RCA EZ5100R Palm Style 1080P High Definition Digital Camcorder, 1440x1080 Resolution, 2.4" Display, 5x Optical Zoom, SD/SDHC Memory Slot

RCA EZ5100R

RCA EZ5100R Palm Style 1080P HD Digital Camcorder

Adorama

Video

Video Cameras

Consumer Camcorders

RCA Consumer Camcorders

RCA EZ5100R 

Buy: RCA EZ5100R Palm Style 1080P High Definition Digital Camcorder, 1440x1080 Resolution, 2.4" Display, 5x Optical Zoom, SD/SDHC Memory Slot Color: Black, Configuration: Camcorder Only, Recording Media: Internal Flash Memory, Secure Digital (SD)

I got this cam for free from a rewards program, so at least I'm not out anything. They should charge about 50 bucks for this. It works pretty consistently, the quality is decent, and it's pretty understandable, but the following two things are potential wipe-outs awaiting:

- if you plan to do any tripod shooting, beware! The mount (little plastic cylinder) is garbage waiting to break. The mount sticks up above the surface of the camera a little, so you can't get the tripod platform to tighten down enough to grip it, i.e. the camera wants to spin around on the mount. If you try to tighten it down... it breaks out of the camera and then you're hosed. I am good enough with glue & tools that I fixed it enough to make it work, but if you're not, no more tripod shooting for you with this thing.

- all of a sudden the other day, the focus/zoom mechanism just quit, for no particular reason. It wouldn't come into focus. Then suddenly, it just decided to wake up. It may quit totally one of these days or it may not.

Summary: this thing is too lightweight and cheaply made to deserve the price they want for it. Anything you want to use with a tripod should have a solid metal screw mount, flush with the camera surface.