Cellphone cameras may be taking over for compact point and shoot cameras, but you’re not going to take your phone snorkeling for underwater shots and videos. That’s where the $59.99 VIVITAR 690 HD Pocket Video Camera comes in. It offers a waterproof design with a built-in microphone and speaker. Also included is software that allows easy uploading to Facebook, Myspace, Flickr, Picasa Albums, Photobucket, Youtube and more.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News, Outdoor Gear

Tagged: Camcorder

VIVITAR Introduces an Underwater HD Pocket Video Camera originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 4, 2011 at 10:00 am.

I find myself with a conundrum.  I have a gadget to review,  but for the life of me, I don’t know what I would use it for.  Nevertheless, I’m going to take it on a ride and maybe I’ll have an aha moment.  It is available through Etronixmart.

Here’s the description from the retailer’s website:

Another new in car camera- Etronixmart010 Portable Car Camcorder. It allows you to take video recorder in Day/Night Selectable modes. Thus, Etronixmart010 carcam will help you capture clear images in low light environment once adjust to Night modes. At the same time, it will continue to record while being charging. With its 270 degree Swivel LCD display, it is very convenient to take video/photo in different situations.

Finally, it is alo a very good portable digital camera. Get one back home and find what other surprise you will get.

Now that we have that cleared up

Specifications:

• LCD display: 2.0inch LCD(4:3)
• Lens: 140A+High resolution wide angle lens
• Language selection: English. Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Russian
• Video resolution: VGA/D1/HD(1280×960)
• Video format: AVI
• Image resolution: VGA
• Image format: JPG
• Memory card: Micro SD  (not included)
• Microphone/Speaker: yes
• LED light: Dual super bright LED
• TV mode: PAL/NTSC
• Frequency: 50HZ/60HZ
• USB Port: USB2.0
• Power input: 5V 500MA
• Battery: Rechargeable Li-ion

I comes with most everything you’ll need to start recording your vehicle escapades, with the exception of a micro SD card.  The device has no onboard memory.  The windshield mount worked very well.

On one side are a set of function buttons.

On the back is the micro SD card slot.  You’ll notice that the image is inverted.  This can be flipped using one of the function keys, however, that also flips the graphics.

On the other side are some more function keys and the mini USB port.  The port is used to supply power and charge the internal battery as well as connect the device to a PC.

A look at the bottom reveals the slots for the window mount and shows the lens which has 180 deg of adjustment.  The 2 white dots on either side of the lens are L.E.D.s that provide illumination for the night mode.

The device is a car camera, so I stuck in one of my cars.  You’ll probably notice that I positioned it low on the windshield and there’s a reason to do so.  When I had it higher up, I would get underexposed video because the device appears to average the scene for exposures and when higher up, the frame has mostly sky, no matter how I adjust the lens.

The included mount seems very secure having a suction cup with a lever.  In the hundreds of miles I drove around with the camera, it never fell off.  I didn’t need the power cord plugged in for most of my tests, because the internal battery provided several hours of operation.  The battery can be charged with either the included 12v cable or the included USB cable and wall wart.  However, if you have the 12v cable plugged in , the camera will turn on and off when the 12v power is switched on and off.

Movie sample

The above clip was shot on an overcast day in the camera’s HD mode and demonstrates some of the issues with the camera.  Firstly, you’ll notice that the exposure changes dependent upon how much of the sky is in the frame.  Also, the sound has a consistent buzz and it’s not the engine of my hybrid car.  It was in battery mode for the entire clip.

When recording videos, one selects a recording time of 2, 5 or 15 minutes.  If set in motion sense mode, these clips will be repeated until the memory is full and then stop with a memory full message.

It took a while for me to get acclimated to the buttons on the camera, especially when it was mounted on the windshield.  When mounted the graphics are upside down.  Another issue is the night mode, which when enabled turns on the L.E.D.s.  They were rather bright, but all they did was glare on the windshield.  Perhaps I’m using this thing wrong and should be recording myself driving because then the L.E.D.s are quite effective.

The camera can also take still photos and above is an example.  I won’t be replacing my still camera anytime soon.  I did notice when uploading this photo that I have the date wrong.  It should be 2011, which brings up another point.  The menu structure on the device is a learning experience.  The manual that came with the camera leaves a lot to be desired.  With some patience and lots of time, I was able to figure out most functions.  For the picture mode these include a self time and burst mode, which take 3 shots at a time.

