DO NOT BUY ANY SHARP Camcorders
Written: May 07 '05
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Pros: NONE. Known hardware failure makes it utterly USELESS, at any price.
Cons: Camcorder is easily rendered USELESS, until professionally and somewhat expensively repaired.
The Bottom Line: COMPLETE RIP-OFF! The DEW-sensor problem can happen at any time, rendering this camcorder useless. Sharp knows, but WILL NOT stand behind their products and hide behind RUDE customer service.
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| g099521's Full Review: Sharp Viewcam VL-Z5U Mini DV Camcorder |
Well, where do I start? I originally bought this camcorder through Amazon.com, which also had a $50 rebate. I was traveling when I received it and bought a camera bag and other accessories. I threw away the original box, which had the UPS symbol. Therefore, when I went to submit for the rebate, I did not have it and Sharp (and their rebate center) would not honor the rebate at all (this was my 1st negative experience with Sharp's customer Service). For the price ($250), I still felt it was a good purchase.
This camera has a "DEW" indicator that will not allow you to operate it in high humidity. There is a known problem where the indicator stays on (condition I have now). Sharp's customer service says to take to an authorized service center. Camera is out of 1 year warranty and only has 90 day warranty for labor.
The problem has been well known and documented with many models of Sharp's camcorders. They refuse to fix it and because it involves intricate soldering, renders the camcorder USELESS (unless repaired by technician for approximately $150). There are technical forums that discuss this problem, the fix, and Sharp's refusal to take ownership. This is where I found that it was not an isolated problem... http://www.digital-world.info/viewtopic/t-1729/postdays-0/postorder-asc/start-0.html
There are over 27 pages of complaints from MANY of the consumers of Sharp's camcorders reporting the same issue. Shame on you Sharp. I know what to expect from rip-off and con-artists, but did not expect this from a company I used to respect.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 250
Recommended for: Budget Buyers - Best Values to Fit the Budget
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Epinions.com ID:
g099521
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Reviews written: 1
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