Sharp VL-WD255U Mini DV Camcorder

Pros: It's the lowest priced digital camcorder out there;26x optical zoom
Cons: Terrible picture quality; Awkward to Use; Broke after only 1 day of use

Let me first start by saying that I really wanted to like this camcorder. On paper, it looked awesome! Here was a digital camcorder with Canon lens, 26x optical zoom, USB/IEEE ports, a color viewfinder AND 2.5" LCD screen, built-in digital stabilizer,...

Pros: Low price, great zoom, good macro capability
Cons: Fragile construction, wimpy battery, large size, sorry digital still camera

I got this camcorder because, until now, I had never had a loser product made by Sharp and they had a promised $100 rebate (I received it; thank you very much, Sharp, but it won't change the review...)

Is a mini-DV camcorder with 26X zoom,...

Pros: Low price, $100 rebate/free offer from Amazon, 26x optical magnification, ease of use.
Cons: Lower resolution than competitors, not as comfortable, and difficult to access controls.

I have to say the best thing by far about this camcorder is the low price - I ended up getting it for $349 after a $100 mail in rebate from Amazon.com, plus I got free shipping and a free Vivitar camera bag, tripod, and lens cleaning kit. I would say...

Pros: Cheap! Full of Features. Great starter DV camcorder. 26x zoom really works great.
Cons: Low light not great. Menu is difficult to use. Zoom slide unnatural.

We are expecting our first child in March and I wanted a DV camcorder so I could make VCD's for peoples CD-roms and DVD players. I basically looked for the cheapest yet still made by a reputable company. I got this one for $450 with no tax or shipping...

Pros: great price for great features, would give 5 stars except for the cons
Cons: "eject the cassette" error message, eating tapes,

I bought at the end of 2001, and I have been getting these "eject the cassette" messages! I just didn't know how common this was until I started looking for a replacement camcorder just today on Amazon.com, and happened to see mine (this one) and thought ...

Pros: No pros.
Cons: Poor photo quality, poor quality altogether.

No local repair available, had to ship out of state twice. Handled carefully but recorder stopped working after only two months of use. Replaced with refurbished unit which also became defective after only six more months of use. When refurbished unit was sent in for repairs, told that drum assembly needed to be replaced at a cost of $350, which was more than buying a brand new camcorder altogether.