Using the display, the videos and stills can be previewed without attachment to a computer.  Again, figuring out the button sequences kept me busy for awhile.  If you wish to download the files to a computer, the device can be plugged into a usb port using the supplied cable and it will look like a removable drive.

After using the Portable Car Camcorder for several weeks, I’ve come up with some ideas how this might be practical.  It could be used as a security device to video someone who might want to vandalize your car.  You could keep and eye on your teen when he/she takes the family car out for a spin.  If you’re prone to frequent moving violations, you could record your interactions with law enforcement while they are writing a ticket.  Of course, if someone takes the micro SD card or the camera, you’ll have nothing

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Camcorder, Car

Portable Car Camcorder Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 10, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

This Bluetooth headset works with your phone like any other Bluetooth headset.  It can be worn behind either ear, and it provides active noise cancellation, one-touch call control, and volume control.  Unlike other Bluetooth headsets, this one also captures video at 480p resolution at 30 fps and wirelessly transmits an MPEG4 recording to an iPhone or Android smartphone.  You use your smartphone screen as the viewfinder, and the camera arm can be adjusted to keep the person of interest in view.  It comes with AC and USB chargers.  You’ll get 4 hours of video recording and up to 10 hours of talk time from the rechargeable battery.  The Bluetooth Headset Camcorder requires iOS 4.2 or higher or Android 2.0 or higher and a free smartphone application available at iTunes or Android Market.  Purchase the Bluetooth Headset Camcorder at Hammacher Schlemmer for $199.95.

Filed in categories: Android related, Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: bluetooth headset, Camcorder, Spy gear

A Bluetooth Headset with Camcorder for Your Spy v. Spy Games originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 25, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

A typical portable HD camcorder is usually the size of a can of soda.  This time Iain Sinclair crammed all of the power of HD in an extremely portable for factor.  Iain Sinclair’s Poco Pro is the world’s thinnest 1080p HD camcorder.  And the best part of it is that it’s only the size of a credit card!!  It also features a  2.4″ AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic LED) display, 14.6 mega pixel digital camera, 4GB internal storage with microSD slot for expansion, 10X digital zoom, and much more.  Reserve yours now for delivery on June 2011.  It’s priced at £200 or around $300.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Camcorder, Spotlight Gadgets

Iain Sinclair’s Poco Pro is a Credit Card Sized HD Camera originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 21, 2010 at 5:30 pm.

The Flashlight Hidden Camcorder with Nightvision from Brickhouse Security allows you to capture snapshots and video (with audio) up to 8 feet away. It can capture images at 1600 x 1200 resolution and video at 640 x 480 @ 30 FPS. Save content on the included 2 GB Micro SD card that can hold over 20 hours of recorded video. The flashlight has 8 LEDs and is powered by a 5 Hour rechargeable Li-ion battery. It’s available now for $149.95

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Camcorder, Flashlight, Spotlight Gadgets

Get Sneaky With a Flashlight Hidden Camcorder with Nightvision originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 3, 2010 at 4:29 pm.

When it comes to extreme sports part of the fun isn’t just being in the middle of the action but capturing the excitement of the experience for others to share. Plus looking cool doing it doesn’t hurt either.

One thing about sports cameras is that many of them are without a decent water-resistant and shock-proof housing. With GoPro’s Motorsports HERO Wide (sent for review by MotorcycleToyStore.com) comes standard with one. Nice touch. Not only is it water-resistant but waterproof to 100 feet(30 meters). It’s a nice option to have when mounting to a surfboard, boogie board or skimboard. Also useful for capturing those sick aerial grabs when wakeboarding.

GoPro has many other types of HERO cameras with normal standard lenses as well as HD lenses. I got a chance to review the GoPro’s HERO Standard Definition Wide angle lens camera. Operating the HERO was a little more complicated to use than the ContourHD from VholdR.com that I previously reviewed (ContourHD review) but that is mainly due to the fact that the HERO has more options for recording than the ContourHD.

The HERO has an optional to shoot still pictures and a kind of interval time lapse that can shoot a photo every 2 seconds.  That’s a pretty cool option if you wanna get a little creative with a strobe effect. It also has an option for triple shot sequences that can take 3 continuous photos with a single press of the shutter button. A nice feature that the HERO has is an option to flip the image in case you need to mount the camera upside down.  The HERO also offers a 10 second self timer.

