Rating: 
Summary: I own the VL-WD650U and it works great!
Review: Maybe I got lucky, but I find it weird
that everybody is complaining about the VL-WD450U,I own the VL-WD650U, and it works perfectly,
of course it cost a little more(since the LCD screen is 3"!). I have only used Panasonic LD tapes, and havent had any problems. It's funny because the problem everybody is decribing sure sounds like dirty recording heads to me,
I had that problem with a JVC I used to own,
I was constantly having to clean the heads,
Then I realized that if I just removed the tape
when it wasn't in use, the heads didn't get dirty all the time,
with SHARP I haven't even had that problem
I can leave the tapes in the camcorder all the time. As far as quality is concerned,
I find it excellent, the only thing I don't like is the size, it's a little too big,
especially compared to the tiny JVC's,
on the other hand I've found it much more durable. The Feature are great, I love the 26X Zoom,
and the Zoom Mic, I've even recorded analogue video onto Digital,
Digital Zoom, all the other features work good, it has real RCA jacks, it's great! I have noticed the picture is a little too dark,
so I use the manual exposure to make the
picture brighter, other than that I have no complaints about it. The still pictures are about average for one of these things. The menu could be a little easier to use,
but I'm an expert at these things by now,
so it wasn't really that hard to figure out. I love mine!
Rating: 
Summary: Before you send the camera back, check out some things.
Review: ...The camera worked very well, I was very happy with it until when I was playing back a shot I took, the pixels starting getting big, black lines appeared and then the display warning for clogged heads came up...I read the comment guidelines...I called Sharp and got the "Gee, that's not supposed to happen" line, send it to NY"...I reread the manual and realized I had been recording with the camera right next to my computer. The manual says, "avoid magnetic sources". Later that day I tried the camera again and it worked fine and haven't had a problem since. Hopefully that was the problem...the manual says if you use the LP (long playing mode) with tapes not designed for LP, it will cause playback problems...I hope this helps anyone having the playback problems. Too bad the people at Sharp can't/won't give you some options of what may be causing the problems.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Ignore the Reviews!!!
Review: Don't Ignore the Reviews!!! I read all the reviews about the problems with this camcorder. I figured that they were just a few cases. I ordered one -- and it had all the same problems that other people had stated (fuzzy sound, pixelization, dirty head). So, I asked Amazon for a new one. It came in the mail, and it had all the same problems. This WOULD have been a great camcorder (it has lots of cool features that I really liked, and a really easy to use menu system), but it doesn't work.
Rating:
Summary: very good quality
Review: very good movie quality and easy to use. I think this cam's feature was good and it's function for price was excellent.
especially cat's eye, 26* optical zoom. but it's somewhat bulky and button array was fusy.
Rating:
Summary: Great Product for the Price. The miniDV FORMAT has problems
Review: I bought this camera after my old-faithfull VHS-C camcorder started failing (6yrs old). I wanted to get into the new digital format, and at this price I figure that this would definitely be the product to do the jump. I did however read on many different boards and review sites about a problem that seems to be fairly common with the miniDV format. If you leave the tape in the camera when not in use, you are only asking for trouble. I've had mine for a little over a month, and have not used it as much as I anticipated. I have not have had any playback problems, but I have been very religious about getting the tape out! It is a different style of camera than what I was used to, but the features once you learn them are great. The image quality with poor lighting is not very impresive, but even so is better than my old VHS-C. The zoom, the mic, the audio, and the firewire, are great!!! It has an infrared mode in which it uses an infrared lamp and a special setting to record black and white in total darkness (infrared light on the camera illuminates for shooting). Those of you who may avoid this camera because of the playback problems may want to research more this problem of clogged heads when the tape is left in the camera... This may be a problem that is dependent on the brand of tape, and obviously on what the camera does to in the tape transport when the camera is shut off. But be aware, even if you don't get this bargain, you may still have problems... Try a head cleaning tape if you are having the problem, and take the tape out if not in use (I am using panasonic tape)...
