Customer Reviews

Fisher FVDC1 3.2MP Digital Camercorder with 5.8x Optical Zoom (includes 512 MB SD Memory Card)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, lets clear up a few bits of misleading advertising by the many manufacturers of camcorders that record mpeg's directly to flash memory cards. Most of these devices record at very small resolutions (320x240 or less) and slow frame rates (15 frames per second). This is not unlike the movie mode found on most digital cameras that are available today (except that these devices can record in clips greater than 30 seconds). Anyone who has recorded video at these resolutions and/or speeds knows that the output quality is virtually useless for anything other than e-mailing clips of events that you have no intention of preserving for the long-term.

If you want an mpeg recorder that is even close to the quality of your MiniDV or analog camcorder, than you need to find one that is capable of recording in resolutions of 640x480 or higher and frame rates of at least 30 fps. The manufacturers cal this "DVD quality" which, in my opinion, is very deceiving because most people would expect to get video that is every bit as clear as what they would buy on a DVD. Not so. Just because you have a device that records at "DVD Quality" resolution and frame rate, it doesn't mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that the picture quality itself (lighting, clarity, fluidity of movement, etc.) will be anywhere near "DVD quality". So you have to know what you're buying and, unfortunately, in the quest to sell more camcorders, most manufacturers do a lousy job of informing their customers of these small details.

So you should know that no camcorder that records to memory cards is going to give you even close to the same quality as a camcorder that records to digital tape. Why? Because, in order to reduce the file size enough to stream it and fit it onto a memory card, you have to compress the video to the point where much of the detail is lost. So why buy a memory card camcorder? Well, with tape-based camcorders (whether it is analog or digital), you have to play back the entire recording in real-time in order to capture it into your computer. With card-based camcorders, you just put the card into a reader and transfer the file electronically.

So, now that we know the background, if you're still convinced that a card-based camcorder is for you, you should know that, as of the date that this review is being written, I know of only 3 devices that are capable of recording full-length video directly to memory cards at resolutions of 640x480 or higher: The Sanyo/Fisher FVD-C1, The Panasonic SV-AV100, and the JVC Everio line. Of the 3, the Sanyo/Fisher is by far the cheapest. But you get what you pay for, as the saying goes...

Of the three devices, the Sanyo/Fisher has, by far, the worst picture quality - particularly indoors or in low lighting. The picture is grainy and the motion is choppy. But that's only the start of the problems. The autofocus, especially when it is fully zoomed in, is really touchy. So much so, in fact, that the camera never knows what to focus on and the motor is constantly buzzing in and out. Realizing this problem, Sanyo/Fisher has included a quick way to lock the autofocus by pressing a single button (remember to check the manual for this because YOU WILL NEED IT OFTEN). But, still, it can be very annoying. The motor noise of the zoom and autofocus is also pretty loud and is audible in the recordings. But, to me, this is the trade-off for such a small and compact design.

On the good side, the "cameracorder" features a 3 megapixel digital camera which takes fairly decent pictures both indoors and out. Also, the unit is very small and features its own semi-soft case and docking station. The style and erginomics of this camera are also excellent, with everything laid out just where you need it and in a very attractive fashion. It features a portable external battery charger which is very small and very convenient for charging a second battery while still being able to use the camcorder. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this device records its movies directly to an .mp4 format, which can be opened directly by Apple's very commonly available Quick Time application. Both the Panasonic and the JVC write to their own proprietary formats which must be first manipulated in their own software before you can use it across computers. In my mind, this is a big detraction from those products because the whole point of getting a card-based camcorder is to have the file readily available without further manipulation. So, in this regard, the Sanyo/Fisher got it right.

In short, I think that the people who have panned this device in reviews are expecting far too much from it. Compared to the Panasonic and the JVC, this one wins in the category of style, price, and convenience. The others win in the category of picture quality. But, remember, none are as good as a tape-based recorder. So if you are buying any of these units with the intention of replacing your existing camcorder, forget it. That being said, as a second ultra-portable very convenient camcorder for a very decent price, I'd go with this one. And I did.

This is a great little camera. I wish this had come out 2 or three years ago, when I bought the first miniDV camera that came out.

I am currently in Kuwait. I brought my miniDV Video Camera with me to record my time here, but the dust contamination is so bad here, it is destroying my camera. I started looking for a video camera with no moving parts. Thank God for this Fisher. No moving parts, USB connection, 3.2 Mpixels resolution. Best thing, no rewind. It took forever to get to the front of the tape to see what the video looked like.