The GoPro HERO has an LCD screen to show the status of the mode that you are in whether in video mode or photo mode as well as showing the in camera options offered such as deleting a single photo or all photos. The HERO has a built-in 8kHz mono microphone with an adjustable recording and input levels of HI and LO.

The GoPro HERO has a wide angle lens with 170 degrees viewing angle and has a CMOS video sensor. This means that it records with a rolling shutter much like many newer video camcorders.  A rolling shutter is when a camcorder  records an image by scanning instead of taking a single picture.

The GoPro HERO  has an internal memory of 16MBs and can be expanded to an SD card. Unfortunately, the SD cards are not included with the camcorder so you have to spend a few more bucks in addition to purchasing the HERO itself. One note about this Standard Definition Motorsport HERO Wide is that you cannot use an SD card any larger than 2GB. A 2GB SD can hold up to 56 minutes of video/audio and over 1900 photos.

However, according to their website, there is a firmware upgrade which should allow the Standard Definition HERO to upgrade to the use of a 4GB SD card. The HD version can be used with SD cards up to 32GBs.

The GoPro HERO connects to your computer via supplied USB/RCA combo cable. With this cable you can also connect directly to a TV source for instant viewing.

The Motorsports HERO also comes with a Suction Cup Mount, 3 Flat Adhesive Mounts, 2 Curved Adhesive Mounts, 2 Horizontal Surface Quick-release Buckles, 1 Vertical Surface “J-Hook” Buckle, 1 Three-way Pivoting Side Arm Assembly and a 1 year warranty.

Unlike the ContourHD which has a supplied rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, the HERO is powered by 2x AAA batteries which are not included so that’s another purchase along with an SD card to start using the HERO. But with all the included mounts, USB/RCA combo and housing it really makes up for any after market purchases.

Although the HERO wasn’t as friendly to use as the ContourHD as a “run and gun” camera  it does offer more options that makes this a solid mountable camera.

I don’t know if it was because I was using the standard version and not the HD version but the picture quality was kinda mediocre on a sunny day. There seemed to be a lot of interlaced lines  and picture seemed soft but I guess I’ve become spoiled to seeing HD footage.  I also noticed a lot of skewed and smeared images when I used the Photo Every 2 Seconds option. You can see it in the second video below.

But smears and skews can be common in CMOS cameras when recording fast action and I was going pretty fast on my skates downhill.

To recap, the GoPro Motorsports SD HERO Wide is a nice on-board camera with a bunch of extras  that will give you many options for recording motion sports of any kind but can be a bit much if all you want is a point and shoot camera. However, if you’re the type that likes to shoot with different options then this camera is for you. The included mounts and housing is a nice touch but would be nice if it came with an SD card and it’s own rechargeable Lithium battery.

Frustratingly, I went through two handfuls of batteries so when GoPro recommends Lithium batteries, or Ni-Mh batteries, they mean it.  Lithium batteries do better in cold weather.

I couldn’t operate the HERO for more than a minute with normal AAA batteries. I think the cold also affected the battery performance too. In turn this made the HERO act buggy. The HERO wouldn’t record or wouldn’t shut off and sometimes the recording light would stay on but not record.

But when I installed the Lithium batteries the GoPro HERO worked perfectly.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Digital Cameras and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Camcorder, Sports

GoPro Motorsports SD Hero Wide On-Board Camera Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 19, 2010 at 11:40 am.

When it comes to shooting interesting video, how you get the shot is half the fun. Plus having the right equipment doesn’t hurt either. And with The VholdR ContourHD getting that shot is just as easy as pointing and shooting.

The ContourHD is a sleek mountable action camcorder that is the smallest and lightest HD wearable camcorder around.  It has a water-resistant aluminum body and is shock and impact proof. It records to a  MicroSD card (2GB supplied, maximum 16GB) and has a removable 3 hour lithium battery. It also records audio via an internal microphone.

The ContourHD shoots in two shooting modes, HD (1280×720) at 30fps and SD (858×480) at 60fps.  It captures video with a 5MP CMOS sensor and captures audio in AAC Audio Compression.

While recording in HD mode the ContourHD shoots with a 135 degree lens and 90 degree in SD mode.

The ContourHD  records 30min per GB in HD mode and 60min per GB in SD mode.

And it is amazing  small and light at just 4.3 ounces which makes it one of the smallest HD wearable camcorders on the market.

Enough of the technical stuff and on to why this is a great choice for a wearable camcorder.

