Sharp VLWD450U MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/2.5'' Viewfinder & Built-in Digital Still Mode

by Sharp

Product Details

Product Manual [6.06mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 3.9 x 7.2 x 4.3 inches ; 1.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005BABT
• Item model number: VLWD450
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,543 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The Sharp VL-WD450U is a compact, relatively easy-to-use DV camcorder. Right out of the box, anyone who's used a camcorder before can put the camera to use. Primary functions are easily controlled by the right hand while gripping the camera. Recording is as simple as pressing the button located at your thumb, and the zoom is operated by means of a rocker switch under your forefinger. The zoom is variable, so the farther you press the rocker in a particular direction, the faster the zoom operates. In subjective tests, there seemed to be three different zoom speed levels. The surprisingly large 26x optical zoom lens (made by Canon) is paired with a digital image stabilization system. The image stabilization is relatively effective with slight hand-shake, but don't expect to walk around and have the stabilizer make up for your body movement. This system works by cropping the picture on the CCD and using the excess information as a buffer. Digital stabilization isn't as good a solution as an optically based system, but it's more compact and significantly less expensive. The digital image stabilization can be turned off through the menu system.

The menu system is a bit confusing the first time you access it. If you haven't taken the time to read the manual, you'll probably have difficulty with the navigation. You move through the various menus using the VCR controls (rewind, fast-forward, play, etc.) located on the same side of the camera as the LCD monitor. This location is a little bizarre, as your hand partially blocks the LCD screen from view--don't expect to use the camcorder while moving around in the menus. After you get over the initial difficulty, the menus aren't too bad. A selection of icons along the left side represent the main categories. Each selection has various submenus that may or may not unfold into more menus.

While the camcorder comes with the ability to shoot stills onto an included 8-MB SmartMedia card, you can't shoot video and stills at the same time. To capture stills onto the memory card, you first have to flip a "media" switch that chooses between tape and card. While set to tape, you can shoot video and capture either six seconds of still footage, or a continuous still image onto the MiniDV cassette. Transfer of the still images from the SmartMedia card to a computer is troublesome. You'll need a PC with a serial port, and Macs aren't compatible with either the hardware or software. Sharp should have used a USB connection instead--it's speedier and more universal.

In addition to the built-in mic, Sharp includes a unique zoom microphone that can be set to sync automatically with the lens. The mic adds to the overall size of the camera, but dramatically improves the quality of the sound on your recordings, greatly reducing background noise and making it easier to hear the subjects in your recordings. For added portability, the microphone can be removed, automatically activating the built-in microphone in the camera.

Apparently, Sharp doesn't expect most moviemakers to use the camera for more than its most basic functions, and includes only a simple RCA cord in the package. The camera has an IEEE1394 connection for lossless digital transfer of your movies to your computer or another camcorder, and also has s-video output for connection to many newer televisions, especially higher-end models. If you want to use these features, however, you'll have to run to the store for another cable.

All in all, the Sharp VL-WD450U is pretty good at what it does--shoot digital video onto MiniDV tapes. The Canon video lens is a great piece of glass, and probably one of the most--if not the most--important piece of equipment in the camcorder. Our only qualms come with the limited connectivity options for transferring still images, and the lack of video cables. Although it's common practice in the industry to skimp on the bundle, it's still kind of annoying. --Michael Lewis

Pros:

• Canon made 26x optical zoom
• Zoom microphone included
• Still shot capability--records onto SmartMedia or tape

Cons:

• The bundle lacks both IEEE1394 and s-video cables
• Still image download is serial-based and the driver software is Windows only

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Everything You Could Want, December 6, 2001

By 

Clayton R Woods (Lombard, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sharp VLWD450U MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/2.5'' Viewfinder & Built-in Digital Still Mode (Electronics)

The quality of the 26x zoom is incredible, and even the lower powers of digital zoom that this camera has are incredible. Imagine being able to clearly read 3pt type from 15 feet away on the viewfinder. And that's just the beginning.

