DXG doubles up on compact HD camcorders

(Credit: DXG)

While there have been no shortage of vertical-style mini HD camcorders at CES 2009 (see announcements from Kodak, Sony, and RCA), there haven't been any pistol-grip mini HD camcorders, mainly because the most recognized maker of them, Sanyo, didn't have any announcements at the show. But fear not, DXG has you covered with the DXG-581V.

Due in the first quarter of this year for $179.99, the DXG-581V can capture HD video up to a resolution of 1,920x1,280 and capture 8-megapixel photos. It's equipped with built-in flash memory (though DXG didn't say how much), but it also has an SDHC slot with support for cards up to 8GB.

The camcorder is less than 4 inches high and has a rotating 3-inch LCD. Controls are pretty basic, and a software suite is included to help you edit and share your video.

(Credit: DXG)

If a more classic camcorder design suits your needs, the ultraslim DXG-580V flash-based HD camcorder would be a better choice. It records at resolutions up to 1,440x1,080 at 30fps, but everything else appears to be identical to the 581V.