One of the great things about this camcorder is the dual laser lights that emits from the  front lens barrel to show if the lens is aligned properly. Very helpful. I just beamed the lights against a flat surface I was facing to see if they were level. Simple as that. The ContourHD has the ability to rotate the lens 180 degrees so as to mount anywhere with its supplied flat surface mount or goggle mount.  Other mounts are available such as windshield mounts, handlebar mounts, roll bar mounts and more at www.vholdr.com.

On top of The ContourHD it features a large slider  button for easy on and off recording just by sliding the button forward to record and back to stop recording. Nothing could be easier.

It is also easy to power on the ContourHD. At the back is the power button and a LED light that informs you of the battery level as well as another LED for remaining MicroSD card capacity.

Behind the back cover is the miniUSB port to charge the battery as well as upload your movie clips. Directly beside that is the HD-SD switch to change between modes.

The ContourHD records with a 5MP CMOS image sensor, or rolling shutter, using an H.264 codec. Other camcorders use a CCD chip.

I tested out this camcorder with my friend Daniel Arroyo from MTV’s Ultimate Parkour Challenge.  I strapped it on his head using only a headband for small portable flashlights and the google mount.  Since he had sprained his ankle a few days prior he was only going to do strength movements.  However, Daniel being a true traceur, he decided to do precision jumps despite his sprained ankle. Had I known this I would have beefed up the headband to be used for more jostling but it worked just fine anyway.

The footage that the ContourHD captures were very rich with deep saturation. The footage seemed very clear and crisp. It seems to be at its best in well-lit scenes. It did not  do so well in dark or low light situations but the majority of camcorders have that problem. Fortunately, most action sports footage you’ll wanna capture with this camcorder will be during the day anyway.

VholdR.com offers Easy Edit software that you can download off their site to easily import, clip and post your videos to their site for others to view. Since the ContourHD’s codec is H.264 it is basically a final delivery codec which makes it difficult to import and edit into your own editing software. The Easy Edit is mainly used to trim any unwanted footage from the beginning and end of your clips.
I like to chop up my footage when I edit so I had to export my clips in Sony Vegas 9 to an AVI file then import it into Premiere Pro since Premiere Pro can’t edit H.264 files.

The contourHD also comes supplied with a USB cable, a flat surface mount and a goggle mount. Each mount has a small removeable lanyard that connects to the ContourHD for added security in case the camcorder should ever fall off the mount  like in a bad spill or an earth-shaking impact.

Other wearable camcorders on the market are the GoPro Hero, ATC5K, and the VIO POV.

At this time there is also another version called the ContourHD 1080p which records up to 1920×1080 and can be custom configured such as exposure and audio gain.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Camcorder

ContourHD Wearable HD Camcorder Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 19, 2009 at 8:47 am.

The new Car Cam Voyager with LCD is the first vehicle camera to let you see exactly what is happening in real-time while you’re driving. This car camera provides a live feed on its 2 inch 320 x 240 screen and can record up to 48 hours of video at 720×480 30fps via its wide angle 2.0 megapixel sensor with an (optional) 32GB microSD card. The Car Cam Voyager with LCD is easy to set up because there is no installation required – all you have to do is plug it in to your cigarette lighter and place it on the dashboard. It’s available for $299.95 at BrickHouse Security.

Filed in categories: Car Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, Spotlight Gadgets

Record your next cop chase with the Car Cam Voyager originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 2, 2009 at 10:49 am.

VholdR has just announced the ContourHD 1080p, a wearable HD camcorder that includes a series of mounts for your goggles, helmet, handle bars, vehicle, or anywhere else you want to attach it. It’s the world’s first wearable camcorder that can capture and share 1080p video (1920×1280). It has a water resistant aluminum and fiberglass body and has configurable settings for contrast, microphone volume, exposure and metering. Full press release after the jump.

VholdR Launches ContourHD1080p: The World’s First HD Wearable Camcorder to Shoot and Share 1080p Video.

Shoot and Share video in Full HD with the Only Camcorder Small Enough to Fit on Your Goggles

“ContourHD1080p was inspired by the professional user,” says Marc Barros, VholdR’s CEO. “It’s still an easy to use Wearable Camcorder, but with Full HD video and adjustable settings, you can capture world-class video with a camcorder you can wear. It’s like taking a professional film crew with you where ever you go!”

