Steve'sDigicams

RaeRae1981 · Jan 19, 2006, 9:56 PM

I'm not too tech-savvy but I've been doing my research on the digital camcorder hybrids that have a little of everything. I've narrowed my choices down to the Aiptek MPVR, Creative Divicam 428, DXG-506V, Digilife DDV-M1, and Digilife-1000. My main priorities here are the highest mega-pixel for photo quality, and high quality video (at least 640 x 480 resolution at at least 30/fps). I do really like the mp3 option (never had one before but want one) and being able to record off the tv for a portable media player.

I can't tell if all of these models have all these features and my hours of researching are tiring me so I hope you can help me. Do all these models have the ability to record from the TV? Where in the world can a USA customer buy the DigiLife cameras from an actual store, not Ebay? And most importantly of all, which of these cameras (or ones I may not even know about) are the best quality for the money and where can I find them?

Thanks SO MUCH for your help. I posted this elsewhere but I believe that you guys will help me out.

Also, I really need decent low-light picture quality. And does CCD censor make pictures better than CMOS? I don't even know what they mean but I've been reading all these posts and reviews here and would like to know!

Cresho · Jan 20, 2006, 12:35 AM

overall, the ddv-1000 has good picture quality. but my 3mp camera from fijufilm (3800) has better image.

proffessional photographers love "anolog look" compared to "digital look" and that is what digilife is about. analog. sharper images comes from dedicated cameras. ddv gives analog look..which i like.

RaeRae1981 · Jan 20, 2006, 12:11 PM

Thanks so much! Would you happen to be able to tell me where you found your DDV-1000 since you live in the US? I can't find it anywhere but Ebay.

bobbyc03 · Jan 20, 2006, 1:23 PM

I got my wifes' parents a ddv-1000 from ebay. It was pretty fast shipping too. If you're thinking about getting one, I'd bid on one soon. As you can see, the guy selling them is raising the prices on his listing for the DDV-1000. It can get pretty exprensive, especially when you factor in the ~$70 for the 1GB SD card.

If you don't mind paying a little more, you can get the Sanyo C6. It is the ultimate in compactness and video quality. Expect to pay ~$450 for the unit (and ~$70 for the 1GB SD card).

Of course the Sanyo C6 doesn't have all the hybrid features. It just takes stills and video. It does have a 5x OPTICAL zoom however.
Bob C

Cresho · Jan 20, 2006, 1:57 PM

how long can you record on that sanyo? lets say a video?

Caelum · Jan 20, 2006, 2:01 PM

Cresho wrote:

Quote:

how long can you record on that sanyo? lets say a video?

Forever, as long as you can keep feeding it SD cards.:lol: Seriously, about 1 hour per 1GB SD. It's MPEG-4 video with MPEG-4 AAC stereo audio, total 3Mbps at highest quality.

Cresho · Jan 20, 2006, 2:21 PM

i checked out the specs for the c6. how is the quality? so far i seen a few and...well they are edited to fit webpage but i'd like to see an actual one myself for refference.

Caelum · Jan 20, 2006, 4:43 PM

Well, there are sample from the C6 in Steve's review and also in the Sanyo forum there are lots of links to samplesin this thread.

fishycomics · Jan 20, 2006, 5:17 PM

raerae. welcome to the hardest decision one can make.. oops one of many

creative best low light by a few members stating

digilife a crisper picture by few members stating

Aiptek excellent bang for the buck by members stating

dxg a very good camera

you asked some very good questions.

In the order i placed may be the way you want to chose the models.

Mustek was the beginning Hybrid, and they have changed their line. Do not forget to look at the

Mustek 9300, 5600 series.

Keep in mind there will be newer models to really throw you off. the Ispan which is also the digilife, are coming out with a 510 520

and dxg is also simular to the hanshing

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Icannot help you decide what one is best. I tried my best to collect a series ofcameras but it gets hard when a new one hits the market. I preferre to stay clear of hanshing , dxg and creative labs due to my misshap they are of the sme company

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I preferre Mustek over any camera due to the craftmanship. the housing and being my first one I purchased .

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"muastek did not pixal, and gave me a nice vid on a 42 lcd. while my aipteks did not stand up as good as mustek. the mpvr lacks the middle resolution on vid which is neccessary today

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"i would like to have a multiple choice on vids the older aiptek as in my avatar in my hand has 5 settings `m-5m and I love that . so each one will have something the other one will noe. nd that makes your first very hard to choose

Cresho · Jan 20, 2006, 5:30 PM

the only thing i can see the sanyo being better at over the digilife is the optical zoom. Other than that, pictures are all the same and even video looks the same.