Rating:
Summary: marymarc
Review: I have this camcorder and I love it.It has features found in cameras that cost twice as much and does it just as well.With Canon lenses you can us any of there lense adapters ie wide angle or filters.The worst thing I can say is that you will have to read the manual because with all the features, it is very complicated, but with practice it becomes easy.I give this camcorder a 5 star rating for price and features.Go for it,you won't be sorry
Rating:
Summary: Do not buy it
Review: Same problem! Can't play back!!
Rating:
Summary: Works as advertised
Review: I have not had the problems that the other reviewers here have had. I'm using Fujifilm DV Cassettes and I'm not sure if that is the difference or not. (But I'll continue to use this brand.) I've been importing my tapes into an Apple Mac for video editing and then exporting the finished product out to tape. It works well in this manner. My only complaint is occasional sound chopiness, but it's not enough to ruin the product for me. (Especially at this price point.) Hope this helps.
Rating:
Summary: It's the Tape, not the recorder....
Review: I just couldn't resist this "bargain." Sure enough, I had playback difficulties the very first time I made a tape and tried to play it back. So i tested it by taping a TV show (just focused the canmera several feet from the screen) for an hour and trying to play that back. Again, I had interrupted playback and, blue screen and broad lines across the picture, just as described in some Amazon reviews. Tried it again after correcting for an instuction I thought I missed - same problems. So I called Sharp - wrote email, too - and after navigating through what seemed like an endless menu, got the wrong person - wrong department, that is - on the phone. Told her what product I was calling about and she transferred me directly to the right department; this took maybe 5 mintues. I mention this because Sharp tech support has been flamed here on Amazon and I want to add my experience to the collective wisdom. His suggestion was this: "Try a different tape (miniDV)" and if it still fails, try a different brand. If that fails, take it to a local Sharp repair center...." OK, the nearest Sharp repair center is about a mile away, but shoot, I don't want a repaired lemon, I want an insanely great camcorder at an insanely great price, and coming home from the Sharp repair center would just make me feel plain insane for having kept a lemon (fixed) instead of putting out the additional dough for a higher priced camcorder without such history. But... I tried the new tape idea and I have to tell you, the camera works great! I taped another TV show for an hour, then randomly played back segments of the tape (TDK, by the way) - NO Problem. Then I taped my son playing indoor soccer tonight and, except for the minutes when I thought I was recording, but had actually pressed the toggle to pause instead of start recording, the camcorder worked insanely great. I played back his game (and goal) both on the camera's LCD screen and then on the TV at home. NO problem. What a great value after the rebate that goes away 3/31. I gave the product only 4 stars only because I haven't had time to test the still picture capability or transfer the tape to my Mac for editing, but I read no complaints about these features. I know this sounds like a commercial, but it's really not. I'm just a grateful guy who values good value and good tech support and my faith is currently renewed and I'm tickled pink. Why spend more when in 3 years, according to Newsweek, new "foveon" technology will make today's camcorders seem like dinasoars, anyway. But I want a camcorder now to record my son now. If my camera fails before 3/31, I'll let you know. Have a great day. OK - it's 4/3 now. I can confirm that that after using two brands of tape, TDK and JVC, and testing the still photo capability that this is an insanely great camera at what was an insanely great price - even dropped in the snow from 3 feet and it kept on ticking. Used the Cat's eye to film a game of laser tag in the dark, too. Amazing. And used the26x zoom to film my son snowboarding from quite a distance. 10x, which is much more common, would have made it hard to spot him coming down the hill (even in his yellow shirt). Even at full price of about 499 on Amazon, still a bargain. Bottom line: Get One.
Rating:
Summary: Great value camera
Review: This camera has been great for me -- it's my first digital video camera and I find it to be easy to use and takes great videos. I've read some of the other reviews and it sounds like some may have had bad experience, but I couldn't be happier -- maybe there are a couple of deffective cameras out there, but I love it! The Super Cat Eye is great, it comes with all the cables, etc that you need, and the price is right! Video technology is changing fast, so why go out and spend thousands.
| 