The ContourHD family drives a shoot to share experience of wearable video, software, and an online community. With the introduction of ContourHD1080p, VholdR.com will be the only adventure sports community where you can share and watch Full HD video from with in the action, captured around the world! Today 70% of VholdR and ContourHD customers share their adventures on VholdR.com – a vibrant community of adventure sports enthusiasts who are mapping the world through video.

Features New to ContourHD1080p

· 5 Video Settings (User Selectable)

· Configurable Settings

· Record 3.5 Hours of 1080p Video

· Share 1080p Video

Features Standard to ContourHD Cameras

· Wearable Anywhere

· One Button Simplicity

· Laser Alignment

· Armored Body

· Wide Angle Lens:

· Rechargeable Battery

A rugged camcorder for the estimated 75 million outdoor enthusiasts around the world, ContourHD makes it easy to capture video from within the action and share it online in seconds. And it’s available in two models this holiday season: ContourHD ($279.99) and ContourHD1080p ($329.99). Visit www.vholdr.com to learn more about the ContourHD cameras and find a complete list of retailers.

To learn more about ContourHD visit www.vholdr.com

About VholdR

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, HD, Spotlight Gadgets, Video

Capture extreme HD footage with the VholdR ContourHD Helmet Cam originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 29, 2009 at 5:29 pm.

Ever since I reviewed the Flip minoHD, I’ve become a big fan of small USB video cameras. They are much more convenient to carry than lugging around a traditional camcorder that uses tapes or a hard drive for storage. I have been curious to see if the ultraHD version of the Flip would address some of the issues that I had with the minoHD. So, let’s check it out.

Hardware Specs

Recording time – 120 minutes
Internal memory – 8GB
Display – Transflective TFT 2.0″ diagonal (960 x 240)
Video resolution – 16:9 widescreen, HD 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 frames per second progressive scan
Sensor – 1/4.5″ HD CMOS Sensor 2.2µm pixels
Lens – 2x digital zoom, Fixed Focus (1.5m to infinity), f/2.4
Light sensitivity – Ultra low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec)
Average bitrate – 9.0Mbps (auto-adaptive algorithm)
Video format – H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, MP4 file format
Battery – AA rechargeable battery pack (1.2 Volt NiMH rechargeable). Rechargeable through USB. 2.5hr runtime
Dimensions – 4.25″ x 2.19″ x 1.17″
Weight – 6.0 oz

Package Contents

Flip ultraHD
Battery pack
Wrist strap
Soft carrying case
Quickstart guide

Upon holding the ultraHD for the first time, I immediately noticed the size difference in comparison to the minoHD.

In the image above, the ultraHD is on the Left and the minoHD is on the Right. You’ll notice that the ultra is a little longer.

But the main difference is the thickness.

As you can see, the ultraHD is almost twice as thick as the minoHD. That said, the ultra is still very compact and comfortable to hold.

The ultra is available in Black or White. The Black (not sure about the White) has a slightly rubberized matte covering that makes it non-slippery. The main feature on the front of the camera is the lens. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cover for the lens to protect it when it is not in use. To the Right of the lens is the microphone.

The battery compartment is accessed by unlocking and sliding the cover off the front of the camera. The included battery pack easily installs in the compartment. This camera can also use regular AA batteries in a pinch.

The battery is charged via USB, of which there is a built in connector on the Right side of the camera. You’ll also notice that the ultraHD has an HDMI connector too. However, you’ll have to supply your own HDMI cable if you wish to watch your videos through a TV.

The spring loaded USB connector easily pops out when you slide down the latch.

A Red LED blinks behind the microphone while charging and shines solid when the battery is completely recharged. On a full charge, the battery should provide up to 2.5hrs of recording time. That is 30 minutes more than the minoHD.

There’s a power button on the Left side of the camera, along with a wrist strap hook.

You’ll also notice that the sides of the camera are shiny chromed plastic. Prepare to polish often if you’re neurotic about finger prints and smudges like I am.

Like the minoHD, the ultraHD shares a super simple user interface. There’s a 2 inch LCD (a nice upgrade from 1.5″ display that the minoHD has) and several buttons that control recording and playback.

The large Red button in the center toggles the recording mode on and off. The four way button surrounding the record button controls zooming (up / down) and Left / Right buttons move you through menus and videos during playback. There is also a Play button and a Trashcan button.

The video interface isn’t different from the minoHD. Other than having the ability for setting the date and time and if you want sounds on or off, all other settings are hard coded. There isn’t a way to change resolution, white balance, etc. This camera continues with the KISS principle of keeping it simple stupid.

