness level of the LCD screen to match lighting conditions. The result is effortless LCD screen adjustment when moving from indoor to outdoor scenes.
Amazon.com Review
The Sharp VL-H860U combines an easy-to-use, unique design with a super-close-up zoom and special effects to create a camcorder that's both fun and powerful. Its high- quality Hi-8 format ensures that your videos will be extra sharp and clear. This camcorder is a great choice for family use.

The Sharp VL-H860U's design lets you hold the camera above your head or facing you while you swivel the main screen portion toward you. This design is even more intuitive than the flip-out LCD screen used in most camcorders. The only drawback to this design is that the Sharp VL- H860U doesn't have an additional optical viewfinder. It was exceptionally easy to hold and point, however, feeling more like a large, square film camera than a bulky, oblong camcorder--plus it is quite an eye-catcher.

The Sharp VL-H860U's Hi8 format, a better-quality version of 8mm film, records clearer, sharper and more colorful videos than those recorded on VHS, VHS-C, or traditional 8mm tapes. Hi8 is the best-quality video you can get short of going digital.

The Sharp VL-H860U has up to 22x optical zoom and a whopping 200x digital zoom--useful for filming sporting events and other long-distance views. However, raising the magnification reduces the quality of the image. This camcorder comes with a wide range of exposure and special effects options, including backlight compensation, fade, strobe, and picture effects. It also has digital image stabilization, useful for shaky subjects.

Another feature we liked was the Sharp VL-H860U's single-shot camera ability, which lets you take snapshots accompanied by sound. Although this camcorder doesn't have the computer-transfer capabilities of a digital camera, it is still fun to take photos on the tape as well as video.

Pros:

• Unique, easy-to-use design
• Large 3-inch LCD screen
• Wide range of exposure and picture effects
• Still-shot capability
• High-quality Hi-8mm format

Cons:

• No optical viewfinder

Average customer rating:

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