Rating: 
Summary: READ THIS REVIEW!!
Review: I have read many comments, all that I could find online actually. For the ...price after the rebate this is a great digital camcorder. What I read online in all user comments are:1) Sharp doesnt support data transfer to a PC via IEEE1394. It only supports data transfer to other devices via IEEE1394. From what I read it will only work on Windows XP because it will auto detect it. Be sure you install the INF file from the CD so Windows XP knows what it is.
2) Apparently TDK tapes have a film that can ruin or atleast dirty the tape heads. (I use Sony tapes and it is fine)
3) A video capture program is a must for optimal quality of video transferred to your PC. First I tried Windows Movie Maker (Included with OS). The quality... I tried different modes of capturing. I then used Adobe Premier 6 or 6.5 and I was amazed! It looked great! Were not talking DVD quality here. (Read about MiniDV resolutions and quality online) To sum up... This is a very cool digital camcorder if you have Windows XP(with an IEEE1394 port), a good digital capture program like Adobe Premier (not Windows movie maker), you dont use TDK MiniDV cassettes and you get the rebate BEFORE it expires! Read the rebate carefully!
Rating:
Summary: Very good value
Review: We've had our Sharp VLNZ100U for about three months now and we love it. The reality is that this camera is a 1/2 megapixel camera whick makes it not the ablosute best quality picture, but for the cost is very good. The camera has plenty of great features including the 10x optical zoom, 300x digital zoom, 16:9 widescreen mode, Digital image stabilization, the 180 degree rotation of the LCD monitor, the still camera (saves to memory card), plus plenty of the other "standard" camcorder features. ... Never a problem w/ the camera, it's worked perfect from the very first time we used it. The real trick after getting the camera is finding good digital video editing software to make your movies. And remember this camera does not come w/ the firewire or a tape, be prepared to buy these when you get your camera.
Rating: 
Summary: BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK IN A MINI DV CAMCORDER
Review: I HAVE HAD THIS CAMCORDER FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW. I AM SO IMPRESSED
WITH THE QUALITY OF THE VIDEO AND JUST THE OVERALL SIZE AND
LOOK OF IT THAT I JUST HAD TO WRITE A REVIEW. I LOOKS QUITE A
BIT DIFFERENT THAN MOST OF THE CAMCORDERS OUT THERE, BUT DON'T
LET THAT DISSUADE YOU FROM PURCHASING IT. I PAID 299 FOR IT.
I FEEL THAT I GOT A GREAT BARGAIN. THE 3INCH LCD SCREEN IS
JUST AWESOME INDOORS OR OUT. I REALLY DON'T MISS NOT HAVING
A VIEWFINDER. WHO WOULD EVER USE IT WITH SUCH A BEAUTIFUL
SCREEN. PLAYBACK OF THE VIDEO WITH SOUND ON THE CAMCORDER.
REMOTE CONTROL INCLUDED. USE THAT LOTS. THE QUALITY OF THE
VIDEO TAKEN INDOORS AND OUTDOORS IS SUPERIOR. I CAN'T SAY
ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS. DON'T HESITATE TO BUY THIS
CAMCORDER, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPOINTED, AT LEAST I WASN'T.
Rating: 
Summary: Draw a picture instead...It will turn out better!!!!
Review: Can i hear you say "dog crap"? This camera seemed great from the reviews, and boy did I do my homework on this one. Problem was that intermittently there would be a problem during playback of tapes, ie: extreme digitalization or blocks across the video. It drove me crazy so i sent it back to amazon, who then sent me out another unit. Same issue with this one!!! Called sharp and was told they thought maybe i was using the wrong tapes???? How is that possible, I was using Sony Mini DV's, no mystery there. They told me not to use TDK tapes as they are having issues with this camera, thankfully i did not use TDK. Anyway, after 13 months of this issue, i had enough. Called Sharp corporate and demanded to speak with the CEO. Ended up speaking with one of his people who couldnt have been nicer in fixing the issue. They are sending me a totally different model camera......hope that solves it!!!
Rating:
Summary: Love It!!!!
Review: I give this camera 5 stars!
The Price can't be beat, especially with the rebate.
The features can't be beat for the price. It's everything I wanted in a video camera. And the added digital still camera... part makes it even better! The resolution may only be 740x640 or something close ....but Hey you can still print nice 3x5's at least! If not 4x6's.
I love how compact and light it is. It is smaller and lighter then my Sony FD Mavica digital still camera.