When you turn on the camera, it’s ready to record within 2-3 seconds after you press the button. When the camera is in idle, it shows how much recording time is left. When you press the Red button to start capturing video, you’ll just see a timer on the screen in the upper Left corner. While you are recording video, the only buttons that effect what you are recording are the +/- buttons that zoom in and out.

The ultraHD has 8GB of flash memory (2hrs) compared to 4GBs on the minoHD (1hr). The resolution and frame rates for both cameras are exactly the same: 1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second.

Video is captured using H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression and saved with .MP4 file format. You can access your videos two ways. One way is to just plug the camera into your PC or Mac and the flipshare application in the camera will automatically install and launch.

Click to see full-size screenshot

From there you can see all the videos on the camera, play them, crop them, delete them, email them, create a DVD, create a greeting card, etc. The flipshare application is ok, but it’s easier for me to just drag and drop the videos from the camera like you would any other USB flash drive.

Here are a few samples that I recorded to give you an idea of the video quality. In order to view the video without problems, right click the links and save the files directly to your computer and view them that way instead of through your web browser. If you view through your web browser, the playback will be jerky.

Sample Videos

flip-ultrahd-video1 24mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

flip-ultrahd-video2 18mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

flip-ultrahd-video3 25mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

I found recording video with the ultraHD to be easier than the minoHD due to the larger viewfinder and the physical buttons. The minoHD has touch buttons for zooming in and out, while the ultra has buttons with good tactile feedback. That said, I don’t usually use the zoom. But the larger display is a big help.

Like the minoHD, the ultraHD lacks a macro mode. Both cameras have a fixed focus lens that starts focusing at 1.5 meters (59in). At least that’s what the specs on the flip website say. I was able to capture clear video much closer than that, at about 15 inches or so. In video #3 of the sample videos I had the camera about 8 inches from the bee’s nest. You can see that it’s a bit blurry – which is a shame.

When it comes down to it, I have enjoyed using the flip ultraHD quite a bit. It is a fast camera that is fun and very easy to use. I just wish that it had good macro capabilities so that it would be more useful to me for recordings that I might do for my reviews. That’s really the only deficiency with this camera for me. Although it could also benefit from an anti-shaking feature. I think most people would find the flip ultraHD camera to be a worthy gadget for recording all sorts of spur of the moment videos.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, Hi-def, Video

Flip ultraHD Video Camera Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2009 at 7:19 am.

After viewing some remarkable sample footage from the Internet of the Canon VIXIA HV30 HD Camcorder I had to get one of my own and try it out for myself and see if this camcorder was really as good as the footage I kept seeing.

The Canon HV30 is a consumer camcorder which is the replacement model for the Canon HV20. The upgrades to this camcorder are the added 30P mode, an improved zoom toggle, a better LCD screen, a black glossy finish on the body frame and better support for high capacity batteries.

Other than that the HV30 still has the great features of its predecessor, the HV20, with a 1080i, 60i and 24P shooting modes.

The HV30 has a 2.7” LCD screen with 211,000 pixels. It has a 3 Megapixel CMOS sensor which can capture beautiful, crisp HD images in 1440×1080 resolution. However, Canon’s website claims that the HV30 captures at 1920×1080.

Power button and Zoom Rocker

For those of you with editing machines that cannot handle HD footage don’t worry, the HV30 still captures stunning SD footage as well. This camcorder is a great camcorder to have if you are playing with the idea of making the switch to HD editing.

The HV30 features a scroll focus wheel, a Focus Assist that zooms in to 2X to help with getting images super sharp. One note though, if you have large hands you may find the scroll wheel cumbersome. The Focus wheel is only about 1/2” wide.

One of the features I liked was the HDMI cable terminal. This is very handy for those wanting to view your HD footage straight to an HDTV. Just plug in your HDMI cable to the HDMI terminal on the back of the camcorder and connect to your HDTV and start viewing. At the time I purchased mine there was an HDMI cable was included.

Unlike some of the newer models such as the Canon HG20 which uses an internal hard disc drive, the HV30 uses standard MiniDV tapes for both SD and HD shooting.

The HV30 did well in low lighting situations. Low light shooting seems to be better when using the 24p settings. However, the HV30 has settings to increase exposure to improve low light shooting.