There are just a few bad points to this model. The cover to the memory card slot is fragile, so a lot of care needs to be taken to keep from breaking it off when opening the compartment. The view finder/screen is a bit small, so it is hard to see unless you hold the camera closer to your face.

Granted, a miniDV can record more info, but you just can't beat this little guy for versatility.

I have owned 5 or 6 camcorders in my lifetime. Formats ranging from VHS then VHS C, then 8MM, then Hi 8MM then finally Mini DV. Film cameras were always 35MM. I spent a lot of money on cameras both Video and stills that spent more time in closets then they did being used. Vacations and birthday parties. Then back in the closet until next time. The last thing I needed was another camera to store in my closet.
My wife wanted to get a digital camera for her usage so she could store and e mail her photos. I did some research and was intregued to get a digital camera because its the obvious technology in photography. So I went to SEARS to pick up one up for her and came across this little Fisher that does it all. It does everything it claims to do very, very well. Digital pictures are clear and crisp and the camcorder area of the camera is outstanding in the HQ mode. It's easy to use with my PC. It comes with every accessory you can ever need. In fact I don't even wire it to my PC to download, I just take the 512MB SD card out that it comes with and plug it into my computers multi card reader. Bingo. Done.
Everytime I leave the house I have my cell phone and this camera on my person and I am using it more then any other camera I ever owned. I bought it for my wife from SEARS but I'm not giving it up. I buying another one for HER usage from Amazon because she gets jealous.

Great Camcorder and camera! Very cool and very practical

I, in fact, have the Xacti C5 (the next generation Japanese model up from the one here), which, apart from the size and still image quality (5 Mega pixel vs. 4 Mega Pixel on the one here) is identical to the Fisher FVDC1.

Though there is some quite noticeable grain on the still images if you zoom in on the pictures you have taken, it does all that is promised, HOWEVER, it has extremely poor low light video performance. Daytime filming has reasonable quality, but filming under low light conditions is the worst I have ever seen in any video camera. Indoors will be a disappointment, people usually appear as silhouettes and the background is hard to make out. Filming at night or in a darkened pub or bar will render your expensive acquisition a glorified audio recorder.
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Another issue was that, compared to Canon still image digital cameras, the ability to take pictures quickly was lacking, there was an approximate lag time of three to four seconds between shots. (Though that might be the SD card I'm using - though I doubt it.)

Having said that, I was very happy when filming out doors or under bright light. My old Sony DCR-HC30E would take great video, but then transferring it to iMovie on my computer and exporting it to a reasonably sized video file on my computer would be a time consuming exercise and a great deal of the quality would be lost in the process.

This ease of use of this product cannot be beat easily, truly plug and play, furthermore the sized is exceptionally convenient, though it is slightly awkward having to remove and replace the lens cap each time (unfortunately no built in lens cap/cover exists). Another desirable feature would be for it to be able to stand up on its own. Trying to stand it on a table in order for you to be part of the shot would require the use of something to keep it propped up. Not an easy task considering the shape of the base.

All up, it's a reasonable gadget that does as promised, excepting the other minor shortcomings, that I wish I could recommend. The only thing stopping me is its inability to film under low lighting conditions. Since it can't (no matter how much you adjust the ISO settings), I would strongly recommend that you hold off a few months (maximum a year) for the next generation.

i picked up both the fisher and the new sony T1. trying both then taking the one i dont like back. overall after using both for a week, im in love with the Fisher. it has great features, great video quality.. and so easy to make vcd's. the sony didnt like direct sunlight and the white balance was crap. the fisher didnt mind the sun one bit, and even though the sony has higher mega pixels.. the fisher is richer in color.

buy it at sears and return it if you dont like it. for me, it will be recording my whole summer vacation :)

With a 2-year-old toddler and a new infant, and Grandma and Grandpa 1500 miles away, I needed a camera that could take reasonable movies and photos, could interface easily with my computer (for easy email to family) -- and most importantly, was FAST and EASY to use. My kids aren't super-cute for more than a few minutes at a time, and those moments are fleeting.

Not the best still camera (although quite good in sunlight) -- but the camera fits in my pocket, and I'm taking movies as fast as I can get the lens cap off. With this camera, I have movies and still photos I would never have captured otherwise!