Unpacking the box, I found out that I was glad that I'd purchased a USB smartmedia reader. The only cables supplied were the standard dubbing cables and a serial transfer cable. Standard serial transfer being slow as it is was not an option. That cable is now stashed collecting dust.

The camera was easy to set up and get running right away. I popped the 8mb smartmedia card in its slot, the battery in it's little hideout, and a new blank tape in the tape compartment. The single hardest thing was figuring out how to attach the lens cap to the hand strap. Velcro is your friend (the hand strap pad velcroes shut over the strap adjustment, by undoing the strap pad, you slip the cap cord onto the strap. A very neat, if unintuitive, design)

Still pictures: 640x480 is limiting, but I mostly use this for web work and don't like to publish anything much larger than this. I would like to have some extra area though to make sure I get everything and crop down. Quality is superb in good direct lighting, decent in low light or indirect light.

Video Capture: Surprisingly clear. The camera, as with all such devices, makes a good webcam if you have the right interface hardware. I use a WinTV card for vid capture and discovered that the 450 will 'follow' action around if you leave it still on the tripod. Good for those people with a cam setup that move around a lot. It will automatically pan within its scan area just a few degrees to each side, but enough, usually, if set up correctly.

VCR Mode: A neat feature that I was totally unaware that the machine had until I got it home. If you plug the 'output' ports in so that they're receiving information instead of sending it, you can record on the camera like a VCR.

All in all: I'd recommend this little cam. My only complaint was being limited to 640x480 on still pictures. Cabling was standard and not unexpected. Optics and zoom are exceptional, 26x optical zoom is a big plus. IR and zero-light features are great. Still pictures, though limited in size, can fit 500-1500 depending on quality on a 64mb SM card.

4 1/2 stars

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Impressed !, August 26, 2001

By 

"[e-mail]" (Toms River, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sharp VLWD450U MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/2.5'' Viewfinder & Built-in Digital Still Mode (Electronics)

I had the opportunity to use this camera to shoot a wedding ceremony. Never having used a camcorder before, I was hesitant to agree to record such an important event and moreso on a new untested camcorder.
Although the instruction manual was a bit confusing at first, once I got the basic functions down the rest fell into place. The camera is lightweight enough so arm fatigue isn't an issue, yet sturdy enough to hold up to jarring when mounted on a tripod. The auto-focus worked quickly during zoom in/out with no distortion at all when zooming in. All controls are well placed, each with a different feel so the user can concentrate on the subject instead of searching around for the right button.
I found the display screen to be a little small and in certain lighting positions difficult to see. On the plus side, the screen flips so the user may be in the recording and still have control over it. Additionally, there is a very small remote control which will work up to 16 feet from the camera which removes the need to constantly be behind the lens. This was probably the best feature of this camcorder.
The rechargeable battery which came with the camcorder kept it's charge for only 90 minutes or so and took at least that long to fully recharge. Although there is an adapter to run the camera from an electrical outlet, I would definitely suggest purchasing the extended life battery which is an optional purchase.
With many advanced features which I didn't go into in writing this review, the Sharp Digital Camcorder is an excellent buy for the beginner or advanced user.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars wish it worked, March 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sharp VLWD450U MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/2.5'' Viewfinder & Built-in Digital Still Mode (Electronics)

I'd really like to recommend this camcorder, but I can't. It has a lot of very good features at a great price, but the old addage, you get what you pay for applies here.

The first one I had lasted a couple weeks. I only used it a couple hours when it started having problems playing back recorded video. First, random pixels all of the screen, then lines through the video, and finally it would not play back anything.

So I returned that one and ordered another. While waiting for that one to arrive I found the reviews here and noticed simular problems listed. As soon as the new camcorder arrived and set it up on my desk and started play back and recording. Within 2 hours of use (just sitting on the desk) the camcorder would no longer play back anything. It just gives you a blue screen.

Tech support has not answered my email request. This one is going back too, and I'm going to look for another brand.