When it comes to battery life, the included battery can run up to two hours.  A little less depending on how much you zoom and how long you keep the LCD open. These two factors are a big factor in battery life. It is a good practice to have at least one extra high capacity battery handy.

HDMI and Firewire ports

Other features include firewire, miniSD Card slot, an electronic lens cover, HD video lens, PictBridge, and Canon’s Super-Range Optical Image Stabilizer which helps keep those hand-held shots steady.

The HV30 offers plenty of shooting options such as Shutter and Aperture Priority, a manual white balance, image effects, and Cine Mode. The Cine Mode works well with the HV30′s 24P option giving a more cinematic appearance. Keep in mind though that the HV30 doesn’t capture true 24P but more of a pseudo 24P. It is still actually 60i with a 3:2 pulldown. The HV30 still has the standard features such as an accessory shoe for lights or shotgun mics, wireless remote, auto focus, built-in Led light and adjustable hand strap.

Accessory Shoe

One of the things I wasn’t too thrilled about was its lack of separate plug for headphones. The headphone plug is shared with the A/V Out. So if you intend to view your camcorder with a external monitor you cannot use the headphone plug because it shares the same port. What a bummer.

Headphone and A/V ports

I had a chance to to shoot B-Roll with the Canon HV30 on a short movie for a 48 Hour Film project against a professional JVC HD100 camcorder. When we got the footage in post, we compared the footage from both cameras side-by-side. The JVC footage was low in saturation and the contrast was kinda washed out.

When we looked at the footage from the HV30 it was had deep vivid colors and great detail and depth.

I actually had to color correct the footage from the JVC to match the footage of the HV30. The Canon’s footage was edited untouched. How’s that for a consumer camcorder?

Onboard LED Light

The Canon HV30 can be used for your home movies with the kids or for that family vacation but it can also be a great contender to those professional camcorders to shoot a great indie movie or music video.

Sample videos:

Canon HV30 Sample_1

Canon HV30 Sample_2

The Canon HV30 HD camcorder retails for about $800.00.

This is by far one of the best sub-$1000 consumer HD camcorders on the market for price, features, and function.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, HD, hv30

Canon VIXIA HV30 HD Camcorder Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 10, 2009 at 7:18 am.

The uCorder claims to be the world’s first wearable camcorder. It’s available in two versions. One with 1GB of internal memory and one with 2GB. Both include a microSD slot. The resolution isn’t very impressive at only 64o x 480, and there isn’t a a built-in LCD viewfinder. But I suppose the portability is supposed to make up for these deficiencies. They are priced at $79.99 – $99.99 +$15 Shipping.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Digital Cameras and Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, Spotlight Gadgets

Wearable camcorder – uCorder originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 30, 2009 at 5:02 pm.

Zoom wants to get in on the mini camcorder market with their new Q3 Handy Video Recorder. They’ve long been highly regarded for their audio recorders, so it’s cool that they are coming out with something new. But, for some reason they are not riding the HD wave that other mini cameras are riding. The Q3′s max res is only 640 x 480 at 30 frames/sec. It does have a 2.4″ LCD display with a resolution of 320 x 240, an SD memory card slot and runs on 2 AA batteries. The price tag seems pretty high at $249.99. I think I’ll just stick with the Flip minoHD.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, Spotlight Gadgets, Video

Zoom audio quality + video = Q3 Handy Video Recorder originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 20, 2009 at 5:21 pm.

It goes without saying that we love our gadgets here at The Gadgeteer. We love big gadgets, little gadgets, complex gadgets and simple gadgets. Today I want to show you a gadget that is both little and simple. It’s the Flip minoHD video camera.

Hardware Specs

Recording time – 60 minutes
Internal memory – 4GB
Display – Transflective TFT 1.5″ diagonal (528 x 132)
Video resolution – 16:9 widescreen, HD 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 frames per second progressive scan
Sensor – 1/4.5″ HD CMOS Sensor 2.2µm pixels
Lens – 2x digital zoom
Light sensitivity – Ultra low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec)
Average bitrate – 9.0Mbps (auto-adaptive algorithm)
Video format – H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, MP4 file format
Battery – Internal Lithium-Ion Rechargeable with up to 2hr runtime
Dimensions – 3.94″ x 1.97″ x 0.63″
Weight – 3.3 oz

Package Contents

Flip minoHD
TV cable
Wrist strap
Soft carrying case
Quickstart guide

The Flip minoHD is available in an infinite variety of colors and designs. You can choose from popular designs like the one you see above, or  you can go crazy and use your own images to create a one of a kind look for your Flip.

