Refurb TM300

alpine101

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I don't know why I seem to buy an HD camcorder a year. Still looking for that perfect combination I suppose. Or just becoming a camcorder junkie.
I've had 3 so far, my first little Sanyo which has gone to a relative: the Panny SD1 from 2007/8 and Canon HG10 I bought last year, both of which I use.
This year I spotted a couple of TM300 refurbs on the Pixmania site, and have now got one on order. At the time of writing they have one left at £587, though it's not clear whether there may be things like the battery and power supply missing. They were stated as being with the one I've ordered but that was a little more expensive and they aren't mentioned on the £587 one. They do come with a 12month guarantee and since Pixmania is France based, will be PAL, with no customs or vat issues.
Just in case anyone is interested!.

Of the two I've got at present, the one I'm not that keen on really is the HG10. I don't know why anybody buys hard disk camcorders, it's such a pain having to connect them to the PC to get the files across. With the Canon, you even have to plug mains power in, even if you know you have a fully charged battery!
Thank goodness for SD cards you can just take out and plug in.:D

(The SG10's also less sensitive in low light than the SD1, which I wasn't really expecting.)
 
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Thanks for the heads up .. might look into it myself
Having a bit of a moan are you...?:facepalm:
Get it off your chest!:hiya:
 
Thanks for the heads up .. might look into it myself
Having a bit of a moan are you...?:facepalm:
Get it off your chest!:hiya:
Well, January, dark, gloomy and still the current government hanging on... That's why it's this time of year I indulge in retail therapy. I keep an eye out for mention of the latest and greatest launches, like the 'limited edition' TM350, then I start looking for the price reductions on the previous model.;)
 
This arrived yesterday. While it may be classed as a refurb, it looks more like a destock to me! It seems absolutely virgin, with the exception that the box has previously been opened and then resealed.
Compared to the SD1, the auto colour balance does, as others have mentioned, seem on the green side but using manual fixes that.
Very nice device, a bit lighter than the SD1 which is a pity, since it's easier to hold heavier camcorders steady. The widest wide angle seems even narrower than the SD1: I really wish camcorder manufacturers would get over their 'my zoom's bigger than yours' obsession and concentrate on the wide end which is of more benefit to most users. But as before, I shall run it with my WA adaptor on permanently. No vignetting at all with the Tm300.
The other thing I've noticed is the vast size of the files since most of the quality settings are 1920 rather than 1440. It's a pity there aren't more 1440 options.
Finally, it's still noisier in the same low light situation than the SD1 is. CCD still beats CMOS!
I do like the manual features, the ring and the fact it's got a Real Viewfinder: I may well not find anything better for, oh, at least another year...:suicide:

PS, although on the website it was shown as a TM300EF, it is in fact a UK TM300EBK.
 
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