I also purchased a Sony MiniDV and a "Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap", but returned them. The Panasonic was Macintosh-hostile, the Sony was difficult to use with either Windows or Mac (but had the best picture quality). Fisher picture quality disappointed until I viewed the movies on the computer - WOW! Very nice.

Very cool, very small, really good images and video. No messing with tape any more, no last minute trying to find blank tape. Put the SD card in your reader and BAM! Bring the (native, no conversion at all) MPEG-4 movie file right into iMovie for fast editing. No more playing a tape into the computer. It's right there. The convenience factor is very productivity-enhancing - I found myself shooting and editing on the fly which I wouldn't think to do using tape. Decently intuitive GUI on the camera. Hey, this is no Canon XL2 with a Powershot G5 tacked on as far as the ultimate image quality but for home stuff and training and web work this is a great, fast tool. It fits in the palm of your hand and weighs less than 6 ounces! The Samsung SCD6040 is heavy and clunky in comparison.

I bought this toy from Sears for $860 including tax but got my money back in 30 days. I had a chance to compare video to my very cheap Sharp mini-DV camcorder ($300). I also compared photo quality to my very old Canon PowerShot G1 camera. Well, Fisher was performing terribly bad:

Video. Sanyo claims that 640x480, 30-fps mode produces DVD quality video. FALSE.
1. I am not sure whether it was real 30 frame-per second or not but video was noticeably jerky. In contrast, Sharp makes a really smooth analog-like video.
2. Lots of compression artifacts. Again, Sharp was smooth as TV. But I would never say that Sharp has a video any near of DVD quality.
3. Very high noise especially in darker conditions.
4. Very slow automatic white balancing. During recording, when I point the camera from a light to a dark scene and vice-versa, it takes several seconds before the camera finishes justifying to new light conditions.
5. 512MB is very little for video. You have to invest more money to make it usable at least for duration of a weekend. In order to be able to record at least two hours of video you will have to spend $300-350 for 2 extra 1GB SD cards. With mini-DV tapes it is obviously not an issue.

Photo:
1. Extremely high noise. When I saw the shots on my PC after the first day of playing I was terribly disappointed. The images were way too grainy. I was not sure whether it was a CCD noise or dithering artifacts introduced by the image processor.
2. Very strong compression artifacts. The camera produces 3-megapixel JPEG files with approximately 100kb size which I think is way over-compressed. Little details such as small stones, grass, a human hair get blurred because of the compression. And surprise: you will not be able to change compression mode at all. There is no such a setting.

Conclusion: I really like the idea of combining both video and photo in one very small and light unit. It was a good first try. Deserves three stars but I will put only two because of the marketing B.S. Unfortunately, the result is neither a good camcorder nor a decent camera. If Sanyo addresses all these issues in the next generation (C2?), I will definitely keep it beyond the trial period.

I was very tempted to buy the Fisher CameraCorder, but the price was alittle high for what I wanted-- a digital camcorder to post videos on the web. After doing some research, I found the Sanyo Xacti [...]. Remember, the Fisher was released Nov 13, 2003 and is just getting over here now. The Xacti was released Aug 23, 2004, and fixes some of the bugs in the Fisher, with a larger LCD screen, updated CCD sensor, and image stabilizing technology. [...] I posted more info here if you are interested.

I've got one of these. I wanted the ability to take quality still photos or full motion video with the same device.

The camera is tiny, very small and light. The video quality is actually quite good, way way better than 'movie mode' on any still camera. The photos it takes are great-- provided there is enough light. The built-in flash is very weak and will not illuminate well. On the plus side, mine almost never needs recharging.

I find the design a bit difficult to hold steady, but how tiny it is could be a big factor in that. It includes software for steadying the shot in video files on your computer but it was worthless on any video but the sample that came with it. Photos you take indoors farther than the diminutive flash can illuminate will be blurry and dark. You can always enhance the brightness on the computer later, but your photos will look strange.

When decent light is available, the video it takes looks fantastic on the computer. It's not exactly DVD quality but it's close. The photos it takes are great for snapshots, much much better than any phonecam or camcorder "snap".

One thing that's cool is that you can take full 3.2 megapixel still photos while you're shooting video. Doing this causes the video to freeze-frame for about a second while it saves the frame. This is great because you don't have to switch equipment and miss the shot.

When shooting video in really quiet environments the camera will pick up the sound of the autofocus gear motors or something. Plan on adding a soundtrack or editing this later. With that limitation, the microphone is well placed and does a fairly good job of picking up distant converations.