I thought I would have to settle for a cheap 8mm video camera...but then I found Amazon.com! I also love how easy it is to upload pics to the computer using the supplied usb cable. I don't have a fire wire yet so I just hooked it up through my intel pro pc web camera and uploaded my video's to my computer. It turned out ok....but probably not in digital format. So I will probably end up getting the firewire soon. But it will work. I love having the ability to playback the video on the camera with sound. And being able to add more to the tape using the dubbing feature. It is very easy to switch from recording videos to recording still pics. Just a flip of one switch. Plus you can grab images off of your videos on your camera very easily too. I have nothing bad to say about this camera. I just wish it came with a carrying case. Made for it so everything would fit perfectly. And I wish 2 day shipping didn't take 2 days! But that's life! hahahaha
Rating:
Summary: Best Kept Secret
Review: This is an awesome product! I don't know why more people don't get them. The reliability, ease of use, combination of features and display area make this a top notch product. I use many DV cameras for my work so I know what I'm talking about here. The price makes this even better! One drawback - no jack for external mike. But the sound its condenser mike picks up is pretty good. I hope Sharp continues to make them!
Rating:
Summary: For the price - GREAT camera.
Review: I'll say it again - this is a great camera, considering the price. The video quality far surpasses VHS-C, for a VHS-C price. I've owned this camera for about a month and it has worked as expected right out of the box. In my opinion, the digital still camera feature is just an extra selling point for Sharp. The quality of the still photos is about the quality of an image capture from a video tape. It's not even as good as my 3 year old 1.3 megapixel camera I bought used for 50 bucks. So don't buy it thinking you're getting a quality digital still camera. The camcorder is easy to operate and comfortable to hold (you almost have to use both hands, though.) I like not having to hold it up to my eye, and the large LCD display looks great indoors or out. The "quick return" feature is nice - it fast-forwards the tape to the end of the last recording, so you don't accidentally tape over something. I was initially concerned about the short warranty period (90 days), so I purchased it using my American Express card, which extends my warranty one year. UPDATE: I've had the camera 5 months now and still no problems. I bought a Firewire cable and card for my computer and it works flawlessly transferring video to my computer, which is then recorded onto DVD. I've heard Sharp won't offer tech support for transferring video to computer, but it works great with my Dell computer running Windows XP Home.
Rating: 
Summary: Love the Video hate the pictures
Review: It is a great camera for video even though when I zoom from far distances it is fuzzy. The pictures suck!!!! You will never get a really clear shot unless you are outside. There is no flash... You can lighten the picture but it is not them same. Then getting the pictures developed... Well they look pretty bad. I love to scrap and can't do it with these pictures.
Rating:
Summary: Draw a picture instead...It will turn out better!!!!
Review: Can i hear you say "dog crap"? This camera seemed great from the reviews, and boy did I do my homework on this one. Problem was that intermittently there would be a problem during playback of tapes, ie: extreme digitalization or blocks across the video. It drove me crazy so i sent it back to amazon, who then sent me out another unit. Same issue with this one!!! Called sharp and was told they thought maybe i was using the wrong tapes???? How is that possible, I was using Sony Mini DV's, no mystery there. They told me not to use TDK tapes as they are having issues with this camera, thankfully i did not use TDK. Anyway, after 13 months of this issue, i had enough. Called Sharp corporate and demanded to speak with the CEO. Ended up speaking with one of his people who couldnt have been nicer in fixing the issue. They are sending me a totally different model camera......hope that solves it!!!
Rating:
Summary: Pleased even if Camcorder isn't perfect
Review: Never having a camcorder before, I've been reasonably pleased with my Viewcam for the last 40 hours of its use. It's small enough to velcro to the dash and steadied by the windshield of my car (stuck on below battery and above viewcam's body) for making easy and watchable vacation travelogs if one selects scenic roads. Turn up the in-dash stereo a little and most of the car noise disappears from the recordings. Music videos without actors. Better than high speed cop chases. And better than home movies. (Didn't you just wish you could take your mom with you on a trip, but were glad you didn't? Now you "can." Send her a VHS cassette copy when you return.) Dub in high quality audio after the fact too; the microphone works well. It can use a 12v cigarette adapter from RadioShack for endless power. Sharp makes a remote that works well with it). Need a camcorder case? Just buy a cheap, common men's toiletries travel case, add some foam in the main compartment to protect the Viewcam, and store up to 8 Mini-DV tapes, the remote, a spare battery, and your cable and AC adapter in the side pockets. Don't drop it; its too fragile for that. And don't scratch the anti-reflection coating on the LCD. But for a cheap camcorder that fits mostly in a man's shirt pocket, it's great! I love the still photo feature for use while videotaping. I'll snap a titled dialog screen, or anything off a computer display or real life, and record it to video while the camcorder is running. It's lot more steady than handholding the camcorder for 5 seconds or so. The menu screens are annoyingly awkward, but they inexpensively access many useful features. Live with it. Amazon... you'll sell all you can stock on your shelves at the on-sale price!
| 