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Jan 19, 2006, 9:56 PM	#1
RaeRae1981 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 137	I'm not too tech-savvy but I've been doing my research on the digital camcorder hybrids that have a little of everything. I've narrowed my choices down to the Aiptek MPVR, Creative Divicam 428, DXG-506V, Digilife DDV-M1, and Digilife-1000. My main priorities here are the highest mega-pixel for photo quality, and high quality video (at least 640 x 480 resolution at at least 30/fps). I do really like the mp3 option (never had one before but want one) and being able to record off the tv for a portable media player. I can't tell if all of these models have all these features and my hours of researching are tiring me so I hope you can help me. Do all these models have the ability to record from the TV? Where in the world can a USA customer buy the DigiLife cameras from an actual store, not Ebay? And most importantly of all, which of these cameras (or ones I may not even know about) are the best quality for the money and where can I find them? Thanks SO MUCH for your help. I posted this elsewhere but I believe that you guys will help me out. Also, I really need decent low-light picture quality. And does CCD censor make pictures better than CMOS? I don't even know what they mean but I've been reading all these posts and reviews here and would like to know!

Jan 20, 2006, 12:35 AM	#2
Cresho Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,092	overall, the ddv-1000 has good picture quality. but my 3mp camera from fijufilm (3800) has better image. proffessional photographers love "anolog look" compared to "digital look" and that is what digilife is about. analog. sharper images comes from dedicated cameras. ddv gives analog look..which i like.

Jan 20, 2006, 12:11 PM	#3
RaeRae1981 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 137	Thanks so much! Would you happen to be able to tell me where you found your DDV-1000 since you live in the US? I can't find it anywhere but Ebay.

Jan 20, 2006, 1:23 PM	#4
bobbyc03 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 47	I got my wifes' parents a ddv-1000 from ebay. It was pretty fast shipping too. If you're thinking about getting one, I'd bid on one soon. As you can see, the guy selling them is raising the prices on his listing for the DDV-1000. It can get pretty exprensive, especially when you factor in the ~$70 for the 1GB SD card. If you don't mind paying a little more, you can get the Sanyo C6. It is the ultimate in compactness and video quality. Expect to pay ~$450 for the unit (and ~$70 for the 1GB SD card). Of course the Sanyo C6 doesn't have all the hybrid features. It just takes stills and video. It does have a 5x OPTICAL zoom however. Bob C

Jan 20, 2006, 1:57 PM	#5
Cresho Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,092	how long can you record on that sanyo? lets say a video?

Jan 20, 2006, 2:21 PM	#7
Cresho Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,092	i checked out the specs for the c6. how is the quality? so far i seen a few and...well they are edited to fit webpage but i'd like to see an actual one myself for refference.

Jan 20, 2006, 4:43 PM	#8
Caelum Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,030	Well, there are sample from the C6 in Steve's review and also in the Sanyo forum there are lots of links to samplesin this thread.

Jan 20, 2006, 5:17 PM	#9
fishycomics Moderator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: NYC NY Posts: 9,683	raerae. welcome to the hardest decision one can make.. oops one of many creative best low light by a few members stating digilife a crisper picture by few members stating Aiptek excellent bang for the buck by members stating dxg a very good camera you asked some very good questions. In the order i placed may be the way you want to chose the models. Mustek was the beginning Hybrid, and they have changed their line. Do not forget to look at the Mustek 9300, 5600 series. Keep in mind there will be newer models to really throw you off. the Ispan which is also the digilife, are coming out with a 510 520 and dxg is also simular to the hanshing style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Icannot help you decide what one is best. I tried my best to collect a series ofcameras but it gets hard when a new one hits the market. I preferre to stay clear of hanshing , dxg and creative labs due to my misshap they are of the sme company style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I preferre Mustek over any camera due to the craftmanship. the housing and being my first one I purchased . style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"muastek did not pixal, and gave me a nice vid on a 42 lcd. while my aipteks did not stand up as good as mustek. the mpvr lacks the middle resolution on vid which is neccessary today style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"i would like to have a multiple choice on vids the older aiptek as in my avatar in my hand has 5 settings `m-5m and I love that . so each one will have something the other one will noe. nd that makes your first very hard to choose

Jan 20, 2006, 5:30 PM	#10
Cresho Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,092	the only thing i can see the sanyo being better at over the digilife is the optical zoom. Other than that, pictures are all the same and even video looks the same.