The camera has a compact plastic body that is very pocketable and comfortable to hold. On the front side you will find the lens and next to it on the right is the microphone. The microphone area lights up in Red when the camera is in record mode.

On the Left side is the power button and lanyard eyelet. On the Right side is the USB connector eject button and TV out jack.

The USB connector folds into the top of the camera when not being used.

When the side switch is activated, the USB connector pops out.

The camera can then be plugged directly into a USB port on your PC or Mac for charging and manipulation of recorded videos. A small White LED on the USB connector glows to show that the Flip’s internal batteries are charging. The LED turns off when the camera is fully charged.

A standard sized threaded tripod mount is located on the bottom of the device.

All of the user controls are located on the back side of the Flip. There’s only one physical button, a big Red record toggle. The other ‘buttons’ are touch sensitive. There’s a + and – that zoom in and out, play/pause, delete and left/right navigation buttons.

Where other video cameras can be overly complex with a bazillion buttons, modes and features, the Flip minoHD is about as simple as it can get. Press the power button to turn on the camera and within 4 seconds you are ready to press the Red button to start recording. Press it again to stop recording. Each time you do that, a new file is saved to the camera’s 2gb internal memory.

The small color LCD shows the battery level and how much time you have left to record before running out of space. The only settings that you can change are the date, time of day and if you want button press tones or not. That’s it. I told you this camera was simple didn’t I?

Recording is easy and spontaneous with a camera this small. The LCD is very small, but it can be seen outdoors in full sunlight. The one button start / stop record is easy to press while holding the camera. Zooming in and out with the touch sensitive buttons is a bit awkward though. Most times I have to press the + or – multiple times before it recognizes that I’ve touched it.

The only other issue that I’ve noticed with recording is that this camera does not have an anti-shake or stabilization feature built into it. This is obvious on some of my recordings where I was holding the camera in my hand.

Once you have recorded a few samples, you can access them by plugging the Flip into your PC or Mac. The Flip will show up as USB flash drive that you can drag and drop files to.  Copy the .MP4 off to your computer, manipulate them with your favorite software and you’re done. Don’t have a favorite software package for manipulating video? Not to fear, there’s a PC and Mac application built into the the camera.

It’s pretty basic software, but this is a basic video camera, so no shock there. The software allows you to view the videos in thumbnail or full screen mode. You can email the videos, create video greeting cards, upload to sites like YouTube or MySpace, create a DVD and even capture a still image from a video.

Simple tools give you the ability to trim clips to remove unnecessary footage.

Here are a few samples that I recorded to give you an idea of the video quality. In order to view the video without problems, right click the links and save the files directly to your computer and view them that way instead of through your web browser. If you view through your web browser, the playback will be jerky.

flip-minohd-traffic 22mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

flip-minohd-wasp 28mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

flip-minohd-max 56mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

flip-minohd-ukulele 105mb (to view, right click and save to your desktop)

These samples show a few things that I’d like to point out. If you look at the wasp and traffic videos, you’ll notice that the recorded frame rate is a bit slow. In the traffic video, if you look through the trees in the upper right corner, you can make out the LED price board from a local gas station. You can see the prices blinking, which of course they don’t do in real life. You’ll see something similar in the wasp video. Wasps typically do not flutter around like a butterfly. If you intend to shoot extremely fast subject matter, this camera might not be able to deliver.

One other thing that I wanted to point out is that the camera captures colors much better in natural light as opposed to indoor artificial light like from compact fluorescent light bulbs. If you take a look at my ukulele video, my skin tone looks kinda Yellow – and as far as I know, I don’ t have any liver issues. Although the minoHD has an automatic white balance feature, I think it would be great to also have a way to manually adjust it.

Even with those few little issues (lack of physical zoom buttons, frame rate and white balance), I have absolutely enjoyed using the Flip minoHD. I love the fact that it is super fast and easy to use. You can give this camera to anyone (child or grandparent) and they won’t be confused with the controls. I also appreciate that I’m not required to have a separate AC adapter to charge it. There’s something to be said for simplicity. You’ve probably heard of the acronym KISS before. It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid and the Flip definitely takes that rule to heart.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Digital Cameras and Gear

Tagged: Camcorder, HD, Video

Flip minoHD Video Camera Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 21, 2009 at 1:50 pm.