Hitachi DZGX5020A DVD Camcorder with 30x Optical Zoom

Worst buy I ever made, here are some of the problems:
-Cannot open disk to remove easily, takes a few minutes, sometimes does not open at all.
-Constant issues with "formatting disks"
-Off button is not locked and often moves to "on" while transporting, when you take it out for use, battery is dead.
-After capturing images, unable to play back due to "corrupted disks" even after disks have played fine many times previously.

Don't waste your time with this item.

Camera is easy to use. Light camera; fits easily in the palm of my hand. Works well in dim light. Good value for the money.

Small, quick and easy to use! I love the ability to save a picture to an SD card from any frame. We bought digital frames for the grandma's this Christmas and I was able to save pictures from the camcorder directly to the SD cards for use with their frames - I didn't need the camera at all. And I have the best pictures because I was able to pick the perfect frame to make a picture! That perfect smile that I would have missed with my 2 second delay camera - I got it this year using the camcorder. There was no learning process and it is very user friendly. The only downside so far is that the lenscap doesn't stay secure when clipped on and I tend to zoom way too fast! This is my first camcorder and I am very pleased.

I am 13 and I got this camera as a gift. it is awesome and is compatable with many disks including maxwell disks and Sony Handycam disks (those are the ones I use.)
Shoots pretty well indoors.
No manual reading required, but I did so to find out the features.
It also can take pictures and capture photos from a video.
I recommend Hitachi Camcorder Accessory Kit 2 for Hitachi DVD Camcorders. The bag fits the camera, batteries, disks, cords, and the manual nicely. I bought this because of the battery (a couple of hours life). Plus you get 3 Maxwell DVD-R disks (disk cases included)

Overall, this is a great buy for beginners AND pros.

I have the GX5020 and have found it to shoot good footage both inside and outdoors. The quality of the camera is good with intuitive controls, no manual reading required!

The only shortfall is the battery provided does not last more than around 40 minutes, so a long life battery is a wise investment.